Everyone seems to be feeling the economic pressure, and Minneapolis city government is not immune.

Mayor R.T. Rybak and City Council President Barbara Johnson called for a city hiring freeze Monday in face of national economic conditions, according to the city of Minneapolis website.

Staff estimates find  that the city already faces about $38 million in additional costs related to employee pensions over the next five years due to stock market losses.

This news coincides with the offical announcment from the National Bureau of Economic Research that the United States is in a recession, and has been since last December.

Council Member Paul Ostrow will include this topic on the Dec. 8 agenda, and it is expected to go to the full Council for a vote on Dec. 12.