[Analytical Perspectives]
[Special Analyses and Presentations]
[11. Federal Employment and Compensation]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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11. FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION
This section provides information on civilian and military employment,
and personnel compensation and benefits in the Executive, Legislative,
and Judicial branches. A comparison of Federal employment levels, State
and local government employment, and the United States population
appears in the Historical Tables.
Measuring Federal Civilian Employment
Civilian employment 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.
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 11-1 provides Executive Branch FTE
totals from 1999 through 2003. Table 11-2 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 11-3 shows total Federal employment as
measured on an FTE basis. Due to the terrorist attacks of September 11
2001, Federal employment levels are estimated to increase by over 68,000
FTEs by 2003. The largest increase (over 40,000 FTEs) is in the
Department of Transportation and is primarily the result of converting
commercial airline security personnel to Federal employees.
Personnel Compensation and Benefits
Table 11-4 displays personnel compensation and benefits (in millions
of dollars) 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 pays
(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.
In addition, the Administration proposed legislation to require
agencies, beginning in FY 2003, to pay the full Government share of the
accruing cost of retirement for current CSRS, CIA and Foreign Service
employees, and the Cost Guard, Public Health Service and NOAA
Commissioned Corps. The legislation also requires agencies to pay the
full accruing cost of post-retirement health benefits for current
civilian employees who are enrolled in the Federal Employees Health
Benefits Program and the post-retirement health costs of Medicare
eligible retirees (and their dependents/survivors) of the Uniformed
Services (DoD, Coast Guard, Public Health Service, and NOAA Commissioned
Corps).
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Table 11-1. FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
(Civilian employment as measured by Full-Time Equivalents, in thousands)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual Estimate Change: 1999 to 2003
Agency ------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 FTE's Percent \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet agencies:
Agriculture.......................... 95.5 95.1 96.9 99.0 98.8 3.3 3.4%
Commerce............................. 47.3 113.3 36.7 36.9 40.0 -7.3 -15.4%
Defense-military functions........... 681.0 660.3 649.9 634.7 627.4 -53.6 -7.9%
Education............................ 4.5 4.6 4.6 4.7 4.6 0.1 1.8%
Energy............................... 15.9 15.6 15.6 16.9 16.4 0.5 3.1%
Health and Human Services............ 58.9 60.5 61.8 65.1 65.7 6.7 11.4%
Housing and Urban Development........ 10.0 10.1 10.1 10.3 10.3 0.3 3.4%
Interior............................. 67.0 67.3 68.7 69.7 68.8 1.8 2.7%
Justice.............................. 121.3 122.8 124.2 135.8 141.5 20.2 16.7
Labor................................ 16.3 16.3 16.5 17.4 17.2 0.9 5.3%
State................................ 26.9 27.3 27.7 29.0 29.8 2.9 10.6%
Transportation....................... 63.7 63.0 63.4 81.9 107.5 43.8 68.7%
Treasury............................. 143.7 143.7 145.0 150.5 152.2 8.6 6.0%
Veterans Affairs..................... 205.5 202.6 206.9 207.0 207.9 2.4 1.2%
Other agencies--excluding Postal
Service:
Agency for International Development. 2.5 2.4 2.3 2.4 2.4 -0.1 -4.1%
Broadcasting Board of Governors...... 2.4 2.4 2.4 2.5 2.5 0.1 4.5%
Corps of Engineers--Civil Works...... 24.7 24.8 24.7 24.8 23.2 -1.6 -6.4%
Environmental Protection Agency...... 18.1 17.7 17.5 17.6 17.6 -0.5 -2.6%
EEOC................................. 2.6 2.9 2.7 2.9 2.8 0.2 8.0%
FEMA................................. 5.2 4.6 4.9 5.0 5.1 -0.1 -1.6%
FDIC/RTC............................. 7.4 7.1 6.4 6.6 6.3 -1.1 -14.8%
General Services Administration...... 14.1 14.0 14.0 14.2 14.1 0.1 0.6%
NASA................................. 18.5 18.4 18.7 19.0 19.1 0.6 3.1%
National Archives and Records Admin.. 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.8 2.8 0.4 16.0%
National Labor Relations Board....... 1.8 1.9 2.0 2.0 2.0 0.1 7.1%
National Science Foundation.......... 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.3 0.1 7.1%
Nuclear Regulatory Commission........ 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.9 0.1 1.9%
Office of Personnel Management....... 2.8 2.8 2.8 3.0 2.9 0.2 6.4%
Peace Corps.......................... 1.1 1.0 1.0 1.2 1.2 0.2 17.8%
Railroad Retirement Board............ 1.3 1.2 1.2 1.2 1.1 -0.2 -12.6%
Securities and Exchange Commission... 2.8 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.0 0.2 7.9%
Small Business Administration........ 4.7 4.3 4.1 4.6 4.5 -0.2 -4.1%
Smithsonian Institution.............. 5.1 5.0 4.9 5.5 5.6 0.5 10.3%
Social Security Administration....... 63.0 62.4 62.7 63.5 63.5 0.5 0.8%
Tennessee Valley Authority........... 13.5 13.2 13.2 13.1 13.2 -0.3 -2.0%
All other small agencies............. 23.1 16.4 14.7 15.8 15.9 2.1 15.1%
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Total, Executive Branch civilian 1,778.4 1,814.3 1,737.8 1,773.6 1,801.1 22.7 1.3%
employment \1\........................
