President Donald Trump on Monday signed an executive order putting a freeze on hiring and wage increases for some federal government workers.
The order fulfilled a promise Trump made during his campaign.
The hiring freeze excludes military and national security employees.
The new president has vowed to take on the federal bureaucracy and the action could be the first step in an attempt to curtail government employment.
The memorandum signed by Trump's is similar to one that President George W. Bush signed at the start of his administration in 2001.