Not Quite Paradise: GAO Details Fed Hiring Struggles in Alaska, Hawaii, Territories

Hawaii and the Caribbean may sound like paradise, but federal workers transferring there, are in for some sticker shock. Why the government is struggling to get and keep workers in the non-contiguous U.S.

Being a federal employee in places like Hawaii or the U.S. Virgin Islands, sounds like a nice existence, particularly in the winter. However, it turns out that these are some of the harder federal positions to fill.

In fact, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) warns that federal jobs in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories are facing recruitment and retention shortages, and that federal leaders must do more to keep workers in such locations happy.  

In a new report, GAO notes that attrition among federal workers in the “non-contiguous U.S.” is moderately higher than within the continental U.S. Between fiscal years (FY) 2018-2022, attrition in the non-contiguous U.S. rose to 10.6 percent from 8.5 percent, while attrition in the continental workforce rose to 10 percent from 7.9 percent.

In fiscal 2023, attrition fell to 8.2% for federal employees in the continental U.S. and 8.8% in Hawaii, Alaska, and the territories.

Common federal jobs in such locations include positions with the National Park Service (NPS), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Social Security Administration (SSA), with military departments, and others.

High Costs

Perhaps the most significant factor is the high cost of living in these remote areas, with the report noting that high costs for housing, education, gas, and groceries are all deterring employees.

“For example, a National Park Service official in Hawaii said that new employees from the mainland often don’t fully understand how higher costs will affect them. As a result, some non-local hires withdraw their applications or leave their positions, sometimes within as little as a year,” noted GAO.

GAO also pointed out that in August 2023, a gallon of milk in Bethel, Alaska, an area accessible only by plane, was over $12.

Another issue was housing availability and the lack of available services including childcare and healthcare providers that participate in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB).

The report notes challenges with getting the local population to apply for federal jobs, including the challenges of finding workers with specific skill sets and the lack of internet access in some homes in U.S. territories.

“Common complaints about the federal hiring process’ length and complexity are exacerbated when recruiting from the territories’ local population,” GAO found.

While Alaska- and Hawaii-based feds receive 32% and 22% boosts to basic pay through the locality pay program, employees in the offshore territories only receive the base Rest of U.S. boost.

Recommendations

GAO made 12 recommendations which include improving training, communication, and obtaining more information on hiring flexibilities. All agencies except the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) concurred with the recommendations.

DHS stated that its outreach efforts at FEMA and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) were sufficient to close the recommendation to obtain and use feedback on hiring and retention practices.

It's a point GAO does not agree with.

“We heard from multiple officials in the noncontiguous U.S. that they experience challenges due to their headquarters office not fully understanding their needs,” said the report.