Joseph,
Is it fair to say that in many government jobs, once you’re past your probationary period, as long as you physically show up to sign in and sign out on time you can otherwise slack off on the job barely doing adequate work and have little worry about being fired?
It is true that it is somewhat difficult to fire a government employee, and many managers are loath to undertake the documentation necessary, but it is possible.
Blanket hiring freezes and slowdowns likely make this situation worse. Managers may feel more inclined to deal with sub-performers if they knew the positions could be quickly refilled with qualified and high performing new hires.