USIS background firm cuts 1,200 Pennsylvania jobs

GROVE CITY, Pa. — 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.

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.

“It was kind of sudden. The contract just completely got taken away,” said Steve Dickson, whose wife worked at the Grove City location for 15 years. “They sent her a letter saying they basically were going to let her go.”

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.

“This area does not have a lot going on. That’s a lot of families that will need employment,” Dickson said.

USIS is the seventh-largest employer in Butler County.

Borough Manager Vance Oakes told Channel 11 News he’s concerned because USIS pays nearly $15,000 a year in school taxes, nearly $12,000 a year in County taxes and about $2,000 in local taxes.