The Office of Management and Budget released guidance today that answers some big questions about the hiring freeze. It includes very good news for anyone who had a firm offer and acceptance in hand before January 22, 2017. Here are the key points:
People who received and accepted a job offer made before the 22nd, with reporting date before February 22, 2017, are approved to report for work. That is great news for those folks. For people who have an offer and acceptance, but who are not scheduled to report until after February 22, 2017, agencies are directed to review the position to determine if they should go forward with or revoke the offer. In making those decisions, the guidance instructs agency heads to consider merit principles, agency mission essential priorities, and resources and funding. Compared to previous hiring freezes (particularly the Reagan freeze), this is a very reasonable policy. It does not automatically revoke offers, and it allows agency heads to make the call for new hires with reporting dates after February 22, 2017.
Further guidance is coming. The memo specifically states that OMB and/or OPM are working on additional guidance regarding exemptions, reporting requirements, and other aspects of the freeze. The fact that OMB turned around the initial guidance in one day is a good sign and it demonstrates that they are interested in reducing uncertainty.
Exemptions by agency heads should be limited. The memo refers to agency heads making “…limited exemptions that they deem necessary to ensure national security or public safety.” The presidential memorandum ordering the freeze left the extent of such exemptions unstated. The new guidance, by referring to “limited” exemptions is putting some boundaries or reasonableness around agency head discretion.
Today’s guidance does not address issues such as career promotions, reassignments within agencies, or numerous other issues agencies have raised, but it is a good start on defining the scope of the freeze.
ChiefHRO.com 
At my DoD agency the hiring freeze has also impacted our GS Term positions. Currently, term positions are not being renewed during the hiring freeze. This means that if a term position reaches its end date during the freeze, it is not extended. Someone who has worked with our agency for over a decade- 60 hour weeks, all in- was up for renewal on Jan 30 and instead is now unemployed. Another will lose his job next month. Term appointments are not uncommon. Why aren’t we hearing more stories and outrage about things like this?
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I would like to know this, too. My location is losing a lot of people at once. And some reading says that OMB did not give guidance on this, so I wonder where it came from since it was not done this way in the past. They are also saying it is effecting 5 year temporary promotions – instead of completing their TP status, they are being returned to their previous position.
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what if you received a tentative job offer before january 22nd? How do you think the detailed guidence will treat this situation?
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Agency heads will make decisions on those on a case-by-case basis, unless the position is one that is included in one of the exemptions.
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thanks so much for the quick response
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I received Tentative Offer November 2016 and Official Final Offer letter and accepted December 2, 2016 and all other requirements were met exempt passport and visa. I was only awaiting travel orders, per HRO I should have received orders weeks prior to Presidential memo regarding hiring freeze. The position was a Cybersecurity Workforce Schedule A position. Today I received not only a rescinding email of job offer by was advised position had been completely cancelled.
Why did this happen when President Trump has reiterated the need for qualified IT Specialist regarding cybersecurity? I thought this position was safe from the hiring freeze.
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There could be a lot of reasons – this is a question for your HR office and for the hiring manager. You might want to talk with both.
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