Applications for Sacramento region jobs rise as state, federal workers see turmoil
California’s return to office orders landed right as state worker Alexandria Tufo established her roots in Chico.
Tufo loved her community and wanted to start a family there. She said she carefully picked an environmental scientist position two years ago which allowed remote work and was reassured by hiring managers “there’s no plans for that to ever change.” But Cabinet Secretary Ann Patterson in April 2024 ordered employees to return to the office at least two days a week. Just before this announcement, Tufo bought a house and learned she was pregnant.
And then Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order in March ordering workers to return four days a week. No one was prepared for the mandate, Tufo said.
“It’s totally heartbreaking,” Tufo said of how the executive order.
Tufo is among about 246,000 state employees jolted by Newsom’s order who now find themselves mired in uncertainty. But, the upheavals may have led state and federal workers to seek jobs at local municipalities.
The number of applications for county jobs in the greater Sacramento region rose sharply this year, though the data is not consistent across each jurisdiction. At times, candidates sought work, though the number of employment postings fell, according to data collected by Neogov, which runs governmentjobs.com where officials publish employment opportunities.
Resume submissions in the region have gone up an average of 20% year over year, which is higher than the state’s average, the data show.
Two recruitment firms specializing in helping local municipalities said they have seen an increase in the number of federal workers applying for local government positions. President Donald Trump authorized mass layoffs to shrink federal bureaucracy, resulting in cutting about 58,000 federal workers, according to an analysis by the New York Times.
The data does not show if increases in application submissions are from state and federal workers applying for new spots.
Job seekers vying for Sacramento County employment rose slightly in February and March when compared to last year, said county spokesperson Kim Nava. In April, its team received about 500 more applications compared to April 2024.
There is not yet a large uptick of applications, but there are state and federal workers who joined Placer County recently, Human Resources Director Joe Ambrosini said during a Placer County Board of Supervisors meeting last month.
A silver tsunami has struck local governments, referring to a wave of baby boomers retiring, according to two recruitment firms specializing in helping government agencies. The result has led to a nationwide shortage.
Even so, resume submissions for each position vary — some jobs have a handful of candidates, while others receive a flood of hopeful employees, said Tony Dahlerbruch, an executive recruiter with Roseville-based Peckham & McKenney, which helps recruitment for municipalities across California.
“That is not atypical,” Dahlerbruch said.
The application data
Across the Sacramento region, more people have continued to submit applications as employment opportunities grow in local government.
The upward trend has continued to escalate in the first three months of this year. Newsom’s executive order coincides with the first month applications jumped about 48%, in comparison to March 2024, though open positions slightly ticked up.
Nava, the Sacramento County spokesperson, said officials do not specifically target state or federal employees, but instead aim to attract all qualified applicants.
The county’s personnel services department, in charge of attracting and retaining employees, highlights benefits such as health plans, retirement benefits and a supportive work environment, Nava said. And, Sacramento County still allows for telework.
“This policy allows for flexibility and work-life balance, which we believe is attractive to many potential applicants,” she said.
But the number of hopeful candidates is not consistent across the region. Spokespersons for Yolo and El Dorado counties, said their respective departments have not seen a rise in applications.
The city of Sacramento cannot determine if more state and federal workers have applied for its positions, said spokesperson Jennifer Singer. While the city does not have a specific targeted recruitment effort to net the impacted labor force, she added remote work may be offered depending on the department and job.
“Departments have the opportunity to add language regarding the opportunity for remote work at the top of the job posting,” Singer said.
Counties are more likely to have positions that align better with the experience accumulated by federal employees.
More often, they have health and human services departments or corrections, Dahlerbruch said. His firm has placed a handbook on the front page of their website to help federal employees better align their resumes with county level positions.
The ability to work for local municipalities translates well for candidates hoping to remain in public service, said Charlene Stevens, vice president of human capital who leads executive recruitment services with firm MGT.
‘Killing myself just to live’
CalTrans employee Shlanda Breeden arrives at work at 5 a.m. just to secure parking.
Residents near her office at Alhambra Boulevard and Q Street compete to get cheaper parking that doesn’t charge at an hourly rate. She sits in her car for about an hour until her office building opens up and she can begin her day as an accounting officer.
For Breeden, there are both positives and negatives to working from home. She said working from her duplex saved on gas and parking. But her three dogs often sought her attention as she logged in from home, which served as a distraction.
The high cost of gas and parking eats into her $4,000 monthly income. After paying her bills, she barely has enough money left over. Breeden contemplated getting a second job so she can help make ends meet — especially if she’s expected to pay for parking at her state position.
“I don’t want to be killing myself just to live,” she said.
Tufo, the environmental scientist, said she has been granted a reasonable accommodation to continue to work from home. But at the end of this year, she will have to decide if she can keep her role when the accommodation expires.
This decision comes on the heels of her finally adjusting to her job, clicking with her team and loving how her work betters the planet.
“My life has come full circle, and I’m finally where I’m supposed to be,” she said. “And to have this arbitrary executive order tear that apart really sucks.”