Subtotal, Defense...................... 681.0 660.3 649.9 634.7 627.4 -53.6 -7.9%
Subtotal, Non-Defense.................. 1,097.4 1,154.0 1,087.9 1,138.8 1,173.7 76.3 7.0%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Totals and percentages were calculated on whole numbers prior to conversion to thousands and rounding.
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Table 11-2. TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
(As measured by total positions filled)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual as of September 30 Change: 1999 to 2001
Description ----------------------------------------------------------
1999 2000 2001 Positions Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive branch civilian employment:
All agencies except Postal Service and Postal Rate
Commission:
Full-time permanent.............................. 1,603,944 1,584,338 1,601,828 -2,116 -0.1%
Other than full-time permanent................... 216,353 199,643 196,009 -20,344 -9.4%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal....................................... 1,820,297 1,783,981 1,797,837 -22,460 -1.2%
Postal Service: \1\
Full-time permanent................................ 670,272 666,528 661,452 -8,820 -1.3%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 196,121 194,249 186,418 -9,703 -4.9%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 866,393 860,777 847,870 -18,523 -2.1%
==========================================================
Subtotal, Executive branch civilian employment..... 2,686,690 2,644,758 2,645,707 -40,983 -1.5%
Military personnel on active duty: \2\
Department of Defense.............................. 1,385,703 1,384,338 1,385,116 -587 0.0%
Department of Transportation (Coast Guard)......... 35,740 36,157 36,580 840 2.4%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, military personnel..................... 1,421,443 1,420,495 1,421,696 253 0.0%
Subtotal, Executive Branch..................... 4,108,133 4,065,253 4,067,403 -40,730 -1.0%
==========================================================
Legislative branch:
Full-time permanent................................ 12,183 11,970 11,856 -327 -2.7%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 18,170 19,187 18,583 413 2.3%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Legislative Branch..................... 30,353 31,157 30,439 86 0.3%
----------------------------------------------------------
Judicial Branch:
Full-time permanent................................ 28,875 28,938 30,478 1,603 5.6%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 3,321 3,248 3,332 11 0.3%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Judicial Branch........................ 32,196 32,186 33,810 1,614 5.0%
==========================================================
Grand total \3\...................................... 4,170,682 4,128,596 4,131,652 -39,030 -0.9%
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ADDENDUM
Executive branch civilian personnel (excluding Postal
Service):
DOD civilians-Military functions................... 665,679 651,247 647,048 -18,631 -2.8%
All other executive branch......................... 1,154,618 1,132,734 1,150,789 -3,829 -0.3%
----------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................ 1,820,297 1,783,981 1,797,837 -22,460 -1.2%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes Postal Rate Commission.
\2\ Excludes reserve components.
\3\ Includes Summer Aides, Stay-in-school, Junior Fellowship, Worker-Trainee Opportunity, and disadvantage youth
programs.
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Table 11-3. TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
(As measured by Full-Time Equivalents)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimate Change: 2001 to 2003
Description 2001 ---------------------------------------------
actual 2002 2003 FTE's Percent
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive branch civilian personnel:
All agencies except Postal Service and Defense.............................................. 1,087,865 1,138,822 1,173,690 85,825 7.9%
Defense-Military functions (civilians)...................................................... 649,891 634,733 627,430 -22,461 -3.5%
---------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, excluding Postal Service........................................................ 1,737,756 1,773,555 1,801,120 63,364 3.6%
Postal Service \1\.......................................................................... 830,516 826,000 820,872 -9,644 -1.2%
=========================================================
Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian personnel............................................. 2,568,272 2,599,555 2,621,992 53,720 2.1%
Executive branch uniformed personnel: \2\
Department of Defense....................................................................... 1,387,400 1,385,599 1,397,249 9,849 0.7%
Department of Transportation (Coast Guard).................................................. 35,963 36,580 37,249 1,286 3.6%
---------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, uniformed military personnel.................................................... 1,423,363 1,422,179 1,434,498 11,135 0.8%
=========================================================
Subtotal, Executive Branch................................................................ 3,991,635 4,021,734 4,056,490 64,855 1.6%
Legislative Branch: \3\....................................................................... 33,182 33,978 34,473 1,291 3.9%
Judicial branch: Total FTE.................................................................... 32,183 33,219 34,896 2,713 8.4%
=========================================================
Grand total............................................................................... 4,057,000 4,088,931 4,125,859 68,859 1.7%
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\1\ Includes Postal Rate Commission.
