Latest news with #CivicMatch
Boston Globe
4 days ago
- Business
- Boston Globe
As federal layoffs shake up the public sector workforce, displaced workers look to Boston
In the first quarter of 2025, the city received an all-time high of 39,111 applications, a 60 percent jump from the first quarter of 2024. The largest increase has been in budgeting, procurement, and finance positions, roles that are the closest match to many of the shuttered federal positions, said the city's chief people officer, Alex Lawrence. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'Despite the chaos and confusion playing out, [it's] a real opportunity for the state and local governments across Massachusetts to capture some of this A-plus public sector talent,' said Caitlin Lewis, executive director of Work For America. The nonprofit runs Civic Match, a job portal for state and local government jobs. Advertisement The uncertainty and instability in Washington have led many former federal employees to rethink what they're looking for in their next job. For many, this means a new perspective on making the move to a local- or state-level role, which before would have seemed like a step down from federal work. Boston's local government has been particularly visible at a national level, in part thanks to Advertisement 'People are excited about working in a local government where they see a strong leader who is willing to stand up for what she believes in,' said Lawrence. 'I think that resonates with a lot of people.' Anyone looking to move from a federal job to a public-sector role in Massachusetts, though, will likely have to contend with some of the same economic and political factors playing out on the federal level. Boston is grappling with a budget shortfall spurred by a post-COVID drop in commercial property values — clouding the long-term prospects for employment here. Meanwhile, the state government is in the midst of a The state government is in the midst of a hiring freeze instituted over what Governor Maura Healey's office has described as 'widespread economic uncertainty at the national level.' Suzanne Kreiter/Globe Staff But if you want to work in a government job in the US, Boston remains one of the best places to look. Lewis, of Work for America, said the Civic Match platform has seen about 20 percent of its 9,000 job seekers narrow their search to Massachusetts. Only about 2 percent of those people currently live here, she said. More than 80 percent of those looking to work in New England on the platform live outside the region. The City of Boston is one of the most active of the 200 cities Civic Match partners with, said Lewis. State and local governments often struggle to hire for some of their most crucial roles, she said. The influx of new job-seekers as a result of federal layoffs gives them a chance to fill these roles with quality, driven candidates, many of whom have decades of experience at some of the country's largest federal agencies, said Lewis. Advertisement The City of Boston has now received more applications than the number of vacant positions it has, which is not usually the case, said Lawrence. She has also seen that more people, especially those who were laid off with little notice, are open to more drastic career changes to get a paycheck coming in again. 'It is tougher and more competitive than it has been,' said Lawrence. 'We still have a few places that we have very specific challenges filling positions, but it's much less significant than it was a few years ago.' After taking a buyout from her job as a senior project manager at the Department of Homeland Security, Alexandra Tobolsky and her husband, who worked for the federal government as a contractor, are considering Massachusetts for their next personal and professional chapters. As the couple looks to become first-time homeowners in their next move from Maryland, somewhere with work opportunities for both of them, a strong, diverse community, a mix of city life and nature, and responsible leadership are all on the wish list, all factors that led them to strongly consider Boston. 'We're looking for where can we build a good life for ourselves, especially not knowing what the next few years are going to hold on multiple levels, and where can we find somewhere that we can still enjoy our lives and feel confident in state and local government looking out for our best interests,' said Tobolsky. Advertisement Boston's cost of living is often cited as a reason that people move away from — rather than into — the region, but Washington is one of the few cities that stacks up relatively well. Someone making $100,000 in the Capitol region would need to make roughly $102,000 to have a similar standard of living here, according to the personal finance website People who spoke to the Globe about their job search also cited the rapid changes in the work culture of official Washington amid the Trump administration's recent moves to downsize the government as a reason they were ready to relocate to more liberal-minded Massachusetts. Tobolsky described daily uncertainty at work: After taking a buyout from her job as a senior project manager at the Department of Homeland Security, Alexandra Tobolsky and her husband, who also worked for the federal government as a contractor, are considering Massachusetts for their next personal and professional chapters. VALERIE PLESCH/NYT 'All of it just felt very hard to process, while continuing to do good work,' said Tobolsky. With jobs frozen at the state level, the Healey administration is adjusting its tack on attracting workers. The state launched a website in March to promote opportunities in Massachusetts for federal workers, including more than 160,000 job postings in the private sector and in local government. Massachusetts officials also began hosting weekly virtual information sessions in April to share unemployment and hiring resources with laid-off federal workers. 'We encourage people from across the country and the world, including those who have been laid off by President Trump, to explore the incredible employment opportunities offered by our businesses and to consider moving to and building your future here in Massachusetts,' a spokesperson for the state's Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development said in a statement. Advertisement Before being laid off, Maura Miller loved her job at the United States Agency for International Development, where she worked for a decade based in Alexandria, Va. Now, she is searching somewhere new to take her skills to and leave federal uncertainty behind. 'If we're able to move, it would be to Massachusetts,' Miller said. Miller, who emphasized she was speaking only for herself, said she believes in the elected leadership in Massachusetts and would like to be a part of the work being done here, including in housing and education. 'I don't want to move somewhere that's then going to have to make cuts that I would be impacted by again immediately,' she said. 'But my passion for public service has not changed.' Maren Halpin can be reached at
CBS News
18-04-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Gov. Moore announces more resources for Maryland federal workers impacted by mass layoffs
Maryland Governor Wes Moore announced additional resources to support federal workers displaced by recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. The resources include a one-stop shop and job pages for human resources, procurement officers, accountants, fiscal accountants, and technicians. Moore said the new process will streamline hiring for state government positions that are difficult to fill, due to recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce. Applications on those pages are funneled into an expedited pathway to get considered and potentially interviewed for available openings. Within weeks, the governor's office said. The applications are live and will remain open until May 2. Due to recent efforts by the Trump administration to reduce the size of the federal workforce, additional waves of positions will open on a recurring basis within weeks. Moore announced expanded resources for federal workers impacted by workforce cuts through a new partnership with Work for America in March, he announced Monday. Through the partnership, federal workers and public servants can access the Civic Match talent platform to find targeted state and local government jobs. The state also launched the Maryland Public Service Resource website , a hub for unemployment information, job search tools, legal resources, and guidance on federal employment rules. In February, the governor directed three state agencies to improve their hiring processes to manage the influx of federal workers searching for job opportunities. The Maryland State Department of Education and the Maryland Higher Education Commission are working together to identify opportunities for federal workers in teaching , with hopes that that effort will address Maryland's teaching shortage. In Howard County, County Executive Calvin Ball has also announced resources for impacted federal employees. In early February, Ball expanded resources related to job search assistance and childcare. In addition to hosting hiring fairs, and business expos for former federal employees who want to start their own business, Ball also said federal workers who apply for job openings in the Howard County government will have their applications expedited. The Trump administration has stated its goal to reduce the size of the federal workforce, and "wasteful" spending. In February, President Trump described the federal government as "bloated" before later issuing an executive order laying off all probationary federal employees. According to experts , the federal government has grown little since 1980. In March, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown led a coalition of 20 states in filing a federal lawsuit , challenging the Trump administration's mass layoffs of federal probationary employees. Maryland has approximately 160,000 federal civilian employees, representing about 6% of the state's total jobs as of March 2025, according to the governor's office .
