Federal Employee Retirements: Expected Increase Over the Next 5
Years Illustrates Need for Workforce Planning (27-APR-01,
GAO-01-509).
If the federal government is to effectively manage the tasks and
programs assigned to it through legislation, it must have a
sufficient and qualified workforce. One important element that
agencies must consider in their workforce planning is the number
and kinds of employees to retirement over the next five years.
The number of employees retiring will be roughly equivalent to
the decrease in employees during the downsizing, resulted in a
number of problems affecting the ability of agencies to
accomplish their missions. GAO believes that agency officials
should address this challenge to ensure that it will have an
adequate workforce to carry out their agency missions. The Office
of Personnel Management (OPM) has begun to stress to agencies the
importance of integrating strategic human capital management into
agency planning. OPM has also been focusing more attention on
developing workforce planning tools to help agencies.
-------------------------Indexing Terms-------------------------
REPORTNUM: GAO-01-509
ACCNO: A00926
TITLE: Federal Employee Retirements: Expected Increase Over the
Next 5 Years Illustrates Need for Workforce Planning
DATE: 04/27/2001
SUBJECT: Federal employees
Reductions in force
Personnel management
Strategic planning
******************************************************************
** This file contains an ASCII representation of the text of a **
** GAO Testimony. **
** **
** No attempt has been made to display graphic images, although **
** figure captions are reproduced. Tables are included, but **
** may not resemble those in the printed version. **
** **
** Please see the PDF (Portable Document Format) file, when **
** available, for a complete electronic file of the printed **
** document's contents. **
** **
******************************************************************
GAO-01-509
GAO United States General Accounting Office
Report to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Civil Service and Agency
Organization, Committee on Government Reform, House of Representatives
April 2001 FEDERAL EMPLOYEE RETIREMENTS
Expected Increase Over the Next 5 Years Illustrates Need for Workforce
Planning
GAO- 01- 509
Page 1 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Contents Letter 3 Appendixes Appendix I: Scope and Methodology 24
Appendix II: The Survey 28 Appendix III: List of 364 Mission Critical
Occupations 32
Contents Page 2 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Page 3 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements United States General
Accounting Office
Washington, D. C. 20548 Page 3 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Lett er
April 27, 2001 The Honorable Joe Scarborough Chairman, Civil Service and
Agency Organization Subcommittee Committee on Government Reform
House of Representatives Dear Mr. Chairman: If the federal government is to
effectively and efficiently manage the tasks and programs assigned to it
through legislation, it must have a sufficient and qualified workforce.
Ensuring that such a workforce will be in place in
the future requires that federal agencies know what their skill needs will
be, how well their workforces will meet those needs, and how those
workforces will change over time. One important element that agencies must
consider in their workforce planning is the number and kinds of employees
they will lose to retirement. This consideration is important because
retirees often represent an agency?s most experienced and
knowledgeable staff. Reports about the increasing numbers of federal
employees who will become eligible to retire over the next few years have
raised questions about whether the government will be adequately prepared to
meet any problems that could arise as a result of retirements. If large
numbers of employees retire over a relatively short period and
agencies are not effective in replacing them with the appropriate number of
employees possessing the needed skills, the resulting loss of institutional
knowledge and expertise could adversely affect mission achievement. The
importance we place on workforce planning, including planning related to
employee retirements, is illustrated by our recent designation of strategic
human capital management as a governmentwide high- risk area that needs
urgent attention to ensure that the federal government functions
economically, efficiently, and effectively. 1
1 High- Risk Series: An Update (GAO- 01- 263, Jan. 2001) and Human Capital:
Meeting the Governmentwide High- Risk Challenge (GAO- 01- 357T, Feb. 2,
2001).
