One of the U.S. Digital Service's early hires talks of his time at headquarters and the Department of Homeland Security — and of what lies ahead for the startup.

Defense Department civilian jobs "critical" to cybersecurity are safe from the hiring freeze, according to a new memorandum released to the public Thursday.

Experts say the freeze and the plan from the Office of Management and Budget to follow could make the federal government a more unattractive employer in a competitive market for a small pool of talent.

Commentary: Former White House innovation adviser Dan Correa explains how the hiring freeze will exacerbate the major challenges that the federal workforce faces, but offers some steps the administration can take to improve performance.