On April 2, 2025, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed an executive order to pause hiring for the executive branch of the state government. The executive order resulted from a projected financial deficiency. The hiring freeze excludes local government agencies and does not affect Louisiana’s judicial or legislative branches.
Gov. Landry’s goal is to use hiring freezes to save $20 million and avoid major cuts to health care and education funding. Landry described the urgency behind the goals and the hiring freeze.
“To ensure the long-term fiscal health of Louisiana and protect essential services for our most vulnerable citizens, we must take decisive action now to address revenue shortfalls,” Landry said. “This is a necessary step to give the Legislature more options, to prevent deeper cuts to healthcare and education, and to safeguard the future of our state.”
The hiring freeze concerned Louisiana citizens, with some viewing it as Landry’s response to the rejection of Amendment 2 in the March election. In his order, Governor Landry explained what the amendment would have done for the state’s finances.
“The Legislature, by two-thirds vote of its members, in a bipartisan fashion, passed proposed revisions to La. Const. art. VII that, if ratified, would have raised revenue and addressed the fiscal shortfall,” Landry said. “Amendment 2, which would have resulted in additional revenue, was submitted to the electors of the state of Louisiana and rejected.”
Landry’s hiring freeze intends to protect Louisiana’s education, according to Landry. Educators, along with students employed by any state agency, fall under the category of unclassified civil servants. They can work at either the state or local level, depending on their placement.
The state funds ULM and includes it as part of the state government. Anyone employed by the university holds status as a state employee and may experience effects.
Educators prepared for the widespread effects of the hiring freeze. Louisiana Democratic Party executive director Dadrius Lanus discussed his predictions.
“If there’s any pause or stoppage of any kind that hurts or harms payments for teachers, we will make a strong response across our entire state,” Lanus said.
The hiring freeze began on April 11 and is set to end on June 30. As of now, no exemptions have been stated.
