Atlanta Looks to Put Federal Talent to Work in State and Local Government

Atlanta is home to large federal institutions such as the Atlanta VA Health Care System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recent mass federal firings and layoffs figure to have a significant impact on Georgia’s capital and most populous city.

These developments “pose an immediate threat to Atlanta’s economy, with ripple effects impacting housing security, consumer spending and overall economic stability for families and communities,” Atlanta City Council members noted in a recent resolution encouraging state and local governments to absorb affected federal employees, strengthening the city’s workforce and minimizing economic disruption in the process.

In its Feb. 19 resolution, a group of 15 City Council members urged government leaders within the state to take a number of steps to achieve that end. For example:

• The Atlanta City Council advised the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, DeKalb County and the State of Georgia to immediately review and expedite hiring processes to accommodate displaced federal employees and ensure their swift reintegration into the workforce.
• The City Council called upon state legislators to introduce measures that would streamline public sector hiring practices, making it easier for experienced professionals to transition into local and state government roles without unnecessary delays.
• Council members directed the City Clerk to transmit copies of the resolution to the Governor of Georgia, the leadership of the Georgia General Assembly, and the directors of relevant state and local agencies.
• The City of Atlanta will explore opportunities to host job fairs, networking events and partnerships with affected agencies to facilitate connections between displaced federal employees and state and local government employers.

Fulton County Commission Chairman Robb Pitts told WSB-TV that Fulton County currently has around 800 vacancies to fill, including open positions for engineers, law enforcement, attorneys, court reporters and technology professionals.

“Some say you’re fired, I say you’re hired here in Fulton County,” Pitts told the Atlanta-based station. “The reason I say that is because there are at least a couple thousand Fulton County residents who’ve been displaced because of DOGE. These are experienced people, they’re qualified people and they’re very professional people.”