FORT WORTH, Texas — The City of Fort Worth has implemented an immediate hiring freeze amid expected budget shortfalls, according to an internal memo shared with WFAA and other media outlets.
In a March 12 memo shared with Fort Worth Department Heads, City Manager Jay Chapa implemented a freeze on recruitment activities for positions in the General Fund and Internal Service Funds effective immediately. Chapa has also told Department Heads to limit discretionary spending until further notice.
The reasoning, Chapa said, is that current budget projections indicate that Fiscal Year 2026 expenditures will outpace revenues, and city officials are already planning for constrained revenue for Fiscal Year 2027.
The memo also said that the hiring freeze will not exempt hard-to-fill positions but will exempt Civil Service positions, seasonal/summer hires, positions funded from a source other than the General Fund or Internal Services Funds, and positions posted before March 12, 2026.
Chapa said in the memo that the freeze on recruitment and discretionary spending will continue until further notice.
