Shapiro Administration cuts Pa. state hiring time by 42%

Listen to this article

“We are moving faster than ever to place dedicated professionals in roles that directly serve Pennsylvanians,” Weaver said in a statement. “When we fill positions more quickly, we can deliver services more efficiently, reduce backlogs, and better meet the needs of our communities. These improvements are the result of deliberate, sustained work to rethink how we attract talent and support our workforce.” 

Faster hiring is also helping reduce vacancy rates for mission-critical roles, according to a release. Positions tied to permitting, licensing, and certification have seen vacancy rates drop from 14% in early 2023 to approximately 5%. This improvement has helped agencies reduce workloads and resolve longstanding bottlenecks, including the Department of Environmental Protection’s elimination of a 2,400-permit backlog and the Department of State’s work to cut licensing and business processing times by an average of 74% in 2025. 

OA updated procedures for non-civil service hiring in 2023 to limit the application period to five days for most positions and reordered administrative steps to maximize efficiency. Acting on data showing the interview phase is the longest step in the hiring process, OA provided new guidance to hiring managers to streamline interviews and encouraged the use of an online self-scheduling tool for interviews. Three years later, these changes continue to drive down hiring time.  

OA partners with agencies to host hiring events at Pennsylvania facilities where job seekers can apply on-the-spot, be interviewed, and receive a conditional job offer for some positions. On May 21, OA will host the third annual Commonwealth Job Fair in Harrisburg for job seekers to meet with over 35 state agencies to learn about hundreds of job openings across the state, how to apply, career pathways, and employee benefits. 

Also contributing to innovations in recruitment and hiring is artificial intelligence (AI). Human resources staff are using approved generative AI tools to assist with updating job classifications and position descriptions for vacant positions and drafting job postings to attract qualified applicants. Human resources staff used generative AI to analyze the requirements of jobs prioritized by state agencies and identify comparable positions in the federal workforce to help fill vacancies with former employees.  

OA continues to assess how AI can improve recruitment and hiring and recently issued guidance for job seekers and hiring managers on acceptable uses. Hiring managers can use AI to summarize interview notes and draft job descriptions, but they cannot use it to assess interview responses or make hiring decisions. OA continues to rely on experienced evaluation staff to review each job application that is submitted to assess qualifications.  

“AI is increasingly influencing both how applicants prepare and how employers manage hiring,” said Deputy Secretary for Human Resources and Management Jason Swarthout. “We want to ensure a level playing field for everyone who applies to work for the commonwealth. Being transparent and providing clear guidance on how AI can and cannot be used are critical to maintaining trust in the hiring process.”