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


[[Page 205]]

 
                         10.  FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT

  This section provides information 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 appear in 
the Budget volume.

           Federal Civilian 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 established FTE limitations 
(``ceilings'') for Executive Branch civilian employees through 1999. 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. Between base 1993 and FY 1999, the Act requires a cut of 
272,900 FTEs. The 1998 budget continues the implementation of the 
reductions pursuant to the Act. The limitations established by the Act, 
as well as the reductions to date, are as follows:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                          Cumulative   Reduction
                                                                     FWRA      Civilian    reduction  as percent
                              Year                                  ceiling      FTEs      from 1993  of 272,900
                                                                                             base         cut   
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1993 Base.......................................................  ..........   2,155,200  ..........  ..........
1994............................................................   2,084,600   2,052,700    -102,500         38%
1995............................................................   2,043,300   1,970,200    -185,000         68%
1996............................................................   2,003,300   1,891,700    -263,500         97%
1997 est........................................................   1,963,300   1,881,300    -273,900        100%
1998 est........................................................   1,922,300   1,855,600    -299,600        110%
1999............................................................   1,882,300          NA  ..........  ..........
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Table 10-1 provides agency-wide totals from the 1993 base through 
1998.
   Allocations of FTE resources by agency are made based upon 
Presidential priorities and other factors. Thus, while most of the 
agencies in Table 10-1 show FTE reductions between 1993 and 1998, 
several agencies, such as the Department of Commerce and the Department 
of Justice, 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, i.e., the total number of employees, whether full-time, part-
time or intermittent, 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, 
and 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 
employees consists of the cost to Government agencies (as an employer) 
primarily for health insurance, life insurance, Social Security (old 
age, survivors, disability, and health insurance) and contributions to 
the retirement funds to finance future retirement benefits. Compensation 
for former personnel includes outlays for retirement pay benefits, and 
the Government's share of the cost of health and life insurance.


[[Page 206]]

