Reagan's retroactive curb on hiring upheld by judge

February 26, 1981

A federal judge upheld President Reagan's hiring freeze, made retroactive to the day after he was elected president.In a ruling in open court, US District Judge Charles Richey said the freeze was constitutional.

The judge issued his ruling based on a challenge to the freeze by the National Treasury Employees Union, the National Association of Government Employees, and three individuals who argued that Mr. Reagan exceeded his constitutional authority by making the freeze retroactive.