CBS News
18-03-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Maryland expands resources for federal workers with new partnership amid workforce cuts
Maryland Gov. Wes Moore expanded resources for federal workers impacted by workforce cuts through a new partnership with Work for America , he announced Monday. The federal workforce cuts continue as the Trump administration works to lower federal spending and make the government more efficient with the help of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a task force led by Elon Musk. The task force aims to reduce government waste and fraud by directing government agencies to implement layoffs or buyouts and federal funding cuts. The cost-cutting efforts prompted a spike in layoffs in February. Through the state's partnership with Work for America, experienced federal workers and public servants can access the Civic Match talent matching platform for a more targeted connection to state and local government jobs, according to Gov. Moore. Work for America is a nonprofit organization that helps state and local governments recruit and retain public servants. The partnership will prioritize Maryland's state labor force as an option for candidates looking to continue their careers in public service. "Maryland is mobilizing, and this generational opportunity will help us bridge the employment gap, grow our economy, and protect the people of our state. Together, we will leave no one behind," Gov. Moore said. The state will post jobs on the Civic Match portal and assist counties in partnering with the program to connect federal workers to local opportunities. Job seekers are encouraged to complete a Civic Match candidate application. Gov. Moore announced the partnership during a town hall Monday during which he answered questions about the "uncertainties caused by recent federal actions." More than 5,000 Marylanders tuned in as the governor reinforced the administration's commitment to federal workers. Since the federal layoffs intensified, the Moore-Miller administration has taken several steps to increase support and resources for impacted workers, including: According to the governor's office, there are about 160,000 federal civilian employees in Maryland, representing about 6% of jobs in the state. Nearly 225,000 jobs in the state were supported by federal funding contracts in 2023.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Mayor Lucas hopes those impacted by fed layoffs stay in public service
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas is hoping those impacted by recent and sudden separations within the federal workforce, will continue to serve the community. 'Kansas City is proud to have thousands of outstanding federal workers here. We'd be honored if you considered staying in public service if you've experienced a recent, sudden separation. Check opportunities at Thank you for your service to our country.,' Mayor Lucas shared via Facebook Friday. Union Station's new exhibit: 'The Science of Guinness World Records' Civic Match, a program from the nonprofit Work For America, focuses on state and local government positions. 'Work for America is a non-profit organization that helps state and local governments better recruit and retain talent,' the non-profit's executive director, Caitlin Lewis shared. It's an organization Mayor Lucas is hoping those in public service looking for a job will explore.'At Work for America, we believe deeply in the power of public service, but also that that power is derived from the people, who work in government. So, for the federal workers, whose roles have been terminated, it is a joy for us to be able to help them find what's next,' Lewis said. 'We would love to see them continue their service in state or local government.'Civic Match connects outgoing federal workers with high-impact roles.'It just requires you to upload a resume and some information about the roles that you are interested in and then government hiring managers have the opportunity to invite you to apply for roles in your region and that have requirements that align with your skill sets and job experience,' Lewis says this service is free.'When we launched Civic Match in November of last year, we knew that there would be approximately four thousand political appointees and a lot of campaign staff who were hoping to continue their work in government but were not going to have the opportunity. So, we initially launched Civic Match to help that known pool of candidates whose jobs were going to end on January 20. We had a sense that following the inauguration, there would be additional candidates whose roles were eliminated at the federal level. I don't think we completely expected the volume, and as we've seen in places like Kansas City, there have been thousands of layoffs that directly impact local communities,' Lewis added. 'Unfortunately, after the IRS layoffs this week, we have seen an influx of candidates who were working at the IRS and whose roles were eliminated. We are very sorry to see their roles be eliminated, but also very happy to be able to help them find what's next.' Former Kanas City police officer found guilty of charity fraud scheme Mayor Lucas' Office sent FOX4 this statement: 'Mayor Lucas was raised by a government worker and stands with all those who serve our city, state, and country. The recent and dramatic cuts to our local federal workforce will leave moms and dads, friends and neighbors out of work, devastating our local economy and local families. Kansas City is proud to make opportunities with the City available working with and listings on our own City website for all those who have separated from federal employment in our community. The Mayor also is working with local labor organizations to organize job fairs for all those impacted.' You can learn more about Civic Match here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