Page 4 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Because of the problems that could occur with large numbers of retirements,
you asked us to determine how many federal employees are likely to retire in
the relatively near future. As agreed with your office, we (1) estimated the
number of employees who would be eligible to retire and the number who would
actually retire collectively and by agency for the 24 federal agencies that
fall under the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act 2 for fiscal years 1999
through 2006, and compared those estimates with the number of employees who
were eligible and actually retired during fiscal years 1991 through 1998;
and (2) assessed actual and estimated eligibility and retirement for the
same periods for selected occupations critical to the
24 agencies. We used data from the Office of Personnel Management?s (OPM)
Central Personnel Data File (CPDF) to determine actual eligibility and
retirement numbers for fiscal years 1991 through 1998 and used standard
statistical methods to estimate these numbers for fiscal years
1999 through 2006. We surveyed the 24 agencies to determine the occupations
they considered critical to accomplishing their missions and assessed the
retirement picture for 29 of those occupations. We did our work from
November 2000 through March 2001 in accordance with generally accepted
government auditing standards. Details on our
methodology are in appendix I. Results in Brief A substantial portion of the
federal workforce will become eligible to retire, and many who are eligible
will retire between fiscal years 1999 and
2006. We estimate that by 2006 about 31 percent 3 of the CFO agency
employees working in 1998, or 493,000 people, will be eligible to retire,
and that through the end of 2006 about half of the eligible employees (236,
000 people, the equivalent of 15 percent of the 1998 workforce) will
actually retire. This 15- percent retirement rate is higher than the actual
rate for
fiscal years 1991 through 1998, which was 11 percent. The estimated
proportion of employees working in 1998 who will be eligible to retire by
2006 varied substantially across the 24 agencies we
2 These 24 agencies account for about 98 percent of Executive branch
employees excluding the Postal Service, the Federal Reserve, the Tennessee
Valley Authority, and intelligence agencies.
3 The eligibility estimate of 31 percent is based on cumulative data, which
includes those already eligible and those reaching retirement eligibility
between fiscal years 1999 through 2006 less the estimated 4 percent who are
estimated to leave before they become eligible to retire.
Page 5 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
reviewed. Estimated retirement eligibility rates range from 24 percent at
the Department of Justice (DOJ) to 50 percent at the Agency for
International Development (AID). Three- quarters of the agencies are
estimated to have eligibility rates of 30 percent or more. Estimated
retirement rates through fiscal year 2006 also vary across agencies. They
range from 7 percent at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(NASA) to 29 percent at AID. One- third of the 24 agencies will experience
retirement rates of 18 percent or more.
For those occupations that agencies consider critical to the accomplishment
of their missions, retirements are likely to be particularly challenging for
some agencies. We estimate that 25 of the 29 critical occupations we
analyzed will experience a retirement eligibility rate of 30 percent or
more. The rates range from 27 percent for aerospace and electronic engineers
to 53 percent for program managers. In addition, we estimate that 17 of the
29 occupations will experience retirement rates of 18 percent or more, with
a range of from 8 percent for electrical engineers
to 30 percent for program managers. These rates represented the 24 agencies
combined, and some occupations within certain individual agencies will
experience substantially higher rates. The overall annual retirement rate
that we estimate-- about 2 percent per year-- does not appear overwhelming,
but it represents a major workforce planning challenge. Retirement estimates
for the 24 CFO agencies are close in magnitude to the number of employees
federal agencies eliminated to reduce the size of the federal workforce in
response to the enactment of
the Federal Workforce Restructuring Act from 1994 through 1998. Some
agencies have experienced personnel- related problems since that downsizing,
such as the loss of institutional knowledge, increased work backlogs, and
skill imbalances, which affected their ability to carry out their missions.
Agencies? experiences with downsizing may provide insight for managing
future expected retirement losses. We concluded that many
of the unintended results from downsizing could have been mitigated had
agencies done adequate strategic and workforce planning. The retirement
rates we estimated for individual agencies and for critical occupations
within agencies demonstrate the importance of each agency undertaking
workforce planning. For example, while replacing 10 percent of a workforce
over 8 years should be manageable with effective planning, replacing 25
percent is obviously much more challenging, especially if that includes
replacing employees in hard- to- recruit critical occupations.