\2\ Military personnel on active duty. Excludes reserve components. Data shown for Department of Defense are average strengths, not FTEs.
\3\ 2001 FTE data not available for the Senate (positions filled were used).
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TABLE 11-4. PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
(In millions of dollars)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimate Change: 2001 to 2003
Description 2001 actual -----------------------------------------------------------
2002 2003 Dollars Percent \4\
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Civilian personnel costs:
Executive Branch (excluding Postal Service):
Direct compensation:
DOD--military functions............................................... 33,574 34,508 35,596 2,022 6.0%
All other executive branch............................................ 64,229 69,340 71,876 7,647 11.9%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, direct compensation....................................... 97,803 103,848 107,472 9,669 9.9%
Personnel benefits:
DOD--military functions............................................... 10,619 11,065 11,957 1,338 12.6%
All other executive branch............................................ 31,203 33,423 46,127 14,924 47.8%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, personnel benefits........................................ 41,822 44,488 58,084 16,262 38.9%
===========================================================================
Subtotal, executive branch........................................ 139,625 148,336 165,556 25,931 18.6%
Postal Service:
Direct compensation..................................................... 37,979 38,459 39,429 1,450 3.8%
Personnel benefits...................................................... 11,629 13,041 13,304 1,675 14.4%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.............................................................. 49,608 51,500 52,733 3,125 6.3%
Legislative Branch: \1\
Direct compensation..................................................... 1,420 1,590 1,691 271 19.1%
Personnel benefits...................................................... 431 495 545 114 26.5%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.............................................................. 1,851 2,085 2,236 385 20.8%
Judicial Branch:
Direct compensation..................................................... 2,037 2,347 2,534 497 24.4%
Personnel benefits...................................................... 640 718 780 140 21.9%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.............................................................. 2,677 3,065 3,314 637 23.8%
===========================================================================
Total, civilian personnel costs....................................... 193,761 204,986 223,839 30,078 15.5%
Military personnel costs:
DOD--Military Functions:
Direct compensation..................................................... 54,477 57,535 61,655 7,178 13.2%
Personnel benefits...................................................... 19,415 21,024 29,526 10,111 52.1%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.............................................................. 73,892 78,559 91,181 17,289 23.4%
All other executive branch, uniformed personnel:
Direct compensation....................................................... 1,405 1,561 1,707 302 21.5%
Personnel benefits........................................................ 446 475 16,735 16,289 3,652.2%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................................ 1,851 2,036 18,442 16,591 896.3%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, military personnel costs \2\....................................... 75,743 80,595 109,623 33,880 44.7%
===========================================================================
Grand total, personnel costs \3\............................................ 269,504 285,581 333,462 63,958 23.7%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADDENDUM
Former Civilian Personnel:
Retired pay for former personnel.......................................... 48,381 50,932 53,775 5,394 11.1%
Government payment for Annuitants:
Employee health benefits.............................................. 5,530 6,129 6,613 1,083 19.6%
Employee life insurance............................................... 32 34 34 2 6.3%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Former Civilian Personnel............................................. 53,943 57,095 60,422 6,479 12.0%
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Former Military personnel:
Retired pay for former personnel.......................................... 34,876 36,295 37,111 2,235 6.4%
Military annuitants health benefits......................................... .............. .............. 5,777 5,777 ............
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes members and officers of the Senate.
\2\ Excludes reserve components.
\3\ Includes transfers from general revenues in addition to employing agency's contributions for the cost of employee benefits. The transfers amounted
to $9,548 million in 2001 and are estimated to be $9,771 million in 2002 and $37,400 million in 2003.
\4\ The 2003 increase reflects the Administration's legislative proposal to fully accrue employee pension and annuitant health benefits. For more
information, please see Chapter 14, ``Preview Report.''