By Allan Lengel
ticklethewire.com
Atty. Gen. Eric Holder Jr. has issued a memo calling for a temporary hiring freeze for all Justice Department employees at least until spring, saying the federal government is “facing unprecedented budget challenges”, ABC News reported.
“I anticipate revisiting the Department’s hiring and staff situation in the spring, once we know our likely full-year funding level,” Holder wrote in the Jan. 21 memo, according to ABC’s Jason Ryan. The Justice Department includes prosecutors, support staff and agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals Service.
Holder said he hoped the steps would “allow us to avoid more severe future measures, such as staff furloughs.”
“While we do not yet know what actions will be taken to fund the Justice Department for the remainder of the fiscal year (FY) which ends September 30, 2011, there is a realistic prospect that the Department will have to operate for the entire fiscal year at last year’s levels,” the memo continued. “This presents significant budget challenges as the cost of our operations and staffing is considerably higher this year.”
“The Justice Department’s budget request for the current fiscal year included a 5.4 percent funding increase, with over 2,800 employees being added to department’s workforce.
“This week, I issued a memorandum to all Component Heads outlining the financial measures that we need to take to ensure the Department can operate through FY 2011 within our budget. Given the Department’s vast size and broad responsibilities, the financial restrictions that I announced will be difficult but given our funding constraints are required.
“One of the measures that I announced was a temporary freeze on hiring. I also directed that components curtail non-personnel spending unless it is necessary for essential operations.”
