AUGUSTA — Gov. Paul LePage says it’s time to set the record straight when it comes to reports of a state hiring freeze and large layoffs in state government.

The governor confirmed to CBS 13 he is reinstituting a hiring freeze, as he’s done in the past, and he’ll have to sign off on any new hires.

This freeze comes while the governor wants to eliminate thousands of state government positions, but he says he won’t be running around handing out pink slips and he blames a state union and the media for creating panic.

“My job is to have an efficient, effective lean government,” LePage said.

He said part of that involves right-sizing government. Earlier this month he sent a memo to members of his cabinet and human resources directing that “hiring cease until further notice.”

If a hire is necessary, agencies need to seek approval from the governor.

“I want justification that these are real positions that we need,” LePage said.

According to state records, since the memo was sent two weeks ago, the state has hired ten new employees.

“I approved a whole lot; a few I asked more questions about. Listen, I’m a businessman. I’m making it very difficult; I want them to turn over every rock, every pebble and make sure they need the jobs,” LePage said.

The Maine State Employees Association questions the timing of the freeze.

“What’s unique about this hiring freeze is that we’re not in a recession, tax revenues are not down,” said Mary Ann Turowski, MSEA director of politics and legislation.

But the governor says he needs the freeze to replace money the legislature took out of a fund used to negotiate new contracts.

“That money has been depleted so I need to do a freeze to try to build it back up because right now we have no money to negotiate new contracts,” LePage said.

Governor LePage says he’ll also look to save money in the new budget by eliminating positions in state government.

Currently there are 13,286 executive branch positions in the budget, but only about 11,800 of those positions are filled, including full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees, according to state records.

The governor says unneeded, vacant positions should be eliminated.

“If we can run without them for six years, I don’t see why we need them,” LePage said.

The MSEA said it’s already concerned about a high rate of vacancies and expects the vacancy list to growing during the hiring freeze.

“Many of our members are doing more work with less staff,” Turowski said.

The governor is also telling state agencies to take a close look at so called “limited-period positions.” Those are positions with a start and end date that are often renewed.

“To simply say we’re looking at them as if ‘limited period’ is somehow temporary is not factual at all,” Turowski said.

There are about 2,491 of those positions in the state, funded partially or entirely by federal grants.

“Some grants we’ve had for 20 years, but there’s absolutely no outcomes, no benefit to the state,” LePage said.

Governor LePage said 9,500-10,000 full-time, permanent positions would be appropriate for the state.

He said this new hiring freeze does not apply to law enforcement.