USIS background firm cuts 1,200 western Pennsylvania jobs

BUTLER, Pa. (AP) — A company that performs background checks for the federal government has cut 1,200 jobs in western Pennsylvania after losing two government contracts.

But officials including U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly, a Butler County Republican, are hoping many of the laid off workers will be hired by other western Pennsylvania companies that do the same kind of work.

The Butler Eagle reports U.S. Investigative Services cut the jobs at offices in Boyers and Grove City. Those cuts are part of 2,500 nationwide for the firm based in Falls Church, Virginia. The company had about 6,000 employees.

Kelly’s office has been in touch with USIS and the federal Office of Personnel Management, which terminated the contracts. He’s hoping companies like KeyPoint Government Solutions will get government contracts and pick up some of the slack.