FOIA data shows uneven federal hiring early in 2025
A FOIA request to the Office of Personnel Management reveals who the federal government hired in early 2025 and where they were hired.
The dataset covers civilian hires and transfers from January through March 2025. It sheds light on agency hiring freezes, carveouts, and staffing tied to the Department of Government Efficiency.
The data arrives as agencies continue responding to 2024 FOIA requests.
The Law in Play
The disclosure arises under the Freedom of Information Act. OPM released a dataset listing hires by agency and subagency, hire month, appointment type, and partial compensation data. Names and salaries appear in about one-third of records, with the remainder redacted. The opposing concern is privacy and personnel security, which explains the redactions.
Timeline
March 2024: FOIA request submitted to OPM seeking federal hire data.
January 2025: Agencies continue hiring amid early policy shifts.
February 2025: Government-wide hiring composition changes.
March 2025: Overall hiring dro…
