[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
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* 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%
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* 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%
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\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%
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\1\ Excludes members and officers of the Senate.
\2\ Excludes reserve components not on active duty.