[Analytical Perspectives]
[Special Analyses and Presentations]
[10. Federal Employment]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]


  This section provides data on civilian and military employment, as 
well as personnel compensation and benefits, in the Executive Branch, 
the Legislative Branch and the Judiciary. A comparison of Federal 
employment levels, State and local government employment, and the United 
States population appears in the Historical Tables. Additional tables on 
civilian employment reductions in Executive Branch agencies appears in 
the Budget volume.
            Total Federal Employment in the Executive Branch
  Civilian employment in the Executive Branch is measured on the basis 
of full-time equivalents (FTEs). One FTE is equal to one work year or 
2,080 non-overtime hours. Put simply, one full-time employee counts as 
one FTE, and two half-time employees also count as one FTE.
  The Federal Workforce Restructuring Act (FWRA) of 1994 (P.L. 103-226) 
was enacted March 30, 1994. The Act provided agencies with authority to 
offer voluntary separation incentive payments (``VSIPs'' or ``buyouts'') 
to aid in their downsizing and restructuring activities and established 
FTE limitations (``ceilings'') for the Executive Branch through 1999. 
The 1997 budget continues the implementation of the reductions pursuant 
to the Act. The limitations established by the Act are as follows:

  1994-2,084,600
  1995-2,043,300
  1996-2,003,300
  1997-1,963,300
  1998-1,922,300
  1999-1,882,300

  The starting point used to calculate FTE reductions required by the 
FWRA is called the 1993 base--the estimate of FTEs for 1993 made in 
January of that year. As shown in Table 10-1, a total reduction of 
244,700 FTEs or 11.3 percent from the 1993 base is anticipated in 1997. 
The budgeted 1997 FTE level of 1,904,600 (subject to ceiling) is more 
than 58,000 FTEs lower than the limitation required by law.
  Allocations of FTE resources by agency are made based upon 
Presidential priorities and other factors. Thus, while many of the 
agencies in Table 10-1 show FTE reductions from 1993-1997, some 
agencies, such as the Department of Justice and the Federal Emergency 
Management Agency, show an increase in FTEs.
                     Total Federal Employment Levels
  The tables that follow show total Federal employment in all branches 
of Government, as well as the U.S. Postal Service, Postal Rate 
Commission, and active duty uniformed military personnel. Table 10-2 
displays total Federal employment as measured by actual positions filled 
at the end of the fiscal year. Table 10-3 shows total Federal employment 
as measured on an FTE basis.
                   Personnel Compensation and Benefits
  Table 10-4 displays personnel compensation and benefits for all 
branches of Government, as well as for military personnel.
  Direct compensation of the Federal work force includes base pay and 
premium pay, such as overtime. In addition, it includes other cash 
components, such as geographic pay differentials (i.e., locality pay, 
interim geographic adjustments, special pay adjustments for law 
enforcement officers), recruitment and relocation bonuses, retention 
allowances, performance awards, and cost-of-living and overseas 
allowances.
  In the case of military personnel, compensation includes basic pay, 
special and incentive pay (including enlistment and reenlistment 
bonuses), and allowances for clothing, housing, and subsistence.
  Related compensation in the form of personnel benefits for current and 
former personnel consists primarily of the Government's share (as an 
employer) of health insurance, life insurance, old age survivors' 
disability and health insurance, and payments to the Department of 
Defense's Military Retirement Fund, the Civil Service Retirement and 
Disability Fund, and the Federal Employees Retirement System to finance 
future retirement benefits.

