[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 85). Put simply, one full-time employee 
counts as one FTE, and two half-time employees also count as one FTE.

                    Significant Changes in Employment

  Table 24-1 shows Executive Branch civilian FTE (excluding the U.S. 
Postal Service) growing by five percent between 2005 and 2009. The 
primary reason for this growth continues to be mission increases for 
homeland security and the global war on terrorism. Chart 24-1 shows the 
trend in Executive Branch civilian FTE over the last several years. 
Table 24-2 shows FTE totals Government wide, to include military. For 
the 2009 Budget, additional significant changes by agency are discussed 
below.
  Within the Department of Commerce, the Bureau of the Census is 
preparing for the 2010 Census. In 2009, the bureau will open 150 early 
local census offices, and hire temporary staff to conduct address 
canvassing, the first major nationwide field operation of the 2010 
Census. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office requests additional FTE in 
an effort to decrease processing times for patent applications, which 
are increasing.
  Department of Energy proposes to increase the Department of Energy's 
federal staff to meet the increasing workload in specific areas. 
Overall, major increases are in (1) the National Nuclear Security 
Administration to support requirements in Defense Nuclear 
Nonproliferation and Emergency Operations programs as well as emerging 
skill mix needs in the Office of the Administrator; (2) the Office of 
Science to support investments in research and infrastructure associated 
with the President's American Competitiveness Initiative; (3) the Office 
of Loan Guarantees to provide staff for this new program; and, (4) the 
Nuclear Waste Fund FTE to support design and license defense activities 
and prepare DOE to obtain a Nuclear Regulatory Commission license to 
manage the construction and operation of the Yucca Mountain project in a 
safe and cost-effective manner.
  Department of Health and Human Services requests additional FTE to 
support a number of program areas. Notable increases relate to the Food 
and Drug Administration's food protection activities, expanded staff at 
Indian Health Service health care facilities, recruitment of medical 
countermeasure development experts to support the public health and 
emergency preparedness mission, and additional officers in the Public 
Health Service Commissioned Corps to form new Health and Medical 
Response (HAMR) Teams.
  Within the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs 
Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have seen significant 
growth in its workforce as a part of the Administration's efforts to 
increase border security and to improve interior enforcement of our 
Nation's immigration laws. Also, there have been increases for aviation 
and transportation security and emergency management. The U.S. Coast 
Guard will grow by almost one percent in 2009, with specific workforce 
increases directed to programs supporting their Marine Safety and Port 
Security missions.
  Department of Justice requests an FTE increase to enhance critical law 
enforcement and counterterrorism related programs, including in the 
Federal Prison System to accommodate the growing federal prisoner 
population and in the Federal Bureau of Investigation as it continues to 
transform to meet both law enforcement and counterterrorism 
responsibilities.
  Department of Transportation's workforce growth largely comes from the 
Federal Aviation Administration (FAA.) FAA is planning on increasing its 
FTE's for the ``Air Traffic Organization'' and ``Safety and Operations'' 
accounts in 2009 in order to annualize hiring made during 2007 and 
increase personnel for the air traffic control and safety workforces.
  Department of State requests additional FTE to meet new high-priority 
foreign policy requirements including strengthening American presence in 
critical emerging areas, strengthening civilian response capabilities, 
improving professional training capacity, increasing efforts against 
visa and passport fraud, and enhancing security for diplomatic personnel 
worldwide.
  Within International Assistance Programs, the United States Agency for 
International Development (USAID) will initiate the Development 
Leadership Initiative in 2009 to strengthen the Agency's capacity by 
expanding its permanent Foreign Service Officer corps. In 2009, USAID 
will increase FTE as they begin the recruitment, hiring and training of 
approximately 300 new Foreign Service Officers.
  Within the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Benefits 
Administration is increasing its disability claims adjudication staff to 
respond to the increasing volume and complexity of disability claims. 
The additional FTE will bring the Department closer to reaching its 
disability claims processing strategic target of 125 days to process. To 
accomplish the priority

