California’s Efforts to Recruit Displaced Federal Workers Pay Dividends

The state of California has been aggressive in its efforts to help recently displaced federal workers find their next opportunity within California government.

In March, for instance, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order directing the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) to streamline the hiring process for transitioning federal talent seeking employment with the state of California.

Soon after, CalHR  launched a new campaign designed to help current or former federal workers apply for California government roles, including a new website where would-be applicants can learn more about job opportunities with the state.

The site offers federal talent access to application resources, examples of state positions that may have federal equivalency, application tips directly from recruiters and a summary of benefits provided by the state of California, for example.

The state’s efforts appear to be paying dividends.

As Politico reported, the state has in recent months hired “dozens of employees” with federal experience. The new additions to California’s government workforce range from “entry-level staff to high-profile scientists and regulators with decades of federal experience who moved West to preserve their life’s work and lead California departments at the front lines of backfilling federal rollbacks,” Politico’s Camille Von Kaenel wrote.

According to data obtained by the publication, the California Environmental Protection Agency has hired nine former federal workers this year, while the California Energy Commission and the Department of Conservation have each hired eight in the same span. The Department of Fish and Wildlife have each brought three new hires on board in 2025.

Data for other California government agencies was not immediately available, Von Kaenel wrote, adding that California received 239 applications for openings in September. The state currently has roughly 3,000 job postings across all agencies and counties.

“We are open to federal workers coming into state service, and we’ve made no secret about that,” California Environmental Protection Secretary Yana Garcia told Politico. “It’s been very helpful to have people who understand very well the reality that other states also face. It allows us to have context across the nation.”