[[Page 180]]
                             Table 10-1.  FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH                            
                    (Civilian employment as measured by Full-Time Equivalents, in thousands)                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                       Actual                  Estimate        Change: 1993 base
                                    1993   --------------------------------------------------       to 1997     
             Agency                 Base                                                     -------------------
                                              1993      1994      1995      1996      1997      FTE's    Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet agencies:                                                                                               
  Agriculture...................     115.6     114.4     109.8     103.8     105.5     104.6     -11.1     -9.5%
  Commerce......................      36.7      36.1      36.0      35.3      35.2      35.5      -1.2     -3.3%
  Defense--military functions...     931.3     931.8     868.3     821.7     800.0     767.4    -163.9    -17.6%
  Education.....................       5.0       4.9       4.8       4.8       4.8       4.6      -0.4     -8.1%
  Energy........................      20.6      20.3      19.8      19.7      19.7      18.5      -2.1    -10.3%
  Health and Human                                                                                              
   Services\1\\2\...............      64.5      65.6      62.4      59.0      58.5      58.9      -5.6     -8.6%
  Health and Human Services,                                                                                    
   exempt FTEs..................       0.5       0.5       0.5       0.3       0.3       0.3      -0.1    -28.7%
  Social Security                                                                                               
   Administration\2\............      65.4      64.8      64.5      64.6      64.8      64.8      -0.6     -0.9%
  Housing and Urban Development.      13.6      13.3      13.1      12.1      11.9      11.4      -2.2    -16.4%
  Interior......................      79.3      78.1      76.3      72.0      70.5      72.2      -7.2     -9.0%
  Justice.......................      99.4      95.4      95.3      97.9     106.3     112.5      13.1     13.1%
  Labor.........................      18.3      18.0      17.5      16.8      16.7      17.1      -1.3     -6.8%
  State.........................      26.0      25.6      25.2      23.9      23.7      23.5      -2.5     -9.7%
  Transportation................      70.3      69.1      66.4      63.2      63.9      63.9      -6.5     -9.1%
  Treasury......................     166.1     161.1     157.3     157.5     153.3     156.8      -9.3     -5.6%
  Veterans Affairs\1\...........     227.0     229.1     227.8     223.1     218.2     217.3      -9.7     -4.2%
  Veterans Affairs, exempt FTEs.       5.4       5.1       5.3       5.4       5.5       5.5       0.2      3.3%
Other agencies (excluding Postal                                                                                
 Service):                                                                                                      
  Agency for International                                                                                      
   Development\1\...............       4.4       4.1       3.9       3.6       3.4       3.1      -1.3    -29.2%
  Agency for International                                                                                      
   Development, exempt FTEs.....  ........  ........         *         *         *         *  ........  ........
  Corps of Engineers............      29.2      28.4      27.9      27.7      27.6      27.2      -2.0     -6.8%
  Environmental Protection                                                                                      
   Agency.......................      18.6      17.9      17.6      17.5      18.1      18.0      -0.6     -3.3%
  Equal Employment Opportunity                                                                                  
   Commission...................       2.9       2.8       2.8       2.8       2.8       3.0       0.2      5.8%
  Federal Emergency Management                                                                                  
   Agency.......................       2.7       4.0       4.9       4.6       3.9       4.0       1.2     43.8%
  Federal Deposit Insurance                                                                                     
   Corp./Resolution Trust Corp..      21.6      21.9      20.0      15.7      12.8       9.2     -12.3    -57.1%
  General Services                                                                                              
   Administration...............      20.6      20.2      19.5      17.0      16.2      14.8      -5.9    -28.4%
  National Aeronautics and Space                                                                                
   Administration...............      25.7      24.9      23.9      22.4      21.8      21.2      -4.5    -17.5%
  National Archives and Records                                                                                 
   Administration...............       2.8       2.6       2.6       2.4       2.5       2.5      -0.2     -8.5%
  National Labor Relations Board       2.1       2.1       2.1       2.0       2.0       2.0      -0.1     -4.8%
  National Science Foundation...       1.3       1.2       1.2       1.2       1.3       1.3      -0.1     -6.2%
  Nuclear Regulatory Commission.       3.4       3.4       3.3       3.2       3.2       3.1      -0.3     -8.3%
  Office of Personnel Management       6.2       5.9       5.3       4.2       4.0       3.6      -2.7    -42.7%
  Panama Canal Commission.......       8.7       8.5       8.5       8.8       9.0       9.1       0.4      4.8%
  Peace Corps...................       1.3       1.2       1.2       1.2       1.2       1.2      -0.1     -3.4%
  Railroad Retirement Board.....       1.9       1.8       1.7       1.6       1.5       1.4      -0.4    -24.0%
  Securities and Exchange                                                                                       
   Commission...................       2.7       2.7       2.7       2.7       2.8       2.8      -0.1     -2.2%
  Small Business Administration.       4.0       5.6       6.3       5.7       4.3       4.2       0.2      5.2%
  Smithsonian Institution.......       5.9       5.5       5.4       5.3       5.3       5.3      -0.6    -10.4%
  Tennessee Valley Authority....      19.1      17.3      18.6      16.7      16.4      16.4      -2.7    -14.1%
  United States Information                                                                                     
   Agency.......................       8.7       8.3       8.1       7.7       7.3       7.1      -1.6    -18.6%
  All other small agencies......      16.1      15.4      15.0      15.1      14.8      14.8      -1.3     -8.3%
  Allowance for welfare                                                                                         
   reform\3\....................  ........  ........  ........  ........  ........       0.5       0.5    100.0%
                                 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Executive Branch civilian                                                                                
 employment.....................   2,155.2   2,138.8   2,052.7   1,970.2   1,940.8   1,910.5    -244.7    -11.3%
                                                                                                                