                                                 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 1998     
                            Agency                                Base                                                               -------------------
                                                                            1993      1994      1995      1996      1997      1998      FTE's    Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet agencies:                                                                                                                                       
  Agriculture \1\.............................................     115.6     114.4     109.8     103.8     100.7     101.7      99.9     -15.8    -13.6%
  Commerce....................................................      36.7      36.1      36.0      35.3      33.8      34.9      38.3      +1.6     +4.3%
  Defense-military functions..................................     931.3     931.8     868.3     821.7     778.9     760.0     733.2    -198.1    -21.3%
  Education...................................................       5.0       4.9       4.8       4.8       4.7       4.6       4.6      -0.5     -9.3%
  Energy......................................................      20.6      20.3      19.8      19.7      19.1      18.2      17.2      -3.4    -16.5%
  Health and Human Services \1\...............................      65.0      66.1      62.9      59.3      57.2      57.6      57.6      -7.3    -11.3%
  Social Security Administration..............................      65.4      64.8      64.5      64.6      64.0      65.6      65.4  ........  ........
  Housing and Urban Development...............................      13.6      13.3      13.1      12.1      11.4      11.4      11.0      -2.7    -19.6%
  Interior....................................................      79.3      78.1      76.3      72.0      66.7      70.6      71.4      -7.9    -10.0%
  Justice.....................................................      99.4      95.4      95.3      97.9     103.8     113.3     121.8     +22.4    +22.5%
  Labor.......................................................      18.3      18.0      17.5      16.8      16.0      16.6      17.1      -1.2     -6.5%
  State.......................................................      26.0      25.6      25.2      23.9      22.9      23.2      23.2      -2.8    -10.8%
  Transportation..............................................      70.3      69.1      66.4      63.2      62.4      64.0      64.8      -5.5     -7.8%
  Treasury....................................................     166.1     161.1     157.3     157.5     151.1     148.3     148.1     -18.0    -10.8%
  Veterans Affairs \1\........................................     232.4     234.2     233.1     228.5     221.9     215.5     210.6     -21.8     -9.4%
Other agencies (excluding Postal Service):                                                                                                              
  Agency for International Development \1\....................       4.4       4.1       3.9       3.6       3.4       3.1       3.0      -1.4    -31.9%
  Corps of Engineers..........................................      29.2      28.4      27.9      27.7      27.1      27.1      26.4      -2.8     -9.7%
  Environmental Protection Agency.............................      18.6      17.9      17.6      17.5      17.2      18.0      18.3      -0.3     -1.6%
  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.....................       2.9       2.8       2.8       2.8       2.7       2.7       2.7      -0.2     -6.2%
  Federal Emergency Management Agency.........................       2.7       4.0       4.9       4.6       4.7       5.0       4.7      +1.9    +70.5%
  Federal Deposit Insurance Corp./Resolution Trust Corp.......      21.6      21.9      20.0      15.7      11.8       9.4       7.8     -13.8    -64.0%
  General Services Administration.............................      20.6      20.2      19.5      17.0      15.7      14.9      14.4      -6.2    -30.2%
  National Aeronautics and Space Administration...............      25.7      24.9      23.9      22.4      21.1      20.7      19.8      -6.0    -23.3%
  National Archives and Records Administration................       2.8       2.6       2.6       2.5       2.5       2.5       2.5      -0.2     -8.6%
  National Labor Relations Board..............................       2.1       2.1       2.1       2.0       1.9       2.0       2.0      -0.1     -6.0%
  National Science Foundation.................................       1.3       1.2       1.2       1.2       1.3       1.3       1.2      -0.1     -8.2%
  Nuclear Regulatory Commission...............................       3.4       3.4       3.3       3.2       3.1       3.1       3.0      -0.4    -12.1%
  Office of Personnel Management..............................       6.2       5.9       5.3       4.2       3.4       3.4       3.3      -3.0    -47.6%
  Panama Canal Commission.....................................       8.7       8.5       8.5       8.8       9.0      10.2      10.3      +1.6    +18.5%
  Peace Corps.................................................       1.3       1.2       1.2       1.2       1.1       1.2       1.1      -0.1     -9.4%
  Railroad Retirement Board...................................       1.9       1.8       1.7       1.6       1.5       1.4       1.3      -0.5    -29.0%
  Securities and Exchange Commission..........................       2.7       2.7       2.7       2.7       2.8       2.8       2.8      +0.1     +2.1%
  Small Business Administration...............................       4.0       5.6       6.3       5.7       4.8       4.6       4.6      +0.6    +15.2%
  Smithsonian Institution.....................................       5.9       5.5       5.4       5.3       5.1       5.3       5.3      -0.6    -10.4%
  Tennessee Valley Authority..................................      19.1      17.3      18.6      16.6      16.0      15.7      15.6      -3.6    -18.8%
  United States Information Agency............................       8.7       8.3       8.1       7.7       7.0       7.0       6.9      -1.8    -20.9%
  All other small agencies....................................      16.1      15.4      15.0      15.1      14.1      14.8      14.5      -1.6     -9.9%
                                                               -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Executive Branch civilian employment...................   2,155.2   2,138.8   2,052.7   1,970.2   1,891.7   1,881.3   1,855.6    -299.6    -13.9%
                                                                                                                                                        
  Reduction from 1993 base....................................  ........     -16.4    -102.5    -185.0    -263.5    -273.9    -299.6  ........  ........
                                                                                                                                                        
Subtotal, Defense.............................................     931.3     931.8     868.3     821.7     778.9     760.0     733.2    -198.1    -21.3%
Subtotal, non-defense.........................................   1,223.9   1,207.1   1,184.4   1,148.4   1,112.8   1,121.2   1,122.4    -101.5     -8.3%
                                                               =========================================================================================
Status of Federal civilian employment relative to the Federal                                                                                           
 Workforce Restructuring Act (FWRA): \2\                                                                                                                
  Total, Executive Branch employment..........................  ........  ........   2,052.7   1,970.2   1,891.7   1,881.3   1,855.6  ........  ........
  Less: FTEs exempt from FWRA.................................  ........  ........       5.7       5.7       7.6       7.9       5.6  ........          
                                                                                                                                                        
  Total, Executive Branch subject to FWRA Ceiling.............  ........  ........   2,047.0   1,964.4   1,884.1   1,873.3   1,850.0  ........  ........
  FWRA ceiling................................................  ........  ........   2,084.6   2,043.3   2,003.3   1,963.3   1,922.3  ........  ........
  Executive Branch employment relative to FWRA ceiling........  ........  ........     -37.6     -78.9    -119.2     -90.0     -72.3  ........  ........
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Veterans Affairs, and the Agency for International Development have components that are  
  exempt from FTE controls. In 1998, Agriculture has 2,098 exemptions; HHS has 268 exemptions; Veterans Affairs has 3,200 exemptions and AID has 27     
  exemptions.                                                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                                        
\2\ FTE limitations are set for the Executive Branch in the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (P.L. 103-226) from 1994-99.                    


