The Defense Department has ended a hiring freeze on vacant civilian jobs at “fourth state” agencies after such agencies listed in a database system the positions they plan to eliminate in compliance with a “delayering” program, Federal News Radio reported Tuesday.

Jared Serbu writes Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work announced the delayering initiative through a July 2015 memo in an effort to reduce spending across DoD.

“All organizations have met the June 30 deadline to finalize their manpower adjustments in the Fourth Estate Manpower Tracking System,” said Lt. Col. Eric Badger, a spokesman for DoD, according to the report.

The fourth Estate covers 28 DoD agencies that are not part of the three military departments.

These include the office of defense secretary, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the National Security Agency.

Aaron Mehta also reports for Defense News that Work ordered the civilian hiring freeze for 4th Estate agencies on March 20.

Badger said in an emailed statement to Defense News that Work is “still holding leadership accountable for meeting their planned reductions of Major Headquarters Activities positions over the next 4 years.”

“We continue to expect the vast majority of impacted workers, upwards of 96 percent, will be placed in other jobs or take voluntary actions, such as an early retirement or separation incentive payments,” Badger added.