Harrisburg, PA – Under the Shapiro Administration, the vacancy rate for positions that process permits, licenses, and certifications (PLC) is down by 64 percent, and the average time to fill all vacancies has decreased by 32 percent, contributing to significant reductions in processing times and backlogs for PLCs across state agencies. The Shapiro Administration has focused on filling hundreds of previously-vacant positions within the Commonwealth to build a government that moves at the speed of business and gets stuff done for Pennsylvanians.
“State agencies need dedicated and talented employees to help us deliver the services that Pennsylvanians use every day. Rebuilding staffing levels in permitting, licensing, and certifications is crucial to this mission,” said Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver.
Faced with a 14 percent vacancy rate for PLC positions and an average wait of nearly three months to fill vacancies overall at the beginning of the Shapiro Administration, the Office of Administration (OA) prioritized efforts to accelerate and streamline hiring. OA collaborated with agencies to identify approximately 900 vacant PLC positions. OA expedited hiring, rearranged the selection process sequence for maximum efficiency, and held events where PLC job seekers could apply, be interviewed, and, in some cases, be offered a conditional job offer on-the-spot. As a result of these efforts, the Shapiro Administration has filled nearly 600 of these positions so far and the vacancy rate for PLC positions is now down to 5 percent.
Based on the success of the PLC hiring initiative, OA updated its policy and procedures for all non-civil service hiring. Changes include limiting the posting time for most job vacancies to a maximum of five days and making it easier for hiring managers to extend on-the-spot job offers to candidates for certain jobs. Additionally, OA provided guidance to agencies to streamline interviews, which is often the longest step in the hiring process. As a result, the average time to hire for all positions has decreased from an average of 90 days in January 2023 to 61 days in December 2024, enabling vacancies to be filled 32 percent faster.
“We are focusing on how we can support our workforce to drive innovation and meet the rapidly evolving needs of Pennsylvania’s residents,” said Acting Deputy Secretary for Human Resources and Management Jason Swarthout. “This means having robust recruitment to attract job seekers in a competitive job market, quality benefits and inclusive workplaces that allow employees to thrive and give their best each day, and training and development that gives them real opportunities to grow professionally and advance in their careers as Commonwealth employees.”
Under Governor Shapiro’s leadership, the Commonwealth is building a more competitive state government workforce and making the Commonwealth the best place to work in Pennsylvania. Since taking office, the Shapiro Administration has expanded opportunities for workers and invested in employees who serve our Commonwealth by:
- Establishing the Hire, Improve, Recruit, and Empower (HIRE) Committee to ensure the Commonwealth can attract the next generation of public servants, compete with other employers in a competitive labor market, recruit and hire for historically hard to fill jobs, and ensure the Commonwealth's workforce is representative of the diverse backgrounds and beliefs of Pennsylvania's residents. In May, OA hosted a Commonwealth Job Fair in Harrisburg with over 40 state agencies, and planning is underway to host another Commonwealth Job Fair in 2025.
- Updating medical benefits for employees and their families to reduce enrollment waiting periods for new hires and out-of-pocket costs for new hires. As a result, new employees who purchase medical and prescription benefits for their dependents will save nearly $2,700. In addition, all employees can take advantage of increased maximums for dental and vision benefits, as well as an expanded network of dentists.
- Partnering with a growing number of Pennsylvania colleges and universities to offer tuition discounts to Commonwealth employees and their dependents, including Elizabethtown College, Peirce College, Harrisburg University of Science and Technology, and York College of Pennsylvania.
- Fostering work-life balance by expanding paid parental leave from six weeks to eight weeks, offering new resources to support families and caregivers, and increasing the number of no-cost counseling sessions available through the State Employee Assistance Program.
- Expanding internship, fellowship, and apprenticeship programs to provide learning opportunities and create new pathways to public service careers with the Commonwealth. These include the Information Technology Help Desk Apprenticeship, Governor’s Science and Technology Fellowship, William and Hannah Penn Fellowship, Forms that Suck Less Internship, and hosting fellows from the Govern for America program.
- Emphasizing skills and experience in hiring by affirming that Pennsylvanians can qualify for 92 percent of Commonwealth jobs without a college degree and directing the Office of Administration to review and update jobs where possible to accept qualified applicants without a degree.
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is always hiring! Job seekers can go to Employment.pa.gov to browse hundreds of vacancies, apply for openings, and be notified when new jobs are available.
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