Several counties in New York are rejecting Governor Kathy Hochul’s executive order barring recently fired correctional officers from working for the state again. Officials argue that her decision is an abuse of power, and they are taking legal action to overturn it.
Key Facts:
- Governor Kathy Hochul fired 2,000 correctional officers for continuing to strike over unsafe prison conditions.
- She then signed an executive order preventing them from working for the state or even in county positions.
- Chemung County, Oneida County, and Rensselaer County are openly defying the order, with lawsuits and direct hiring of affected officers.
- Chemung County Sheriff William Schrom called the order “unlawful” and filed a lawsuit to challenge it.
- Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin vowed to ignore Hochul’s directive entirely, daring her to sue.
The Rest of The Story:
Governor Hochul’s decision to fire striking correctional officers has sparked a major political and legal battle.
The officers were protesting dangerous conditions in New York’s prisons, which have long suffered from understaffing.
Instead of negotiating, Hochul removed them and then blocked them from future employment in the state, including at the county level.
County officials are now pushing back hard.
Chemung County has already sued the state, calling the order an unconstitutional overreach.
Oneida County legislators have passed a resolution allowing them to take legal action as well.
Meanwhile, Rensselaer County’s executive, Steve McLaughlin, has outright defied Hochul’s order, stating he will hire the fired officers despite the ban.
Just when you think Hochul can't get worse, she finds a way. Preventing Corrections Officers from seeking employment with counties is reprehensible and vicious but that's exactly who Kathy Hochul is. This action by vindictive witch @GovKathyHochul is an unnecessary retribution… pic.twitter.com/7Sd4PTnEuI
— Steve McLaughlin (@SteveMcNY) March 11, 2025
Adding to the controversy, Hochul has relied on National Guard troops—who lack proper correctional training—to fill staffing shortages in prisons.
Many of these guardsmen are now working in poor conditions themselves, some even sleeping on gym floors.
Critics argue that Hochul’s handling of the crisis is not only punitive but also ineffective.
Commentary:
Hochul’s executive order isn’t just harsh—it’s petty and vindictive.
Firing correctional officers for protesting dangerous work conditions was already a questionable move, but blacklisting them from future employment takes it to another level.
These officers risked their safety in New York’s understaffed prisons, and rather than address the crisis, Hochul punished them for speaking out.
County officials are right to ignore this overreach.
The hiring of public employees should be a local decision, not dictated by a governor acting out of spite.
Counties rely on experienced correctional officers to maintain public safety.
Hochul’s ban forces them to either go understaffed or train completely new personnel—a reckless move given the existing workforce shortages.
Furthermore, her decision to deploy National Guard members is not a sustainable solution.
These men and women are not trained for correctional work, yet they are now expected to fill in for professionals.
Some of them are sleeping on gym floors while risking injury in a role they weren’t prepared for.
This isn’t just bad governance; it’s a crisis of Hochul’s own making.
If this dispute makes it to the courts, the counties have a strong case.
The state has no business dictating who counties can and cannot hire.
Home rule is a foundational principle in local government, and Hochul’s attempt to override it is legally dubious at best.
If anything, her actions reinforce the need for strong local leadership willing to push back against state overreach.
The Bottom Line:
Hochul’s ban on fired correctional officers is backfiring, as counties refuse to comply.
Local officials are taking legal action and hiring the officers anyway, arguing that the governor’s order is an abuse of power.
With New York’s prisons already facing severe staffing shortages, Hochul’s decision is both impractical and legally questionable.
If this battle reaches the courts, the counties stand a strong chance of winning.
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