Administration Secretary Jeb Spaulding says the state’s hiring freeze is still in effect, but some branches of state government are being given special permission to fill certain vacancies.
The day Governor Peter Shumlin took office last month he announced a hiring freeze to help save up to $5 million.
But since then 181 people have been hired by state government.
Spaulding says the freeze was always intended to be a "soft" freeze, which means hiring would be allowed, but only by permission from his office.
Spaulding tells the Burlington Free Press six state offices have worked out agreements to give them more flexibility in making new hires, without have to seek permission to fill each vacancy.