Hochul suspends state hiring freeze

ALBANY, N.Y. (WIVB) — The state hiring freeze implemented during the COVID-19 pandemic has been lifted through the end of the fiscal year.

Gov. Kathy Hochul made the announcement Thursday morning. It comes after she released an updated State Financial Plan, which her office says projects "$2.1 billion in revenue above projections as the economic recovery beats expectations."

To summarize what the suspension of this hiring freeze means, state agencies can now hire without getting a waiver from the Division of the Budget. Hochul says agencies should prioritize hiring for their core missions and manage resources with prudence.

"As we continue to combat the pandemic, we must keep New York moving forward and that includes building our workforce to ensure we can support New Yorkers at the highest level," Hochul said.

Between March 2020 and August 2021, Hochul's office says the number of full-time workers in executive agencies went from roughly 118,000 to approximately 107,500.