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of providing high-quality health care, the Veterans Health 
Administration is increasing the number of providers and other personnel 
to (1) help meet the projected growth in the number of patients seeking 
medical care, including meeting the mental health needs of returning 
veterans; (2) oversee and manage Non Recurring Maintenance projects and 
reduce backlog; and (3) increase operational oversight. Additional FTE 
in the National Cemetery Administration will staff six new national 
cemeteries expected to open in 2009.
  Equal Opportunity Employment Commission requests 175 additional FTE in 
2009 for front-line investigative positions to reduce EEOC's private- 
sector charge inventory and for the new in-house National Contact 
Center.
  Small Business Administration requests a reduction in staff due to the 
decrease in workload associated with Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and 
Wilma. The Small Business Administration also continues to reduce the 
number of temporary FTEs that assisted in providing Disaster Loans to 
Gulf Coast homeowners, renters, and businesses.

                   Personnel Compensation and Benefits

  Table 24-3 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, 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 66,000 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 to support an American position overseas in 2009 is 
projected to be about $549,000, as reported by agencies with personnel 
overseas. This total includes direct costs, such as salary, benefits, 
and overseas allowances, and also support costs, such as housing, 
educational costs for dependents, travel, administrative support, and 
Capital Security Cost Sharing charges.
  The Administration continues to work 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. A component of this initiative is developing 
transparent data on overseas staffing, including the cost of maintaining 
positions overseas, and incorporating these data in the budget process 
to better inform decisions makers on overseas staffing levels.

                                     

                               Overseas Staffing Under Chief of Mission Authority*
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Total Personnel  Under COM                                    Average Cost of  an      New Overseas American
 Authority  (Including American   Total American  Personnel      American  Position     Positions  Requested  in
  and Locally  Engaged  Staff)       Under COM  Authority      Overseas Estimated for     the President's  2009
      Projected  for 2008            Projected  for 2008                2009                     Budget
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     65,900                        15,335                  $549,000                       493
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* As reported by agencies in their 2009 budget submissions.


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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: 2005 to 2009
                 Agency                 ------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                           2005      2006      2007      2008      2009       FTE's     Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cabinet agencies:
  Agriculture..........................      99.6      97.0      94.8      95.4      91.1        -8.5      -8.6%
  Commerce.............................      35.1      36.0      36.3      40.1      53.9        18.8      53.7%
  Defense-military functions...........     653.0     661.8     658.8     671.3     677.2        24.2       3.7%
  Education............................       4.3       4.2       4.1       4.2       4.2        -0.1      -3.0%
  Energy...............................      14.9      14.7      14.6      15.8      16.1         1.2       8.0%
  Health and Human Services............      59.3      59.1      58.8      60.0      60.8         1.5       2.6%
  Homeland Security....................     143.3     144.4     148.1     162.3     166.2        22.9      15.9%
  Housing and Urban Development........       9.9       9.6       9.5       9.7       9.5        -0.4      -4.2%
  Interior.............................      70.4      68.7      67.4      68.3      68.6        -1.8      -2.6%
  Justice..............................     103.0     104.2     105.0     113.9     115.8        12.8      12.4%
  Labor................................      16.0      15.8      15.9      16.1      16.8         0.8       4.9%
  State................................      30.1      30.0      30.1      31.1      32.2         2.1       6.9%
  Transportation.......................      55.5      53.3      53.4      55.2      55.5         0.0      -0.1%
  Treasury.............................     110.0     107.7     107.7     107.6     109.6        -0.4      -0.4%
  Veterans Affairs.....................     222.0     222.6     230.4     249.4     253.4        31.4      14.1%

