[Analytical Perspectives]
[Dimensions of the Budget]
[24. Federal Employment and Compensation]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]
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24. FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT AND COMPENSATION
This section provides information on civilian and military employment
in the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches. It also provides
information on personnel compensation and benefits and on overseas
staffing presence.
Measuring Federal Employment
For budgetary purposes, civilian employment is measured on the basis
of full-time equivalents (FTEs). One FTE is equal to one work year (see
OMB Circular A-11, Section 32). Put simply, one full-time employee
counts as one FTE, and two half-time employees also count as one FTE.
Significant Changes in Civilian Employment
Table 24-1 shows Executive Branch civilian FTE (excluding the U.S.
Postal Service) growing by two percent between 2003 and 2007. The
primary reason for this growth is related to homeland security and the
global war on terrorism. Significant changes by agency are discussed
below.
The Department of Commerce requests additional FTE, the majority of
which will allow the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) to reduce a
large backlog of patent applications. PTO fees fully fund the increase
in FTE. The augmentation is also due to increased workload associated
with the 2010 Census development and testing, including full
implementation of the American Community Survey, by the Census Bureau.
The Department of Energy is increasing its FTE as it continues to
oversee the Nation's effort to improve energy supply and conservation.
Increases are also due to weapons-related workload within the National
Nuclear Security Administration.
The Department of Health and Human Services is requesting additional
FTE to support the implementation of the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 (MMA) at the Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services; conduct hearings and appeals as directed
by the MMA, expand staff at the Indian Health Service health care
facilities; increase scientific research positions at the National
Institutes of Health; conduct pre-market review of new drugs, medical
devices, animal drugs, and other products regulated at the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) and the FDA Office of Drug Safety; increase
activities at the Office of the National Coordinator for Health
Information Technology; implement pandemic influenza preparedness and
biodefense activities; increase Inspector General's work on fraud and
abuse in a number of HHS programs, including Medicaid; and add Program
Support Center staff to handle increased Service and Supply Fund
business.
The total FTE for the Department of Homeland Security continues to
stabilize. New increases are driven by additional personnel for
immigration, customs, and border protection.
Department of Justice FTE are increasing due to enhancements in law
enforcement and homeland security-related programs. This growth largely
occurs in the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Prison System,
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the U.S.
Marshals.
The majority of the FTE increase for the Department of Veterans
Affairs is related to VA Medical Care in order to provide timely,
accessible, and high quality care to our Nation's veterans. The
remaining increase is primarily to ensure timely and accurate benefits
processing.
The Office of Personnel Management gains FTE as it completes the
transfer of security investigative personnel from the Department of
Defense to OPM.
The Social Security Administration is projecting a decrease in FTE as
the agency completes its increased workload related to processing
applications for prescription drugs under the Medicare Prescription Drug
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.
Significant Changes in Military Employment
As seen in Table 24-3, the Department of Defense's request reduces
active duty personnel. The bulk of these positions are being eliminated
in the Navy and Air Force as part of those Services' streamlining and
rightsizing efforts. The remaining personnel were extra strength on
active duty due to Global War on Terror requirements.
Personnel Compensation and Benefits
Table 24-4 displays personnel compensation and benefits (in millions
of dollars) for Federal civilian and military personnel of all branches
of Government.
Direct compensation of the Federal civilian work force includes base
pay and premium pay, such as overtime. In addition, it includes other
cash components, such as geographic and other pay differentials (e.g.,
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. Military personnel
compensation also includes special and incentive pays (e.g., enlistment
and reenlistment bonuses), and allowances for clothing, housing, and
subsistence.
Personnel benefits for current employees consists of the cost to
Government agencies for health insurance, life insurance, Social
Security (old age, survivors, disability, and health insurance)
contributions to the retirement funds to finance future retirement
benefits,
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and other items. Compensation for former personnel includes outlays for
retirement pay benefits and the Government's share of the cost of health
and life insurance.
The U.S. Overseas Staffing Presence
There are approximately 67,000 permanent American and locally hired
staff overseas under the authority of Chiefs of Mission (e.g.,
Ambassadors or Charge d' Affairs at U.S. embassies worldwide). The
average cost of an American position overseas in 2007 is projected to be
about $491,000. This total includes direct costs, such a salary and
overseas allowances, and support costs, such as housing, educational
costs for dependents, travel, administrative support and Capital
Security Cost Sharing charges.
The Administration is working to improve the safety, efficiency, and
accountability in U.S. Government staffing overseas through the
Presidential Management Agenda (PMA) initiative on a Right-sized
Overseas Presence. Rightsizing is ensuring that the composition of
Government agencies and staffing overseas is consistent with our foreign
policy goals, security concerns, and overall fiscal constraints.