 Total, Defense.................     931.3     931.8     868.3     821.7     800.0     767.4    -163.9    -17.6%
 Total, Non-Defense.............   1,223.9   1,207.1   1,184.4   1,148.4   1,140.8   1,143.1     -80.8     -6.3%
 FTEs exempt from Ceiling.......  ........  ........       5.8       5.7       5.9       5.9  ........  ........
 Total, Executive Branch subject                                                                                
 to Ceiling.....................  ........  ........   2,047.0   1,964.4   1,934.9   1,904.6  ........  ........
FTE Ceiling\4\..................  ........  ........   2,084.6   2,043.3   2,003.3   1,963.3  ........  ........
                                 ===============================================================================
  Total FTE reduction from the                                                                                  
   1993 base....................  ........     -16.4    -102.5    -185.0    -214.4    -244.7  ........  ........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Less than 50 FTEs.                                                                                             
\1\The Departments of Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and the Agency for International Development 
  have components that are exempt from FTE controls.                                                            
\2\The Social Security Administration became a separate agency, no longer part of Health and Human Services, on 
  March 31, 1995.                                                                                               
\3\This allowance is for an estimated 500 FTEs for the Social Security Administration to conduct additional     
  continuing disability reviews.                                                                                
\4\FTE limitations are set for the Executive Branch in the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-
  226).                                                                                                         


                                                          Table 10-2.  TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT                                                         
                                                         (As measured by total positions filled)                                                        
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                       Actual as of September 30                Change: 1993 to 1995    
                                Description                                -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                 1993            1994            1995          Positions       Percent  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 181]]
Executive branch civilian employment:                                                                                                                   
  All agencies except Postal Service and Postal Rate Commission:                                                                                        
    Full-time permanent...................................................    1,892,290       1,831,671       1,767,460        -124,830         -6.6%   
    Other than full-time permanent\1\.....................................      264,500         253,767         244,463         -20,037         -7.6%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal............................................................    2,156,790       2,085,438       2,011,923        -144,867         -6.7%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
Postal Service:\2\                                                                                                                                      
  Full-time permanent.....................................................      623,088         634,878         647,269          24,181          3.9%   
  Other than full-time permanent..........................................      167,252         187,876         198,179          30,927         18.5%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal...............................................................      790,340         822,754         845,448          55,108          7.0%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
  Subtotal, executive branch civilian employment..........................    2,947,130       2,908,192       2,857,371         -89,759         -3.0%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
Military personnel on active duty:\3\                                                                                                                   
  Department of Defense...................................................    1,705,103       1,610,490       1,518,224        -186,879        -11.0%   
  Department of Transportation (Coast Guard)..............................       39,234          37,474          36,731          -2,503         -6.4%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, military personnel...........................................    1,744,337       1,647,964       1,554,955        -189,382        -10.9%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
      Subtotal, Executive Branch..........................................    4,691,467       4,556,156       4,412,326        -279,141         -5.9%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
Legislative branch:                                                                                                                                     
  Full-time permanent.....................................................       16,460          15,066          14,603          -1,857        -11.3%   
  Other than full-time permanent..........................................       21,798          20,291          18,764          -3,034        -13.9%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Legislative Branch...........................................       38,258          35,357          33,367          -4,891        -12.8%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Judicial Branch:                                                                                                                                        
  Full-time permanent.....................................................       25,900          25,907          26,555             655          2.5%   
  Other than full-time permanent..........................................        2,220           2,128           2,438             218          9.8%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Judicial Branch..............................................       28,120          28,035          28,993             873          3.1%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
Grand total...............................................................    4,757,845       4,619,548       4,474,686        -283,159         -6.0%   
                                                                           =============================================================================
                                 ADDENDUM                                                                                                               
                                                                                                                                                        
