This is not just a hiring freeze. The fixed-term contracts will not be renewed either. No consultant project can be initiated. Until further notice. But the ones that are already hired can still onboard.
It is obvious that they won't have enough people to do the job, and need to squeeze us in person. They forgot that we are all the people they have got now. Sounds like they are trying to create burnout and absenteeism.
The contractors will probably leave before their contracts end. If I were them, I would not have ANY productivity from now on. (I heard that all the department heads are lying about getting exceptions for their department. Probably to keep the temp working for another month or two.)
RTO is so malicious...