Overview

• An executive order signed Wednesday bars filling vacant civilian jobs or creating new positions except as allowed by the directive or required by law.
• Agencies have 30 days to form Strategic Hiring Committees and 60 days to submit Annual Staffing Plans coordinated with OPM and OMB, with quarterly updates starting in the second quarter of FY2026.
• Exceptions include the Executive Office of the President, political and certain Senior Executive Service roles, military personnel, and positions tied to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety.
• The OPM director may grant additional exemptions and keep prior carveouts in place unless withdrawn, and OMB and OPM must deliver a joint implementation report to the president within 180 days.
• The White House says Social Security, Medicare, and veterans’ benefits will not be affected and prohibits contracting to circumvent the order; the move follows an expired hiring freeze, and a judge temporarily blocked separate RIF efforts during the shutdown, according to E&E News by POLITICO.