The City of Chicago has indeed enacted a citywide hiring freeze, effective immediately, to address a projected budget deficit of nearly $1 billion for 2025. This measure is part of a broader effort to manage the city’s financial challenges, which include rising personnel, pension, and contractual costs, as well as ongoing revenue shortfalls.
Sources:
https://wgntv.com/news/chicago-news/chicago-enacts-citywide-hiring-freeze-to-address-2025-budget-gap/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/chicago-budget-director-announces-citywide-hiring-freeze-in-response-to-projected-deficit-near-1b/ar-AA1qgM2N
https://hoodline.com/2024/09/chicago-implements-hiring-freeze-and-cuts-overtime-amid-22-9m-budget-deficit/