[[Page 207]]


                                      Table 10-2.  TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT                                     
                                     (As measured by total positions filled)                                    
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                           Actual as of September 30       Change: 1994 to 1996 
                     Description                     -----------------------------------------------------------
                                                         1994        1995        1996      Positions    Percent 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Branch civilian employment:                                                                           
  All agencies except Postal Service and Postal Rate                                                            
   Commission:                                                                                                  
    Full-time permanent.............................   1,831,670   1,768,006   1,707,974    -123,696       -6.8%
    Other than full-time permanent \1\..............     253,767     244,463     225,957     -27,810      -11.0%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal......................................   2,085,437   2,012,469   1,933,931    -151,506       -7.3%
                                                     ===========================================================
Postal Service: \2\                                                                                             
  Full-time permanent...............................     634,878     647,269     652,855      17,977        2.8%
  Other than full-time permanent....................     187,876     198,179     199,478      11,602        6.2%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal.........................................     822,754     845,448     852,333      29,579        3.6%
                                                     ===========================================================
  Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian employment....   2,908,191   2,857,917   2,786,264    -121,927       -4.2%
                                                     ===========================================================
Military personnel on active duty: \3\                                                                          
  Department of Defense.............................   1,610,490   1,518,224   1,471,722    -138,768       -8.6%
  Department of Transportation (Coast Guard)........      37,474      36,731      35,243      -2,231       -6.0%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, military personnel.....................   1,647,964   1,554,955   1,506,965    -140,999       -8.6%
                                                     ===========================================================
      Subtotal, Executive Branch....................   4,556,155   4,412,872   4,293,229    -262,966       -5.8%
                                                     ===========================================================
Legislative branch:                                                                                             
  Full-time permanent...............................      15,066      14,603      13,288      -1,778      -11.8%
  Other than full-time permanent....................      20,291      18,764      18,259      -2,032      -10.0%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Legislative Branch.....................      35,357      33,367      31,547      -3,810      -10.8%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
Judicial Branch:                                                                                                
  Full-time permanent...............................      25,907      26,555      26,879         972        3.8%
  Other than full-time permanent....................       2,128       2,438       2,702         574       27.0%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Judicial Branch........................      28,035      28,993      29,581       1,546        5.5%
                                                     ===========================================================
Grand total.........................................   4,619,547   4,475,232   4,354,357    -265,190       -5.7%
                                                     ===========================================================
                      ADDENDUM                                                                                  
                                                                                                                
Executive Branch civilian personnel (excluding                                                                  
 Postal Service):                                                                                               
  DOD-Military functions \4\........................     850,151     802,141     768,098     -82,053       -9.7%
  All other Eexecutive Branch.......................   1,235,286   1,210,328   1,165,833     -69,453       -5.6%
                                                     -----------------------------------------------------------
   Total \5\........................................   2,085,437   2,012,469   1,933,931    -151,506       -7.3%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.                                                                      


[[Page 208]]


                                                          Table 10-3.  TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT                                                         
                                                         (As measured by Full-Time Equivalents)                                                         
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                                                   Estimate         Change: 1996 to 1998
                                          Description                                              1996    ---------------------------------------------
                                                                                                  actual       1997        1998       FTE's     Percent 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive Branch civilian personnel:                                                                                                                    
  All agencies except Postal Service and Defense..............................................   1,112,793   1,121,238   1,122,369      9,576       0.9%
  Defense-Military functions (civilians)......................................................     778,942     760,033     733,215    -45,727      -5.9%
                                                                                               ---------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, excluding Postal Service.........................................................   1,891,735   1,881,271   1,855,584    -36,151      -1.9%
  Postal Service \1\ .........................................................................     829,377     834,143     844,646     15,269       1.8%
                                                                                               ---------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian personnel..............................................   2,721,112   2,715,414   2,700,230    -20,882      -0.8%
                                                                                               =========================================================
Executive Branch uniformed personnel: \2\                                                                                                               
  Department of Defense.......................................................................   1,497,939   1,458,745   1,438,077    -59,862      -4.0%
  Department of Transportation (Coast Guard)..................................................      36,044      36,644      36,620        576       1.6%
                                                                                               ---------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, uniformed military personnel.....................................................   1,533,983   1,495,389   1,474,697    -59,286      -3.9%
                                                                                               ---------------------------------------------------------
   Subtotal, Executive Branch.................................................................   4,255,095   4,210,803   4,174,927    -80,168      -1.9%
                                                                                               =========================================================
Legislative Branch: \3\  Total FTE............................................................      32,291      31,889      31,863       -428      -1.3%
                                                                                               =========================================================
Judicial Branch: Total FTE....................................................................      28,601      31,626      33,173      4,572      16.0%
                                                                                               =========================================================
    Grand total...............................................................................   4,315,987   4,274,318   4,239,963    -76,024      -1.8%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes Postal Rate Commission.                                                                                                                    
\2\ Military personnel on active duty. Excludes reserve components. Data shown are average strength.                                                    
\3\ Actual 1996 FTE data not available for legislative branch. Data shown are estimates.                                                                