A key component of this initiative is developing transparent data on
overseas staffing, including the cost of maintaining positions overseas,
and incorporating this data in the budget process to better inform
decision makers on overseas staffing levels. With our foreign policy
priorities necessitating increased support to meet new requirements in
the Global War on Terror, the fight against global AIDS, and support for
emerging democracies, it is important that we be able to deploy our
overseas staff resources effectively.
Periodic reviews are another tool to encourage effective deployment of
staff overseas. For example, when a new embassy construction project is
under development, formal staffing rightsizing reviews are now required.
For the new embassy construction projects included in the President 2007
budget, these review resulted in an eight percent reduction in projected
staffing needs. These reviews focus on linking staffing to mission
goals, eliminating unnecessary duplication, and encouraging shared
services and outsourcing. The Department of State plans to review
staffing at each existing U.S. mission once every five years.
Overseas Staffing Under Chief of Mission (COM) Authority*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total Personnel Overseas
Under COM Authority Total American Personnel Average Cost of a U.S. New Overseas American
(Including American and Overseas Under COM Direct Hire Overseas Positions Funded in the
Locally Engaged Staff) Authority Projected for Estimated for 2007 President's 2007 Budget
Projected for 2006 2006
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
66,854 14,526 $491,000 303
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As reported by agencies in their 2007 budget submissions
Another element of the rightsizing plan is to consolidate functions,
which are not location specific, in regional centers or back to the
United States. In 2005, The Department of State opened a new regional
center in Frankfurt, Germany that will be used to provide consolidated
support services to Europe and parts of Africa and Near East Asia. The
Department's new Office of Global Support Services and Innovation is
implementing a plan that will systematically regionalize or centralize
all non-location specific support services over the next three years,
beginning with high-threat danger posts in 2006, to be completed through
2008.
The Administration will continue to build on these Rightsizing
initiatives through expanded shared-services and regionalization/
centralization, rigorous post level reviews, and an accurate accounting
of overseas staffing and costs to strengthen mechanisms to ensure
safety, efficiency, and accountability in our U.S. Government personnel
presence overseas.
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Table 24-1. FEDERAL CIVILIAN EMPLOYMENT IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
(Civilian employment as measured by Full-Time Equivalents, in thousands)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual Estimate Change: 2003 to 2007
Agency ------------------------------------------------------------------------
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 FTE's Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet agencies:
Agriculture.......................... 101.4 100.5 99.6 100.1 99.1 -2.3 -2.3%
Commerce............................. 34.5 34.6 35.1 37.4 38.2 3.7 10.7%
Defense-military functions........... 648.9 650.4 653.0 666.7 663.6 14.7 2.3%
Education............................ 4.5 4.4 4.3 4.3 4.3 -0.2 -3.4%
Energy............................... 15.6 15.1 14.9 15.7 15.9 0.3 1.8%
Health and Human Services............ 60.0 59.3 59.3 61.3 62.0 2.0 3.3%
Homeland Security.................... 144.5 137.3 143.3 146.6 150.3 5.8 4.0%
Housing and Urban Development........ 10.4 10.2 9.9 9.8 9.4 -1.0 -9.1%
Interior............................. 71.0 70.7 70.4 70.2 69.8 -1.2 -1.7%
Justice.............................. 99.4 101.4 103.0 118.5 117.6 18.2 18.3%
Labor................................ 16.9 16.5 16.0 16.8 16.9 .......... .........
State................................ 29.5 30.0 30.1 30.3 30.5 1.0 3.3%
Transportation....................... 59.0 57.3 55.5 55.4 55.9 -3.1 -5.3%
Treasury............................. 115.4 113.6 110.0 112.5 110.3 -5.1 -4.5%
Veterans Affairs..................... 211.8 218.7 222.0 222.8 223.3 11.5 5.4%
Other agenciesexcluding Postal Service:
Agency for International Development. 2.3 2.2 2.4 2.5 2.7 0.4 17.2%
Broadcasting Board of Governors...... 2.4 2.3 2.2 2.3 2.2 -0.2 -8.5%
Corps of EngineersCivil Works........ 24.5 23.5 22.5 22.9 22.5 -2.0 -8.2%
Environmental Protection Agency...... 17.5 17.3 17.5 17.4 17.6 0.1 0.4%
Equal Employment Opportunity Comm.... 2.6 2.5 2.4 2.4 2.4 -0.2 -8.4%
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation 5.4 5.3 4.9 4.2 4.1 -1.3 -24.6%
General Services Administration...... 12.9 12.6 12.5 12.2 12.0 -0.9 -7.0%
National Aeronautics and Space Admin. 18.7 18.8 18.8 18.6 18.2 -0.5 -2.7%
National Archives and Records 2.8 2.8 2.8 2.9 2.9 0.1 3.6%
Administration......................
