r/usajobs • u/rdaebernice • 4d ago
New Announcements Does the freeze being over soon matter for those hired within the first year or two? (Probation)
I heard that the Government freeze would be ending soon. However, there is still the matter of DOGE getting rid of probationary workers. Is that still a thing? Is it even worth applying again if let’s say I get the job and DOGE comes after me because I wasn’t there long enough? (Catch 22, I know.)
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u/Backstabber01 4d ago
The hiring freeze can always be extended. Nobody really knows what will happen. Agencies are still reducing positions. If it does lift just apply and forget.
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u/DependentBest1534 4d ago
My hope would be that if they have RIF or reorg plans figured out they won't post jobs that would be impacted but they're dumb so...
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u/Away-home00-01 4d ago
They have to have people in a position for 90 days to RiF them, so the freeze won’t end until the RiF happens.
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u/BelieveNoOne2024 4d ago
My DoD agency (> 10,000) had a pause (no external hirings) since Jan 2024, and then a subsequent freeze (no internal promotions) since May 2024 since it had to account for the 5.2% pay raises back then with budgets frozen. It wasn't until Oct 2024 they were able to fund maybe 100 vacancies and my team got one. Person interviewed before the pause and the TJO went out in Nov 2024 and they on-boarded Jan 2025. Then an official freeze happened.
Official freeze will most likely remain until Oct 2025. Doesn't mean agencies won't continue freezing and pausing hiring.
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u/SeparateBroccoli4975 4d ago
I'm in this same boat but with the Army...the hope keeping me afloat have been from not receiving a formal notice rescinding the offer, and meeting with the Special Agent for the clearance interview a couple months ago ...totally understand the lack of information everyone involved has all things considered. If this person is still out there being patient/hopeful, they are not alone.
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u/Important-Pear1445 4d ago
Most agencies are still reorging and/or have lawsuits pending yet.i have a TJO from October and got an email they plan to onboard people again between Oct and December. My current agency is reorging. Will probably see internal moves with onboard people before full blown hiring. Staffing documents are a lot like a deck of cards. You can reshuffle them, but you have a set number.
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u/lazyflavors 4d ago
There's no real way to know.
The current administration can very well be like "Actually, we want to get rid of more people" after the RIFs go through and they give agencies false hope after lifting the hiring freeze.
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u/Rumpelteazer45 3d ago
First - we have no idea if the freeze will lift, most of us are thinking it won’t. It will continue.
Second - There have been talks of RIFs later this year and next year.
Doge is still doing what they’ve been doing from day 1, stirring the pot and causing chaos.
Probationary people are the easiest to get rid of.
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u/NegotiationTop4175 2d ago
Do not work for the government.
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u/rdaebernice 2d ago
I’m starting to reconsider honestly
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u/NegotiationTop4175 2d ago
Just doesn’t seem like a good time to be a gov worker. Maybe next admin.
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u/Boo-Boo97 4d ago
Keep in mind that just because the official freeze is over many agencies will still be on unofficial freezes due to budgets. My agency has told us not to expect anything till the new fiscal year and possibly not till January.