Do you support the hiring freeze for the VA?
- Thread starter runkpanole
- Start date
It’s not just the VA with hiring freezes. I have several acquaintances that work for various federal agencies and they all have hiring freezes now. I assume it’s temporary until the new regime can assess the needs of the various agencies.
Its not temporary, they want to cut staffing at all government agencies. Don't worry it will backfire spectacularly it already is. So The White House had to come out and say what positions were critical for the VA. So the VA today began to restart the hiring process on those positions (guidance came out about 4 hours ago). Even still 1/3 of the VA positions is still on hold. Its a beyond stupid set up. First do your analysis and try to cut if you want to. Not cut initially and then try to figure it out. Beyond stupid, but its Musk so what should we expect.
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service (USDS), shall submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition. Upon issuance of the OMB plan, this memorandum shall expire for all executive departments and agencies, with the exception of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). This memorandum shall remain in effect for the IRS until the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Director of OMB and the Administrator of USDS, determines that it is in the national interest to lift the freeze.
Yeah, back in the mid 80’s when I was first hired for a gov’t job, that particular agency had a 3 year hiring freeze just prior to my hire, so we were way under-staffed. It goes in ebbs/flows as they hired too many people so had to cut #’s.
No. We should be taking better care of our vets.
IRS finally got to where they were responding it a timely manner, pretty sure that is going to end. However, my guess is the certified letters for 1st notices is going to end too which I am more than fine with.
The VA just got to a spot where it was providing pretty good care. We all remember all the articles and blurbs on the news of the poor care back in 2016. Satisfaction increased from 55% back then to 80% now. Don't let Golfhack read this, he might get upset
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WASHINGTON — Following successful implementation of President Trump’s federal hiring freeze, the Department of Veterans Affairs announced several exemptions to the policy.
These exemptions clarify the department’s ability to continue filling essential positions that provide health care and other vital services to Veterans and VA beneficiaries.
Although Trump’s Jan. 20 Executive Order states it shall not adversely impact Veterans’ benefits and does not apply to positions related to public safety, VA worked with the White House and Office of Personnel Management to develop this updated guidance.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, VA will always do what is necessary to provide America’s Veterans with the benefits and services they have earned. The targeted hiring-freeze exemptions announced today underscore that fact,” said VA Director of Media Affairs Morgan Ackley.
Geez, did they admit that blanket actions have unintended consequences? I guess the 3 who wanted to shit on the veterans in this poll will be pissed.
Competent people would have had those exemptions in there before announcing the policy. Guess DOGE wasn't there to help.
We’ve had federal hiring freezes before and there are always exemptions.
We had them in 2013 and 2017 fwiw
Don't let Golfhack read this, he will post links and facts that disprove my bullshit that I just want everyone to accept without questioning. Because of my extensive experience on .an internet message board and as a nurse (supposedly)
VA exempts 300,000 health care positions from governmentwide hiring freeze
The VA memo exempts roughly three-quarters of the Veterans Health Administration's roughly 400,000-employee workforce.
federalnewsnetwork.com
Biggest issue, there was not clarification on what positions were exempt. So most departments waited until more clarification, so as to not being told they violated an executive order.
Would have been a lot easier to clarify at the outset, no?
Don't let Golfhack read this, he will post links and facts that disprove my bullshit that I just want everyone to accept without questioning. Because of my extensive experience in .an internet message board and as a nurse (supposedly) (Golfhacks take)
Ok moron, Nursing Home Administrator. Pretty par for the course on your misinformation. I have seen no links other than the initial link to the EO. Other than that, no survey disproving the increased satisfaction. And no plausible thesis as to how a hiring freeze on even non critical staff (1/3) of the work force in the VA, will not negatively effect the care given. Ask those here who worked in government departments during freezes, was this a good time in those departments and did productive improve during those timeframes or not (hint its never a good for production or quality of care during those timeframes). So please go on your way as you have nothing pertinent to add to this conversation.
Ok moron, Nursing Home Administrator. Pretty par for the course on your misinformation. I have seen no links other than the initial link to the EO. Other than that, no survey disproving the increased satisfaction. And no plausible thesis as to how a hiring freeze on even non critical staff (1/3) of the work force in the VA, will not negatively effect the care given. Ask those here who worked in government departments during freezes, was this a good time in those departments and did productive improve during those timeframes or not (hint its never a good for production or quality of care during those timeframes). So please go on your way as you have nothing pertinent to add to this conversation.
That and maybe folks could have pumped the breaks on freaking out until they learned the details.
Guess the VA hadn't either - or all the other correspondence prior between the Trump administration, Doge and the VA that we aren't privy to. Only after working with the White House the last 3 days did they clarify what positions were critical or not . . . but I am the one that doesn't know what is going on
Or they just came out with a full fleshed plan, before shooting with a shotgun, and seeing what damage occurred and then reassessing.
They announced exemptions yesterday
Broad exemptions to Trump's federal hiring freeze begin to take shape
The Defense Department is indicating it will allow hiring to continue for all civilian positions.
www.govexec.com
Whether yesterday, or Today where the VA announced the specific exemptions that were exempt -They announced exemptions yesterday
Broad exemptions to Trump's federal hiring freeze begin to take shape
The Defense Department is indicating it will allow hiring to continue for all civilian positions.
