Last week, a group of U.S. Senators urged the new Secretary of the Interior to reconsider the complete shutdown of National Park Service seasonal hires. Now, sources indicate that some seasonal workers, particularly those in safety roles, may be hired.
This news comes from two sources and an email obtained by The Washington Post. The exemption will allow seasonal hires for law enforcement positions such as law enforcement rangers and public safety dispatchers. As this information is not yet public, the sources spoke anonymously.
National Park Service seasonal hires may not extend beyond law enforcement
According to MSN News, “While public safety positions fall under the hiring freeze exemption, the NPS still had to request and obtain approval to proceed with hiring.” An email sent Tuesday explained to someone whose seasonal public safety dispatcher job offer had been rescinded last month, “Your position was approved to continue the hiring process on Friday.”
It remains unclear whether the exemption will extend to seasonal hires in non-law enforcement roles. The NPS has yet to respond to questions about this.
Former Park Service officials argue that hiring more law enforcement workers could save lives. NPS data shows that an average of 358 people died annually in national parks between 2014 and 2019. The leading causes of death were motor vehicle crashes, drownings, and falls.
Park Service hiring freeze despite White House clarification
On his first day of his second term, Trump signed an executive order imposing a broad hiring freeze, with exceptions for military personnel and jobs related to immigration enforcement, national security, or public safety. The White House later clarified that the freeze should not apply to “seasonal employees and short-term temporary employees necessary to meet traditionally recurring seasonal workloads.”
Despite this clarification, the NPS rescinded about 400 seasonal job offers last month at parks across the country, according to The Washington Post. It is unclear how many of these positions were in law enforcement.
“Your job offer has been rescinded at management’s request,” read one email sent last month to a public safety dispatcher. “If the position becomes available again, another announcement will be posted.”
We’ll update National Park Service seasonal hires if and when changes occur.
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Well bygolly and golly gee willikars, the world has not collapsed. Seems as tho we have a more nimble Gov’t agency making decisions and changes at the speed of a nimble private business. Who knew it was even a possibility?
It says law enforcement. Who is going to clean the bathrooms?
Maybe folks will be more considerate if their mom isn’t there to clean up after them.
I highly doubt it, unfortunately.🫤 Have a great day, Grumpy. 😀 –Diane
Noooooooooo, not a dirty bathroom. Pee on a tree.
I have my own bathroom and I clean it.
We are planning on visiting a couple of National Parks this summer and I’ll bet that we don’t see any difference in the amount of enjoyment that we have experienced in previous years.
Thank you, Russ and Tina, for the news. Nothing quite so riveting as a ping-pong match or a bouncing ball. Perhaps a modicum of restraint should be handed all around so press releases are issued after all parties have reached an understanding rather than in-progress. Have a great day and safe travels!
Anonymous source information of any kind regardless of issue should never see the light of day in any serious piece of journalism. That is of course if there is any serious journalism left in this country, or had it all become “gotcha” partisan politics reporting from both sides of the aisle.
This is an atrocity! Leave our parks alone!
This reminds me of the State of WA a few years ago when they had a budget issue and rather look at all their BS spending, they shut down the State Parks, just to be spiteful!