National Labor Relations Board....... 1.9 1.9 1.8 1.8 1.8 -0.1 -4.5%
National Science Foundation.......... 1.2 1.3 1.3 1.4 1.4 0.2 15.5%
Nuclear Regulatory Commission........ 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.3 3.3 0.4 14.1%
Office of Personnel Management....... 2.8 2.8 3.6 4.5 4.5 1.7 61.9%
Peace Corps.......................... 1.0 1.1 1.0 1.1 1.1 0.1 14.8%
Railroad Retirement Board............ 1.1 1.1 1.0 1.0 0.9 -0.2 -13.8%
Securities and Exchange Commission... 3.1 3.6 3.9 3.8 3.7 0.6 18.9%
Small Business Administration........ 3.8 3.4 4.1 5.2 3.0 -0.8 -21.7%
Smithsonian Institution.............. 5.2 5.1 5.1 5.6 5.6 0.4 8.3%
Social Security Administration....... 63.1 63.9 64.6 64.0 62.0 -1.1 -1.7%
Tennessee Valley Authority........... 13.1 12.0 12.6 12.7 12.5 -0.6 -4.5%
All other small agencies............. 15.1 14.9 14.8 15.7 16.1 1.0 6.4%
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Executive Branch civilian 1,826.2 1,821.1 1,829.6 1,874.2 1,867.7 41.5 2.3%
employment *..........................
Subtotal, Defense...................... 648.9 650.4 653.0 666.7 663.6 14.7 2.3%
Subtotal, Non-Defense.................. 1,177.3 1,170.7 1,176.6 1,207.5 1,204.0 26.7 2.3%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Totals may not add due to rounding.
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Table 24-2. TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
(As measured by total positions filled)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual as of September 30 Change: 2003 to 2005
Description ----------------------------------------------------------
2003 2004 2005 Positions Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive branch civilian employment:
All agencies except Postal Service and Postal Rate
Commission:
Full-time permanent.............................. 1,646,688 1,662,990 1,663,043 16,355 1.0%
Other than full-time permanent................... 220,288 218,953 209,157 -11,131 -5.1%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal....................................... 1,866,976 1,881,943 1,872,200 5,224 0.3%
==========================================================
Postal Service: \1\
Full-time permanent................................ 634,709 609,579 605,120 -29,589 -4.7%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 164,539 158,083 159,090 -5,449 -3.3%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 799,248 767,662 764,210 -35,038 -4.4%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Executive branch civilian employment..... 2,666,224 2,649,605 2,636,410 -29,814 -1.1%
==========================================================
Military personnel on active duty: \2\
Department of Defense.............................. 1,434,377 1,426,836 1,389,394 -44,983 -3.1%
Department of Homeland Security (USCG)............. 37,472 40,230 40,710 3,238 8.6%
Commissioned Corps (HHS, EPA, NOAA)................ 6,200 6,357 6,363 163 2.6%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, military personnel..................... 1,478,049 1,473,423 1,436,467 -41,582 -2.8%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Executive Branch..................... 4,144,273 4,123,028 4,072,877 -71,396 -1.7%
==========================================================
Legislative branch:
Full-time permanent................................ 12,044 11,614 11,389 -655 -5.4%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 19,070 18,435 19,427 357 1.9%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Legislative Branch..................... 31,114 30,049 30,816 -298 -1.0%
==========================================================
Judicial Branch:
Full-time permanent................................ 30,955 30,537 30,765 -190 -0.6%
Other than full-time permanent..................... 3,304 3,324 3,299 -5 -0.2%
----------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Judicial Branch........................ 34,259 33,861 34,064 -195 -0.6%
==========================================================
Grand total \3\...................................... 4,209,646 4,186,938 4,137,757 -71,889 -1.7%
==========================================================
ADDENDUM
Executive branch civilian personnel (excluding Postal
Service):
DOD civilians--Military functions.................. 636,454 644,251 648,590 12,136 1.9%
All other executive branch......................... 1,230,522 1,237,692 1,223,610 -6,912 -0.6%
----------------------------------------------------------
Total............................................ 1,866,976 1,881,943 1,872,200 5,224 0.3%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\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 24-3. TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
(As measured by Full-Time Equivalents)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimate Change: 2005 to 2007
Description 2005 --------------------------------------------
Actual 2006 2007 FTE's Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Executive branch civilian personnel:
All agencies except Postal Service and Defense....... 1,176,630 1,207,502 1,204,005 27,375 2.3%
Defense-Military functions (civilians)............... 652,987 666,663 663,649 10,662 1.6%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, excluding Postal Service................. 1,829,617 1,874,165 1,867,654 38,037 2.1%