Executive branch civilian personnel (excluding Postal Service):                                                                                         
  DOD-Military functions\4\...............................................      890,628         850,137         831,806         -58,822         -6.6%   
  All other executive branch..............................................    1,266,162       1,235,301       1,208,101         -58,061         -4.6%   
                                                                           -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Total\5\...............................................................    2,156,790       2,085,438       2,039,907        -116,883         -5.4%   
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes Summer Aides, Stay-in-school, Junior Fellowship, Worker-Trainee Opportunity Program, formerly exempt from employment controls.              
\2\Includes Postal Rate Commission.                                                                                                                     
\3\Excludes reserve components.                                                                                                                         
\4\Excludes Defense Intelligence Agency.                                                                                                                
\5\Includes disadvantaged youth programs.                                                                                                               


                                                                              Table 10-3.  TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT                                                                             
                                                                             (As measured by Full-Time Equivalents)                                                                             
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                               Estimate                 Change: 1995 to 1997    
                                                     Description                                                       1995 actual  ------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                                          1996           1997          FTE's          Percent   
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 182]]
Executive branch civilian personnel:                                                                                                                                                            
  All agencies except Postal Service and Defense....................................................................  1,148,441      1,140,787      1,143,119         -5,322           -0.5%    
  Defense-Military functions (civilians)............................................................................    821,739        800,008        767,417        -54,322           -6.6%    
                                                                                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, excluding Postal Service..............................................................................  1,970,180      1,940,795      1,910,536        -59,644           -3.0%    
  Postal Service\1\.................................................................................................    806,243        822,885        835,084         28,841            3.6%    
                                                                                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian personnel...................................................................  2,776,423      2,763,680      2,745,620        -30,803           -1.1%    
                                                                                                                     ===========================================================================
Executive branch uniformed personnel:\2\                                                                                                                                                        
  Department of Defense.............................................................................................  1,564,393      1,499,785      1,468,995        -95,398           -6.1%    
  Department of Transportation (Coast Guard)........................................................................     37,311         37,297         36,746           -565           -1.5%    
                                                                                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, uniformed military personnel..........................................................................  1,601,704      1,537,082      1,505,741        -95,963           -6.0%    
                                                                                                                     ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, Executive Branch......................................................................................  4,378,127      4,300,762      4,251,361       -126,766           -2.9%    
                                                                                                                     ===========================================================================
Legislative Branch:\3\ Total FTE....................................................................................     33,456         32,543         32,218         -1,238           -3.7%    
                                                                                                                     ===========================================================================
Judicial branch: Total FTE..........................................................................................     27,903         29,724         31,071          3,168           11.4%    
                                                                                                                     ===========================================================================
    Grand total.....................................................................................................  4,439,486      4,363,029      4,314,650       -124,836           -2.8%    
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\Includes Postal Rate Commission.                                                                                                                                                             
\2\Military personnel on active duty. Excludes reserve components. Data shown are average strength.                                                                                             
\3\Actual 1995 FTE data not available for legislative branch. Data shown are estimates.                                                                                                         