[[Page 209]]


                                Table 10-4.  PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS                                
                                            (In millions of dollars)                                            
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                Estimate        Change: 1996 to 
                                                                   1996   --------------------        1998      
                          Description                             actual                      ------------------
                                                                             1997      1998    Dollars   Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Civilian personnel costs:                                                                                       
  Executive Branch (excluding Postal Service):                                                                  
    Direct compensation:                                                                                        
      DOD--military functions..................................    32,662    32,946    32,565      -97     -0.3%
      All other Executive Branch...............................    52,491    54,843    56,183    3,692      7.0%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, direct compensation..........................    85,153    87,789    88,748    3,595      4.2%
    Personnel benefits:                                                                                         
      DOD--military functions..................................     6,953     7,020     6,865      -88     -1.3%
      All other Executive Branch \1\...........................    20,191    21,324    22,070    1,879      9.3%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, personnel benefits...........................    27,144    28,344    28,935    1,791      6.6%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
          Subtotal, Executive Branch...........................   112,297   116,133   117,683    5,386      4.8%
                                                                ================================================
  Postal Service:                                                                                               
    Direct compensation........................................    32,566    33,821    35,129    2,563      7.9%
    Personnel benefits.........................................     8,969     9,236    10,018    1,049     11.7%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.................................................    41,535    43,057    45,147    3,612      8.7%
                                                                ================================================
  Legislative Branch: \2\                                                                                       
    Direct compensation........................................     1,206     1,230     1,300       94      7.8%
    Personnel benefits.........................................       259       266       284       25      9.7%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.................................................     1,465     1,496     1,584      119      8.1%
  Judicial Branch:                                                                                              
    Direct compensation........................................     1,430     1,649     1,799      369     25.8%
    Personnel benefits.........................................       348       402       451      103     29.6%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.................................................     1,778     2,051     2,250      472     26.5%
      Total, civilian personnel costs..........................   157,075   162,737   166,664    9,589      6.1%
                                                                ================================================
Military personnel costs:                                                                                       
  DOD--Military Functions:                                                                                      
    Direct compensation........................................    48,938    49,190    49,427      489      1.0%
    Personnel benefits.........................................    17,844    17,738    17,005     -839     -4.7%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.................................................    66,782    66,928    66,432     -350     -0.5%
All other Executive Branch, military personnel:                                                                 
  Direct compensation..........................................     1,156     1,170     1,199       43      3.7%
  Personnel benefits...........................................       117       125       129       12     10.3%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.................................................     1,273     1,295     1,328       55      4.3%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
   Total, military personnel costs \3\ ........................    68,055    68,223    67,760     -295     -0.4%
                                                                ================================================
Grand total, personnel costs...................................   225,130   230,960   234,424    9,294      4.1%
                                                                ================================================
                            ADDENDUM                                                                            
Former Civilian Personnel:                                                                                      
   Retired pay for former personnel............................    40,637    42,347    44,122    3,485      8.6%
    Government payment for Annuitants:                                                                          
      Employee health benefits.................................     3,830     4,029     4,338      508     13.3%
       Employee life insurance.................................        25        29        32        7     28.0%
                                                                ------------------------------------------------
   Total Former Civilian Personnel.............................    44,492    46,405    48,492    4,000      9.0%
Former Military personnel:                                                                                      
  Retired pay for former personnel.............................    29,515    30,751    31,934    2,419      8.2%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 $7,752 million in 1996 and are estimated to be $8,052 million in 1997 and $8,336    
  million in 1998.                                                                                              
\2\ Excludes members and officers of the Senate.                                                                
\3\ Excludes reserve components.