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



[[Page 255]]


 
                 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%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
                       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%
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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.''