After losing roughly one-third of its workforce over the last year, CISA is eyeing a new hiring spree and is loosening restrictions on flexible work schedules.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, after a year of workforce reductions that has left CISA’s ranks depleted, is planning to recruit more than 300 people in the coming months.
The cyber agency is also loosening restrictions around flexible work schedules for its employees.
Acting CISA Director Nick Andersen announced those plans in a March 23 email to staff. Andersen said Department of Homeland Security headquarters had approved CISA’s “critical hire list,” including 329 “mission critical hires” throughout the agency.
During the ongoing government shutdown, CISA will only be hiring for “excepted” positions, Andersen added. Roughly two-thirds of CISA’s staff is currently furloughed due to the DHS shutdown.
But Andersen said CISA’s human capital office will be working across the agency’s divisions and offices to “assess needs and ensure we’re able to bring on the talent to support our mission.”
DHS officials also approved plans to re-implement flexible work schedules, including both “Maxiflex” and alternative work schedules, Andersen added. Flexible and alternative work schedules allow federal employees to deviate from the traditional 9-5, 40-hour work week.
“Given the unique work of CISA, which often requires work outside regular hours, this represents meaningful progress for our organization to be able to best complete our DHS mission,” Andersen wrote. “I know many of you have been looking forward to this.”
Last April, DHS canceled flexible work agreements and threatened to terminate employees for not immediately working a five-day, in-office schedule.
Andersen’s announcements represents a U-turn for an agency that has lost roughly one-third of its workforce since the start of the second Trump administration. The agency had been under a hiring freeze for much of last year, while more than 1,000 staff have left the agency due to voluntary resignations and some layoffs.
The approved hiring spree is in line with a plan announced by CISA’s former acting director in November. As reported by Cybersecurity Dive, then-acting Director Madhu Gottumukkala said CISA would prioritize hiring state cybersecurity coordinators and regional cybersecurity advisers.
Andersen, who took over for Gottumukkala late last month, celebrated DHS approving CISA’s plans in this week’s email.
“Both developments are excellent news for CISA and brings us closer to creating an even more dynamic and effective workplace,” Andersen wrote. “Thank you all for your continued dedication and hard work.”
Federal News Network has reached out to CISA for more details on the hiring plans.
During a hearing on Wednesday hosted by the House Homeland Security Committee, Andersen told lawmakers CISA has roughly 1,000 vacancies.
Andersen also advocated for ending the shutdown, pointing to the impacts it’s having on CISA employees.
“The greatest focus for me is the impact on the employees that are serving the mission right now, and the choices that they’re having to make every single day between continuing to serve their nation, working pay their bills and take care of their families,” Andersen said.
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