Murkowski: Federal Worker Retirement Wave in Alaska Presents Local Hire Opportunity
Senator’s Work on ANILCA Provisions Should Push Alaskans into Jobs WASHINGTON, D.C. – With up to 10 percent of Alaska’s federal workforce retiring in two weeks because of financial incentives, Senator Lisa Murkowski is urging federal hiring managers in Alaska to take advantage of the Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act (ANILCA) local hire program that she restored in the 2012 Department of the Interior spending bill. Local hire job postings, like the recent ones at Kenai Fjords National Park, give preferred employment status to Alaskans because of Murkowski’s work in the Interior Appropriations Subcommittee.
“In the next month, Alaska will literally see a generational shift in our federal workforce,” said Senator Murkowski. “I thank the men and women retiring for their service, and am proud that our improved local hire program will ensure that Alaskans fill those positions. Who better to understand the unique challenges we face every day, especially in the most remote areas of the state, than Alaskans. The local hire program also has the potential to help improve Alaskans’ relationship with federal land managers.”
“We appreciate the Senator's work in restoring this important hiring authority for land managers in Alaska,” said National Park Service Alaska Director Sue Masica. “With this in place, our workforce will more easily include Alaskans living in and near national parks. That's important for rural economies and it reinforces our commitment to being a good neighbor in communities across Alaska.”
How We Got Here: When ANILCA was signed into law in 1980, it established a unique program ensuring that local residents with regional and traditional knowledge would enjoy employment and economic benefits from the establishment and enlargement of the national park system in Alaska. However, changes made to the hiring requirements in the past 30 years undermined the program and hampered the ability of Alaskans to qualify for many positions, until the recent change authored by Senator Murkowski was passed into law.
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