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Veterans Affairs Department Seeks Exemptions from Federal Hiring Freeze
The Veterans Affairs (VA) Department has determined specific roles that are deemed critical and should be exempt from the federal hiring freeze introduced by the Trump administration earlier this week.
In a memorandum dated January 21, just a day after the government-wide hiring halt was enacted—with certain exceptions for sectors like immigration enforcement, national security, and public safety—acting VA Secretary Todd Hunter outlined over 304,000 positions across 35 different occupational series for which the department is seeking hiring exemptions.
“The VA is dedicated to making thoughtful hiring decisions to ensure we are prepared for success in executing comprehensive modernization and reform initiatives,” Hunter stated. “Before recruitment for vacant roles is greenlit, VA leadership must confirm that these actions align with the organization’s objectives, priorities, and modernization strategies, ultimately enhancing service delivery to Veterans.”
Hunter elaborated that health care roles within the VA would qualify for exemption due to their public safety significance, while the department aims to collaborate with the Office of Personnel Management to secure exemptions for positions related to veterans’ benefits. Furthermore, any other exemption requests must receive prior approval from the chief of staff for Veterans Affairs.
The anticipated list of exemptions aligns with past practices, notably during the Trump administration’s 2017 hiring freeze, which also necessitated a similar exemption process. That freeze allowed for the continued hiring of health professionals, including doctors and nurses, yet imposed limitations on administrative and support staff recruitment. The recent memo mirrors this approach, focusing primarily on medical roles among the exempted series.
The current guidance from the Office of Personnel Management offers flexibility in exempting roles that provide essential benefits, applicable not only to the VA but also to other programs like Social Security and Medicare. Additionally, the Defense Department plans to exempt approximately 750,000 positions due to national security requirements.
During a session with the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee, VA Secretary-designate Doug Collins indicated his intent to pursue hiring exemptions for VA benefits roles, while concurrently assessing how the freeze would impact departmental operations.
Collins has expressed his support for the VA’s community care initiative, which enables veterans to receive care from private providers, and emphasized that this program could continue to operate alongside the VA’s internal health care services.
The issuance of the VA’s hiring exemption list comes at a pivotal moment as the department has intensified its recruitment strategies over recent years. In fiscal 2023 alone, VA officials successfully brought on 61,000 new staff members, largely to accommodate increased eligibility for veteran benefit claims associated with the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act.
Nevertheless, these staffing advancements are now facing challenges due to budget constraints in fiscal 2024, prompting several VA medical centers to implement cost-saving measures and restrict new hiring.
Moreover, the department is actively pursuing funding to address a projected $6.6 billion budget deficit for fiscal 2025 as it awaits a comprehensive appropriations package from Congress.
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