                                                    TABLE 10-4.  PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS                                                    
                                                                (In millions of dollars)                                                                
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                         Estimate                Change: 1995 to 1997   
                                 Description                                    1995 actual  -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                   1996            1997          Dollars       Percent  
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[[Page 183]]
Civilian personnel costs:                                                                                                                               
  Executive Branch (excluding Postal Service):                                                                                                          
    Direct compensation:                                                                                                                                
      DOD--military functions...............................................      32,919          33,230          32,872           -47            -0.1% 
      All other executive branch............................................      51,309          52,653          54,196         2,887             5.6% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, direct compensation.......................................      84,228          85,883          87,068         2,840             3.4% 
    Personnel benefits:                                                                                                                                 
      DOD--military functions...............................................       7,175           7,209           7,207            32             0.4% 
      All other executive branch\1\.........................................      19,774          20,269          21,121         1,347             6.8% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, personnel benefits........................................      26,949          27,478          28,328         1,379             5.1% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
          Subtotal, executive branch........................................     111,177         113,361         115,396         4,219             3.8% 
                                                                             ===========================================================================
  Postal Service:                                                                                                                                       
    Direct compensation.....................................................      32,157          33,126          34,643         2,486             7.7% 
    Personnel benefits......................................................       8,632           9,593          10,020         1,388            16.1% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal..............................................................      40,789          42,719          44,663         3,874             9.5% 
                                                                             ===========================================================================
  Legislative Branch:\2\                                                                                                                                
    Direct compensation.....................................................         777             744             759           -18            -2.3% 
    Personnel benefits......................................................         148             149             152             4             2.7% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal..............................................................         925             893             911           -14            -1.5% 
  Judicial Branch:                                                                                                                                      
    Direct compensation.....................................................       1,335           1,512           1,613           278            20.8% 
    Personnel benefits......................................................         319             361             394            75            23.5% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal..............................................................       1,654           1,873           2,007           353            21.3% 
      Total, civilian personnel costs.......................................     154,545         158,846         162,977         8,432             5.5% 
                                                                             ===========================================================================
Military personnel costs:                                                                                                                               
  DOD--Military Functions:                                                                                                                              
    Direct compensation.....................................................      49,770          48,728          48,403        -1,367            -2.7% 
    Personnel benefits......................................................      19,583          18,112          18,329        -1,254            -6.4% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal..............................................................      69,353          66,840          66,732        -2,621            -3.8% 
All other executive branch, uniformed personnel:                                                                                                        
  Direct compensation.......................................................       1,162           1,160           1,174            12             1.0% 
  Personnel benefits........................................................         110             110             113             3             2.7% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal..............................................................       1,272           1,270           1,287            15             1.2% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total, military personnel costs\3\......................................      70,625          68,110          68,019        -2,606            -3.7% 
                                                                             ===========================================================================
Grand total, personnel costs................................................     225,170         226,956         230,996         5,826             2.6% 
                                                                             ===========================================================================
                                  ADDENDUM                                                                                                              
Former Civilian Personnel:                                                                                                                              
   Retired pay for former personnel.........................................      39,224          40,549          42,482         3,258             8.3% 
    Government payment for Annuitants:                                                                                                                  
      Employee health benefits..............................................       3,813           3,910           4,187           374             9.8% 
       Employee life insurance..............................................          22              28              33            11            50.0% 
                                                                             ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Total Former Civilian Personnel.........................................      43,059          44,487          46,702         3,643             8.5% 
Former Military personnel:                                                                                                                              
  Retired pay for former personnel..........................................      29,143          29,087          30,297         1,154             4.0% 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\In addition to the employing agency's contribution to the costs of life and health insurance, retirement and Medicare Hospital insurance, this amount
  includes transfers from general revenues to amortize the effects of general pay increases on Federal retirement systems for employees in the          
  Legislative and Judicial Branches as well as employees (non-Postal) in the Executive Branch and to amortize supplemental liabilities under FERS. The  
  transfers amounted to $7,488 million in 1995 and are estimated to be $7,717 million in 1996 and $7,989 million in 1997.                               
\2\Excludes members and officers of Congress.                                                                                                           
\3\Excludes reserve components.