UPDATE: June 24, 2025 – In an email dated June 24, 2025, from Human Resources officials, Southeastern was notified that the hiring freeze implemented earlier in the spring will expire on June 30. Vacant positions can be filled with hire dates after July 1. This will include the hiring of graduate assistants and student workers.

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On April 2, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry enacted a statewide hiring freeze on the executive branch of state government. The order, according to Landry, was instituted to save an estimated $20 million annually in state funds, while also being part of a larger effort to address and manage budget shortfalls.

“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 in a written statement. “By implementing a temporary hiring freeze, we will rein in spending, saving an annualized $20 million. This is a necessary step to give the Legislature more options, to prevent deeper cuts to health care and education, and to safeguard the future of our state.”

The hiring freeze took effect on April 11 and will remain in effect through June 30, unless terminated sooner. The order places a hold on employee transfers, promotions, re-allocations and the creation of any new positions within the executive branch.

The commissioner of administration is authorized to grant exemptions in the executive branch of the state government on a case-by-case basis or by category, as deemed necessary and appropriate.

Requests for exemptions may be submitted only by elected state officials, secretaries or heads of a department, budget unit, agency, office, board or commission that is not within a department.
Landy issued the executive order in response to the rejection of Amendment 2 on the March 28 election. The proposed constitutional amendment would have revised and reorganized state revenue and taxation by allowing revenue streams to be transferred into the state’s general fund.
State Rep. Mike Bayham of Chalmette expressed his disappointment with the rejection of Amendment 2 at the time.

“There were people who just didn’t want to vote for something that had so many moving parts in it, but if we move forward with additional tax reform, which the legislature is inclined to do, it needs to be done in a way where the voters can digest different parts separately, and we need to do a better job selling it to the public,” Bayham said in a statement.

Following the announcement of the executive order, SLU released a statement indicating that it is evaluating its hiring process for campus positions.
“We understand that departments have specific questions regarding such things as hiring graduate assistants for summer, replacing student workers, finalizing hires currently in process, positions funded outside of the operating fund, etc. Know that we are continuing to receive guidance and clarification regarding the specifics of the freeze, including impact, and will share additional information in the coming days.” Campus officials shared the message in a campus Take Note email dated April 11.

Later in April, the university submitted an exemption request to hire for summer vacancies, including full-time faculty, part-time faculty (adjuncts), WAE Employees for Summer programs, graduate assistants and student workers to the State of Louisiana Division of Administration.
In an email dated May 6, campus HR officials clarified that approval had been granted for summer hires. The approved positions included full-time faculty, part-time faculty, WAE employees for summer programs, graduate assistants and student workers.
The email also noted that the university had submitted exception requests for fall hires, or positions filled during the hiring freeze with start dates after the expiration of the executive order on July 1, as well as other hires, or positions expected to be filled with work beginning before the expirations of the Executive Order, or July 1.

Additional information would be communicated once a decision on the exception requests has been received.

The full executive order can be viewed on the official louisiana.gov website, which contains the full document.