Harrisburg, PA – With more than 104,000 federal employees in Pennsylvania — many with specialized expertise in civil engineering, health care, public safety, and labor protections — the Shapiro Administration is making it easier for experienced federal workers to bring their skills to the Commonwealth to serve the people of Pennsylvania.
In a video, Melissa Murphy — a lawyer from the Philadelphia suburbs and former U.S. Department of Labor attorney — shares how the Shapiro Administration’s action helped her find new purpose in Commonwealth service after 16 years in federal government:
“I was there for 16 years, and I was a career attorney, which means that I worked throughout administrations, no matter who was in the White House, just supporting the agency's mission. Over the last several months, things changed at work, and I began looking for another opportunity to do good work alongside good people, and when the opportunity with the Commonwealth presented itself, I jumped at it.”
Governor Josh Shapiro signed Executive Order 2025-01 to help fill critical vacancies across the Commonwealth by treating federal work experience as equivalent to state experience for civil service jobs — and by launching an aggressive hiring effort focused on federal employees, including a new website with key information about state government opportunities that align with their experience.
To support that effort, the Shapiro Administration has:
- Matched federal job titles to state classifications to help federal employees translate their experience.
- Launched a new website with tailored resources, benefits information, and job listings.
- Begun hosting in-person and virtual job fairs specifically for federal employees.
Melissa Murphy now works for the Governor’s Office of General Counsel at the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, helping protect worker rights in her home state:
“As a longtime federal employee, I've seen the value of good governance and strong worker protections, and Pennsylvania is a leader in both of those areas. In my short time at the Commonwealth working aside my colleagues at Labor & Industry, I have been so impressed with everyone's commitment, dedication, and hard work toward creating good, safe family-sustaining jobs for everyone in Pennsylvania.”
Since taking office, Governor Shapiro has worked to create real opportunities for hardworking Pennsylvanians to serve in state government, cutting hiring time by 40 percent. On his first full day in office, the Governor signed Executive Order 2023-03, which eliminated the college degree requirement for 92 percent of state government jobs and announced that the Pennsylvania State Police will remove the college credit requirement for those who wish to serve as state troopers.
Last year, Governor Shapiro established the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee through Executive Order 2024-01 to expand opportunity for Pennsylvanians seeking careers in public service. This includes recruiting more bilingual workers, expanding Commonwealth employment opportunities for Pennsylvanians, and expanding access to child care. These efforts are making the Commonwealth a more attractive employer that can now fill vacancies faster with highly qualified applicants.
Click here to watch Melissa Murphy’s story, or read the full transcript below.
TRANSCRIPT
“My name is Melissa Murphy, and I live in the Philadelphia suburbs.
“I work for the Governor’s Office of General Counsel at the Department of Labor & Industry, where I am an attorney, and I work on a broad range of issues regarding Pennsylvania worker rights.
“Prior to working for the Commonwealth, I worked for 16 years at the U.S. Department of Labor in Washington, D.C., in their Solicitor's Office as an attorney there, where I worked on various worker rights issues such as misclassification and minimum wage and overtime.
“I was there for 16 years, and I was a career attorney, which means that I worked throughout administrations, no matter who was in the White House, just supporting the agency's mission.
“Over the last several months, things changed at work, and I began looking for another opportunity to do good work alongside good people, and when the opportunity with the Commonwealth presented itself, I jumped at it.
“The Commonwealth's effort to welcome and recognize the expertise of federal employees is deeply, deeply appreciated. Things have been very difficult for federal employees over the last several months, and having a state like Pennsylvania recognize our expertise and welcome us with open arms has been extremely gratifying.
“I am so excited for Pennsylvania's future. This is where I've chosen to make my home. It's where I'm raising my four children. And I can't think of a better place to be.
“As a longtime federal employee, I've seen the value of good governance and strong worker protections, and Pennsylvania is a leader in both of those areas.
“In my short time at the Commonwealth working aside my colleagues at Labor & Industry, I have been so impressed with everyone's commitment, dedication, and hard work toward creating good, safe family-sustaining jobs for everyone in Pennsylvania.”
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