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DOJ Antitrust

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 9:11 pm
by antitrustguru
Does anyone have any specific insight into the hiring freeze in place at DOJ Antitrust?

It is unclear to me whether it is related to (1) lack of funding for the division in the proposed 2018 budget, (2) the DOJ's pending "reorganization plan, (3) or the Trump administration's aversion to antitrust enforcement in general. Is the freeze expected to last for the 4-8 year duration of the Trump presidency, or is it more short-term?

Other DOJ components, even those that aren't priorities of the Trump administration, have posted some lateral vacancies since Trump took office (e.g., Civil division, Civil Rights division, ENRD). But the Antitrust division has not, which seems odd.

Re: DOJ Antitrust

Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2017 4:22 pm
by Anonymous User
Where are you getting this information?

The freeze expired in April. DOJ Honors is open. Is there another (unannounced) freeze?

Re: DOJ Antitrust

Posted: Fri Aug 04, 2017 11:11 pm
by Anonymous User
I think OP may be referring to the fact that the Antitrust division went from having 22 positions available via DOJ Honors last year to having 2 available this year.

Re: DOJ Antitrust

Posted: Sat Aug 05, 2017 9:04 pm
by antitrustguru
To clarify the original question:

The federal government-wide hiring freeze has been lifted. However, my understanding is that the DOJ Antitrust division has maintained a hiring freeze since Trump took office. That is why, to my knowledge, no lateral vacancies have been posted on the DOJ website since the Trump presidency began. Under normal circumstances, several vacancies would have been advertised by now.

It is true that the Division continues to hire at extremely reduced rates through DOJ Honors (e.g. 2 people a year, far below the replacement rate). But the freeze is still in place, according to employees of the Division. The limited hiring through DOJ Honors is just an exception to the freeze.