Other agencies--excluding Postal
 Service:
  Agency for International Development.       2.4       2.4       2.4       2.4       2.6         0.2       9.0%
  Broadcasting Board of Governors......       2.2       2.1       2.0       2.2       2.1        -0.1      -4.2%
  Corps of Engineers--Civil Works......      22.5      22.1      21.2      21.0      17.0        -5.5     -24.4%
  Environmental Protection Agency......      17.5      17.3      17.0      17.2      17.1        -0.4      -2.3%
  Equal Employment Opportunity Comm....       2.4       2.2       2.2       2.4       2.6         0.2       9.2%
  Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation       4.9       4.5       4.5       4.6       4.6        -0.3      -6.1%
  General Services Administration......      12.5      12.3      11.9      12.0      12.0        -0.5      -4.0%
  National Aeronautics and Space Admin.      18.8      18.3      18.2      18.1      18.1        -0.7      -3.8%
  National Archives and Records               2.8       2.8       2.8       2.9       2.9         0.1       1.9%
   Administration......................
  National Labor Relations Board.......       1.8       1.8       1.7       1.7       1.7        -0.1      -6.9%
  National Science Foundation..........       1.3       1.3       1.3       1.4       1.4         0.1       9.5%
  Nuclear Regulatory Commission........       3.1       3.2       3.5       3.8       3.8         0.7      20.9%
  Office of Personnel Management.......       3.6       4.3       4.6       5.0       4.9         1.3      37.4%
  Peace Corps..........................       1.0       1.1       1.1       1.1       1.3         0.3      24.8%
  Railroad Retirement Board............       1.0       1.0       1.0       1.0       1.0         0.0      -0.7%
  Securities and Exchange Commission...       3.9       3.7       3.5       3.6       3.5        -0.4      -9.1%
  Small Business Administration........       4.1       5.9       4.4       3.3       3.2        -0.9     -22.6%
  Smithsonian Institution..............       5.1       5.0       5.0       5.3       5.3         0.2       4.7%
  Social Security Administration.......      64.6      63.7      61.7      60.7      59.8        -4.8      -7.4%
  Tennessee Valley Authority...........      12.6      13.1      11.3      11.9      11.5        -1.1      -9.0%
  All other small agencies.............      14.8      15.4      15.6      16.5      16.9         2.1      13.9%
                                        ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Executive Branch civilian          1,829.6   1,832.8   1,831.6   1,898.3   1,924.2        94.6       5.2%
 employment *..........................
  Subtotal, Defense....................     653.0     661.8     658.8     671.3     677.2        24.2       3.7%
  Subtotal, Non-Defense................   1,176.6   1,171.0   1,172.8   1,227.0   1,247.0        70.4       6.0%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* Totals may not add due to rounding.

                                     
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]


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                                      Table 24-2.  TOTAL FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT
                                     (As measured by Full-Time Equivalents)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                             Estimate          Change: 2007 to
                                                              2007    ----------------------         2009
                      Description                            Actual                         --------------------
                                                                          2008       2009      FTE's     Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Executive branch civilian personnel:
  All agencies except Postal Service and Defense.........   1,172,774  1,227,007  1,247,007     74,233      6.3%
  Defense-Military functions (civilians).................     658,800    671,293    677,231     18,431      2.8%
                                                          ------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, excluding Postal Service...................   1,831,574  1,898,300  1,924,238     92,664      5.1%
  Postal Service \1\.....................................     801,641    776,770    762,305    -39,336     -4.9%
                                                          ------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, Executive Branch civilian personnel........   2,633,215  2,675,070  2,686,543     53,328      2.0%
                                                          ======================================================
Executive branch uniformed personnel: \2\
  Department of Defense..................................   1,382,260  1,375,100  1,369,475    -12,785     -0.9%
  Department of Homeland Security (USCG).................      41,478     42,455     42,604      1,126      2.7%
  Commissioned Corps (HHS, EPA, NOAA)....................       6,250      6,284      6,389        139      2.2%
                                                          ------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, uniformed military personnel...............   1,429,988  1,423,839  1,418,468    -11,520     -0.8%
                                                          ------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal, Executive Branch...........................   4,063,203  4,098,909  4,105,011     41,808      1.0%
                                                          ======================================================
Legislative Branch: Total FTE \3\........................      31,185     32,480     33,215      2,030      6.5%
Judicial branch: Total FTE...............................      33,558     33,909     34,188        630      1.9%
                                                          ======================================================
    Grand total..........................................   4,127,946  4,165,298  4,172,414     44,468      1.1%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes Postal Rate Commission.
\2\ Military personnel on active duty. Excludes reserve components.
\3\ FTE data not available for the Senate (positions filled were used).


