Mass. House implements temporary hiring freeze
Photo I Ella Adams / SHNS
Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano stand at a Juneteenth celebration at the State House on Thursday.
Following the Healey administration's playbook, the House has now imposed a temporary hiring freeze.
Katherine Palmer, the House's human resources director, announced the measure Wednesday afternoon, shortly after House Democrats met in a private caucus.
"Given federal economic uncertainty, effective today, the House of Representatives is instituting a hiring freeze, with the exception of previously approved positions and backfills for legislative aides who are the sole aides to their Member," Palmer wrote in the message to lawmakers, which was shared with the News Service.
"This temporary hiring freeze is a proactive step the House of Representatives is taking to control spending and continue to support our staff and Members," Palmer continued. "We will reevaluate hiring controls in the future and communicate any further changes."
A spokesperson for House Speaker Ron Mariano said he was not aware of the expected savings from the freeze.
The House had 528 full-time employees in fiscal 2025, state records show. Payroll, including representatives, totaled nearly $30 million.
The fiscal 2026 budget includes $49.9 million for House operations. The previous fiscal year budget steered $47.5 million to House operations, though projected spending was nearly $52 million.
There's no hiring freeze in the Senate, according to a spokesperson for Senate President Karen Spilka.
"The Senate is closely monitoring the impact that federal actions are having on our economy and our budget," the spokesperson said. "We are grateful to all of our staff, and thankful that that there is a low level of turnover."
Healey in mid-May announced her hiring freeze across the executive branch for the remainder of the fiscal year. The administration, citing anticipated federal funding cuts and inflation, described hiring controls as "one tool the administration plans to use to ensure the state can continue to invest in essential services and safety net programs for people and families."
Aides for Auditor Diana DiZoglio and Secretary of State Bill Galvin said their offices were not currently pursuing hiring freezes.
A spokesperson for Treasurer Deb Goldberg said the office has "no official hiring freeze yet" but is "only backfilling essential positions at this time."
Attorney General Campbell's office received a budget boost, and lawmakers said the $9 million increase would help her office "defend Massachusetts residents from the impact of federal actions." The office does not have a hiring freeze, a spokesperson said.
The new federal tax and spending law and the tariff war led by President Trump are fueling debate over the direction of the economy and impacts of reduced federal aid to the states. Trump and Congressional Republicans say their policies will lift the economy, but critics fear the groundwork is being laid for a downturn.
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