Postal Service \1\................................... 744,196 732,348 717,000 -27,196 -3.7%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian personnel...... 2,573,813 2,606,513 2,584,654 10,841 0.4%
========================================================
Executive branch uniformed personnel: \2\
Department of Defense................................ 1,408,115 1,375,647 1,347,100 -61,015 -4.3%
Department of Homeland Security (USCG)............... 40,710 41,139 41,528 818 2.0%
Commissioned Corps (HHS, EPA, NOAA).................. 6,363 6,404 6,420 57 0.9%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, uniformed military personnel............. 1,455,188 1,423,190 1,395,048 -60,140 -4.1%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, Executive Branch......................... 4,029,001 4,029,703 3,979,702 -49,299 -1.2%
========================================================
Legislative Branch: 3 Total FTE \3\.................... 31,831 32,681 33,004 1,173 3.7%
Judicial branch: Total FTE............................. 32,912 33,681 34,086 1,174 3.6%
========================================================
Grand total........................................ 4,093,744 4,096,065 4,046,792 -46,952 -1.1%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes Postal Rate Commission.
\2\ Military personnel on active duty. Excludes reserve components. Data shown for military are average
strengths, not FTEs.
\3\ FTE data not available for the Senate (positions filled were used).
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TABLE 24-4. PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
(In millions of dollars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Change: 2005 to 2007
Description 2005 2006 2007 ----------------------
Actual Estimate Request Dollars Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Civilian personnel costs:
Executive Branch (excluding Postal Service):
Direct compensation:
DODmilitary functions............................ 40,899 42,013 42,587 1,688 4.1%
All other executive branch....................... 83,960 88,859 91,337 7,377 8.8%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, direct compensation.................. 124,859 130,872 133,924 9,065 7.3%
Personnel benefits:
DODmilitary functions............................ 10,619 11,151 11,477 858 8.1%
All other executive branch....................... 34,315 35,904 36,885 2,570 7.5%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, personnel benefits................... 44,934 47,055 48,362 3,428 7.6%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, executive branch................... 169,793 177,927 182,286 12,493 7.4%
========================================================
Postal Service:
Direct compensation................................ 39,300 40,195 40,953 1,653 4.2%
Personnel benefits................................. 13,084 15,020 15,263 2,179 16.7%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 52,384 55,215 56,216 3,832 7.3%
--------------------------------------------------------
Legislative Branch: \1\
Direct compensation................................ 1,803 1,871 1,968 165 9.2%
Personnel benefits................................. 482 532 560 78 16.2%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 2,285 2,403 2,528 243 10.6%
========================================================
Judicial Branch:
Direct compensation................................ 2,556 2,731 2,917 361 14.1%
Personnel benefits................................. 736 799 849 113 15.4%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 3,292 3,530 3,766 474 14.4%
--------------------------------------------------------
Total, civilian personnel costs.................. 227,754 239,075 244,796 17,042 7.5%
========================================================
Military personnel costs:
DODMilitary Functions:
Direct compensation................................ 79,445 74,162 71,421 -8,024 -10.1%
Personnel benefits................................. 38,329 37,055 37,174 -1,155 -3.0%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal......................................... 117,774 111,217 108,595 -9,179 -7.8%
========================================================
All other executive branch, uniformed personnel:
Direct compensation.................................. 2,407 2,612 2,636 229 9.5%
Personnel benefits................................... 653 724 753 100 15.3%
--------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal........................................... 3,060 3,336 3,389 329 10.8%
--------------------------------------------------------
Total, military personnel costs \2\.................. 120,834 114,553 111,984 -8,850 -7.3%
========================================================
Grand total, personnel costs........................... 348,588 353,628 356,780 8,192 2.4%
========================================================
ADDENDUM
Former Civilian Personnel:
Retired pay for former personnel..................... 56,073 59,579 62,516 6,443 11.5%
Government payment for Annuitants:
Employee health benefits......................... 7,889 8,204 8,765 876 11.1%
Employee life insurance.......................... 38 39 39 1 2.6%
Former Military personnel:
Retired pay for former personnel..................... 39,166 41,396 43,582 4,416 11.3%
Military annuitants health benefits.................. 6,399 7,097 7,541 1,142 17.8%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes members and officers of the Senate.
\2\ Excludes reserve components not on active duty.