Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has informed city department directors and finance managers that the city is implementing a hiring freeze for most positions. The move comes as the city faces a projected budget deficit that could reach as much as $251 million by 2025.
The freeze exempts public safety hires including police officers, firefighters and employees at the new CARE “dual dispatch” department. It also exempts employees backfilling for those using the city’s paid parental or family care leave and employees “providing essential public services,” according to a mayoral spokesperson. Exemptions for positions providing essential public services will be decided on a case by case basis but might include, for example, civilian staff in the police and fire departments.
Offers of employment made before Jan. 19 are not affected.
The city jobs website shows 115 open positions as of Jan. 22, though at least 14 of them are public safety positions exempt from the freeze.
The number of open jobs underplays the scope of vacancies in city departments. For example, according to data obtained by Crosscut, City Light, Public Utilities and Parks and Recreation had 287, 171 and 137 vacant positions, respectively, as of August 2022.
The Coalition of City Unions, which represents nearly 6,000 city workers in 11 unions, said pay and safety issues have contributed to the lingering vacancies.
The projected general fund budget deficit stems from a combination of tax revenue decreases, the impact of inflation, and a likely increase to city employee wages. The Coalition of City Unions and the Seattle Police Officers Guild are both currently bargaining new contracts with the city.
In an email, the mayor’s spokesperson said, “The city is taking a comprehensive approach to addressing the forecasted budget gap and structural budget issues, including thorough analysis of current city spending and an array of strategies to drive efficiencies, optimize investments, and prioritize the needs of residents, in collaboration with the City Council.”
He continued, saying that the mayor is still considering all options for addressing the shortfall, including “the potential for new or adjusted revenue sources.”
Harrell and former Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda convened a task force in 2022 to explore new progressive tax ideas for the city, in response to earlier projections of the coming budget deficit. That task force came up with nine ideas for new or expanded city taxes.