The Veterans Affairs Department appears poised to exempt employees at the Veterans Benefits Administration, but Trump’s pick to lead VA, Doug Collins, told lawmakers yesterday he may freeze hiring for some health care staff. Collins told Democratic senators concerned about the impact of a freeze they were falsely assuming that a vacancy equated to an actual need for the department.
“We'll take a look at the current levels of employees that we have and where they're properly located,” Collins said. “We will work under the executive order he has given us.”
The administration will allow incoming employees with job offers in hand prior to Jan. 20 to onboard into their jobs if their start date was scheduled for on or before Feb. 8. Anyone whose start date was slated for after Feb. 8 will see that offer rescinded. Agency heads should have already formally rescinded those offers, but can now request special permission from OPM to reinstate them.
Here is a more fleshed out article on what positions are exempt that I saw today.
More than 300k VA health jobs exempted from White House hiring freeze
About two-thirds of Veterans Affairs jobs will be excluded from a White House order blocking new hiring.
www.airforcetimes.com
We've been through this before. Let me briefly recap. You rely on a survey. A survey which was ripped apart by an IG's report. You said there would be cuts to medical care providers. I posted the verbiage where there wasn't, then several posts later you discovered this as "breaking news". The original EO very clearly stated this:
"This order does not apply to military personnel of the armed forces or to positions related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. Moreover, nothing in this memorandum shall adversely impact the provision of Social Security, Medicare, or Veterans’ benefits. In addition, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may grant exemptions from this freeze where those exemptions are otherwise necessary."
You haven't looked up the VA's IG report. You haven't read the EO. You don't understand that various departments need to reply to the EO, which the VA has done. That will be ongoing. You are arguing just to argue. You misrepresent what I say. You post your opinion as fact. You later post links which disprove your own previous posts. You post your projection and predictions about what will happen as if it's already happening. You stated the VA budget has been cut. In fact it was increased. You cite the PACT Act, then your only expertise is the first two sentences of what one can find on a Google search. You don't understand that this increased demand, and supply hasn't grown quickly enough. That resulted and results in delayed medical care, notwithstanding the survey you cite which was ripped to shreds by the VA's IG. Upper management of VA gave themselves bonuses based on a non credible survey. There is an ongoing investigation into this as I type this.
After all of this you continue while not knowing anything about the subject. And you're unwilling to read highly available information to educate yourself.
To conclude, you have absolutely no idea what your posting about.
GolfHack, the VA had rescinded offers to medical personnel - FACT. Just refer to the stupid republican who was in full meltdown mode about his wife having her job rescinded. Only today - 2 hours ago did he state the position was reinstated.
So up until today, the facts were this freeze included medical personnel - based on the VA's actions. 2ndly, even non critical staff, which is a 1/3 of the personnel will effect the care given. It will effect it. Those job duties will fall onto the critical personnel.
1. I posted the EO, better go check it. 2, Please refer to the below post (I am fairly certain, this bombshell of a report does not exist) It still doesn't discount the survey that occurred, and you still have nothing to back up your stance, from you know . . . actual veterans. Still haven't come up with a survey showing satisfaction decreasing.
As to a budget decrease, its coming. Here is a blurb from your own EO:
Within 90 days of the date of this memorandum, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), in consultation with the Director of OPM and the Administrator of the United States DOGE Service (USDS), shall submit a plan to reduce the size of the Federal Government’s workforce through efficiency improvements and attrition.
They are also looking at other cuts from departments. Your budget that you are referring to is no longer relevant. A freeze and potential reduction in non critical staff, will effect services provided. Whether through moral, employees leaving, lack of good qualified employees applying, lack of non critical staff helping with daily functions. There is ample evidence that this will effect care. That you can't acknowledge it, because only after can you truly judge is a bunch of baloney. If you have worked in any healthcare entity you would know how freezes affect care. FYI . . . I have that experience . . . FYI you have admitted you don't.
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Golfhack, please link this supposed IG report ripping the survey. I have found nothing Only thing I see is a report in May of 2024 discussing bonuses in 2023. Had nothing to do with the 2024 survey. It seems like you are talking about some phantom report . . . LOL that would be funny as hell. So until you can learn to link this supposed IG report, at this point without knowing the relevant information in it, I am ignoring your claim.
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Yes, because the job market for nurses is WAAAAAAAAAY out of control. They can quit a job today and have a new one tomorrow. WAAAAAAAAAAAAY too much demand and not enough supply for nurses. The VA having a hiring freeze won't fix that, but it'll help a little.
Will help you . . . Please tell Golfhack how you think it will effect the VA . . .
Nope. There are not enough nurses. No where near enough. I'm seriously worried that I'll land in a nursing home some day and there won't be a nurse there for me.
And it's not the money. People are throwing serious money at nurses.
The problem is certain elements of society are telling young women, "Don't be a nurse, be a doctor... don't be a teacher, be a principal"....
That glass ceiling stuff is great and all, but everyone is going to need a teacher and a nurse someday, and there simply aren't enough of them. And MEN are not stepping up to take these jobs no matter how much money is on the table for them.
It's a real and a serious societal problem.
Not enough nurses so do a hiring freeze at the VA worsening care for disabled veterans. That's some dumb logic.
You are drunk. Nobody is telling young women not to be a nurse. Actually, it's the opposite. Fungible.
I agree on a lot of that. No one is promoting healthcare or teaching, because they’re both having serious issues right now. This was the first class in a very long time that the university of Iowa pharmacy school has filled all its spots.
