Pennsylvania Gov. Begins ‘Aggressive’ Effort to Recruit Fired Federal Employees for State Jobs

Gov. Josh Shapiro says, ‘Pennsylvania still has 540 critical jobs to fill—and we have an opportunity to recruit federal workers and veterans.’

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro (D-Pa.) speaks at the Labor Caucus at the Hyatt Regency McCormick Place during the Democratic National Convention (DNC) in Chicago on Aug. 19, 2024. Madalina Vasiliu/The Epoch Times

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro launched an initiative on Wednesday to fill vacancies in the state’s public workforce by recruiting terminated federal employees and signing an executive order to streamline hiring processes that recognize federal experience as equivalent to state-level experience.

The state of New York and the District of Columbia have taken similar steps to hire laid-off federal workers.

On March 5, the Pennsylvania governor signed Executive Order 2025-01, directing the state’s Office of Administration to treat federal government experience as equal to commonwealth work experience for civil service positions.

State officials said in an announcement that the order is designed to address vacancies in key areas such as civil engineering, nursing, corrections, and accounting by leveraging the expertise of laid-off federal employees and military veterans.

The move comes in response to widespread federal workforce reductions initiated under President Donald Trump’s administration.

Elon Musk, an adviser to Trump leading the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has overseen recommendations for significant cuts to federal agencies, resulting in thousands of layoffs, starting with probationary employees.

Shapiro sees the layoffs as an opportunity to help his state.

“Under my administration, we’ve worked to speed up hiring, fill essential vacancies, and recruit more qualified employees who have helped us cut processing times, reduce waitlists, and deliver results for the people of Pennsylvania,” the Democratic governor said in a statement. “Right now, Pennsylvania still has 540 critical jobs to fill—and we have an opportunity to recruit federal workers and veterans who have significant experience and expertise in all of these fields.”

The executive order coincides with a second annual Commonwealth Job Fair in Harrisburg, where more than 40 state agencies gathered to present job opportunities to nearly 900 attendees.

State officials pledged to launch an “aggressive” outreach campaign to recruit federal employees into the state workforce, including a new website with information on job openings, virtual and in-person job fairs, and direct pathways for veterans seeking employment.

As part of a broader effort to modernize hiring, Shapiro said he was working with state lawmakers to pass the Civil Service Modernization Act to update the state’s 84-year-old hiring laws to create a more efficient process for job seekers.

In a prior executive order, Shapiro eliminated degree requirements for 92 percent of state jobs. State officials are optimistic that the latest measures will bring highly skilled former federal employees into Pennsylvania’s workforce, strengthening public services across the commonwealth while also offering reprieve to laid-off federal employees.

“The federal public sector workforce is one of the most professional and qualified in the world, and we know that many federal jobs have similar duties to jobs performed by Commonwealth employees,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver. “This Executive Order will help individuals with federal work experience find relevant job opportunities, continue their public service careers, and put their skills to work for the people of Pennsylvania.”

The state plans to continue its hiring initiatives with additional job fairs and outreach efforts in the coming months.