Gov. Ayotte institutes state employee hiring freeze

Governor Kelly Ayotte (Courtesy photo)

CONCORD - Governor Kelly Ayotte signed an executive order on Wednesday instituting a hiring freeze across state government.
The order would exempt law enforcement - including corrections officers and troopers, positions providing direct care at a state facility or child protective services, and other essential areas, according to a release from the Governor's Office.
"With the current budget environment, it's clear we need to tighten our belts and live within our means," Ayotte wrote in a prepared statement. "I informed Commissioners today that I will be instituting a hiring freeze across state government as we examine every agency and look for ways to do things better. Just like families do each day, we must match what goes out with what comes in. I look forward to continuing to work with our state's leadership to make our government more efficient and provide further value for taxpayers."
As instructed by the order, Ayotte ordered that "All full-time and part-time classified and unclassified employee positions within the agencies of the Executive Branch that are vacant on the effective date of this Order or that become vacant after the effective date of this Order shall remain vacant unless otherwise explicitly exempted by this Order or granted a waiver to this Order by the Governor."
All waivers granted will be posted on the Governor's Office web page.