A policy of lowering staff numbers by not replacing workers who resign or retire, typically in public services.
it is an environment of frozen budgets and sinking lids
Example sentencesExamples
Concerns have been raised with ministers about the effect of the sinking lid on funding.
The previous Auckland City Council had a sinking lid but allowed relocations.
If the goal is to increase economic freedom, then reapplying the "sinking lid" isn't the way to do it.
It seems that to fill the gap in overall staff numbers created by the sinking lid, government departments are having to use more and more contractors.
The so-called 'cap' on core public servants announced in 2008 quickly became a sinking lid.
We are retaining a sinking lid but being a little bit more flexible about the components.
This would undermine the council's region-wide "sinking lid" policy.
There's a powerful narrative about National running down public services last time they were in government, using the "razor gang" and the "sinking lid" to cut services like health.
She pointed to the public service sinking lid, saying "there's only so much blood out of a stone".
One analyst told the forum that a majority of the local boards supported sinking lids in their areas.