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                                TABLE 24-3.  PERSONNEL COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS
                                            (In millions of dollars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            Change: 2007 to 2009
                      Description                           2007        2008       2009   ----------------------
                                                           Actual     Estimate   Request     Dollars    Percent
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Civilian personnel costs:
  Executive Branch (excluding Postal Service):
    Direct compensation:
      DOD--military functions..........................      43,546     46,040     47,544       3,998       9.2%
      All other executive branch.......................      90,649     97,604    101,346      10,697      11.8%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, direct compensation..................     134,195    143,644    148,890      14,695      11.0%
    Personnel benefits:
      DOD--military functions..........................      11,527     12,367     12,729       1,202      10.4%
      All other executive branch.......................      37,051     38,297     39,591       2,540       6.9%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
        Subtotal, personnel benefits...................      48,578     50,664     52,320       3,742       7.7%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
          Subtotal, Executive Branch...................     182,773    194,308    201,210      18,437      10.1%
                                                        ========================================================
  Postal Service:
    Direct compensation................................      41,843     41,356     42,395         552       1.3%
    Personnel benefits.................................      20,797     18,609     18,862      -1,935      -9.3%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.........................................      62,640     59,965     61,257      -1,383      -2.2%
                                                        ========================================================
  Legislative Branch: \1\
    Direct compensation................................       1,885      1,988      2,151         266      14.1%
    Personnel benefits.................................         524        548        626         102      19.5%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.........................................       2,409      2,536      2,777         368      15.3%
                                                        ========================================================
  Judicial Branch:
    Direct compensation................................       2,672      2,839      3,055         383      14.3%
    Personnel benefits.................................         811        879        943         132      16.3%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.........................................       3,483      3,718      3,998         515      14.8%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Total, civilian personnel costs..................     251,305    260,527    269,242      17,937       7.1%
                                                        ========================================================
Military personnel costs:
  DOD--military functions:
    Direct compensation................................      74,171     82,510     73,200        -971      -1.3%
    Personnel benefits.................................      50,581     48,608     49,143      -1,438      -2.8%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
      Subtotal.........................................     124,752    131,118    122,343      -2,409      -1.9%
                                                        ========================================================
All other executive branch, uniformed personnel:
  Direct compensation..................................       2,662      2,717      2,820         158       5.9%
  Personnel benefits...................................       1,059      1,040      1,062           3       0.3%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
    Subtotal...........................................       3,721      3,757      3,882         161       4.3%
                                                        --------------------------------------------------------
  Total, military personnel costs \2\..................     128,473    134,875    126,225      -2,248      -1.7%
                                                        ========================================================
Grand total, personnel costs...........................     379,778    395,402    395,467      15,689       4.1%
                                                        ========================================================

                        ADDENDUM
Former Civilian Personnel:
  Retired pay for former personnel.....................      79,531     65,522     69,246     -10,285     -12.9%
    Government payment for Annuitants:
      Employee health benefits.........................       8,581      8,827      9,638       1,057      12.3%
      Employee life insurance..........................          43         45         46           3       7.0%
Former Military Personnel:
  Retired pay for former personnel.....................      43,630     45,480     47,824       4,194       9.6%
  Military annuitants health benefits..................       7,576      8,349      9,021       1,445      19.1%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes members and officers of the Senate.
\2\ Excludes reserve components not on active duty.