Page 6 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
In commenting on the report, OPM agreed that workforce planning is critical
for assuring agencies have sufficient and appropriate staff and is
especially important considering expected increases in employee retirements.
Background The federal workforce is in flux. The demographics of the
workforce and the education and skills workers need to enable agencies to
accomplish their missions are changing and will likely change even more in
the future.
The work that federal agencies perform increasingly requires employees who
can use new technologies and are open to continuous learning to upgrade
their skills and acquire new ones. Federal hiring is complicated by the fact
that agencies face a more competitive job market than in the past. A
compounding factor is the common expectation that a growing number of
retirement eligible federal employees will be retiring over the next 5
years and that those retiring are often the most experienced and
knowledgeable employees. Other factors, such as the loss of federal
employees to the private and nonprofit sectors, may further increase the
difficulty of managing a changing federal workforce.
Page 7 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
To effectively deal with the expected retirements and other workforce
challenges, an essential step for agencies is workforce planning-- a process
to identify human capital needs, assess how current staff and expected
future staff will meet those needs, and create strategies to address any
shortfalls or imbalances. As we have reported, the high- performing
organization typically addresses its current and future workforce needs by
estimating the number of employees it will need; the knowledge, skills, and
abilities these employees will need to have for the organization to
accomplish its goals; and where employees should be deployed across the
organization. 4 High- performing organizations use this information to
create strategies for identifying and filling gaps. OPM is on record
supporting the need for federal agencies to use workforce planning to ensure
that they have adequate staffs to accomplish their missions. 5 The
National Academy of Public Administration has also reported on the
importance of workforce planning as a means of achieving a workforce that
has the right person in the right place at the right time. 6 The workforce
of the 24 CFO agencies declined significantly from 1992 through 1998, from
2.2 million civilian employees to 1.8 million. Our view is that the
widespread lack of attention to strategic human capital management in the
past-- including insufficient workforce planning during
downsizing-- has created a fundamental weakness in the federal government?s
ability to efficiently, economically, and effectively deliver products and
services to the public now and in the future. Consequently, we recently
designated strategic human capital management as a
governmentwide high- risk area. 7 One of the problems we identified across a
range of federal agencies that led us to make this designation is
particularly relevant to this report- that is, difficulties in acquiring and
developing staffs whose size, skills, and deployment meet agency needs. With
the aging of the federal workforce and the need to replace retirees, this
challenge will likely become even more urgent in coming years.
4 Human Capital: Key Principles from Nine Private Sector Organizations (GAO/
GGD- 00- 28, Jan. 31, 2000). 5 Strategic Human Resources Management:
Aligning with the Mission (OPM, MSE- 99- 8, Sept. 1999). 6 Building the
Workforce of the Future to Achieve Organizational Success, National Academy
of Public Administration, Dec. 1999, Washington, DC. 7 High- Risk Series: An
update (GAO- 01- 263, Jan. 2001).
Page 8 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Increasing Losses of Federal Employees Estimated An increasing number of
federal employees will become eligible to retire
over the next several years. Most federal employees do not retire
immediately upon reaching eligibility, and we estimated that they will put
off retirement longer than in the past. Nevertheless, the number of federal
workers retiring each year over the next 5 years will be higher than during
the preceding 8- year period. We estimated that the magnitude of
retirement losses alone from 1999 through 2006 will result in workers
leaving at a rate greater than the losses the government experienced during
the downsizing from 1994 through 1998. Figure 1 shows that the number of CFO
agency employees becoming eligible to retire will generally rise until
fiscal year 2007, after which it will gradually decline.
Figure 1: Number of CFO Agency Career Federal Employees Becoming Eligible to
Retire for the First Time, Fiscal Years 1999 Through 2012 Note: Estimates do
not reflect likely attrition before becoming eligible to retire.
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data as of Sept. 30, 1998.
A common estimate of federal retirement eligibility is cumulative and
suggests that 35 percent of the CFO agencies? 1998 workforce will be
eligible to retire by 2006. In this report, however, we adjust the
cumulative
0 10, 000
20, 000 30, 000
40, 000 50, 000
60, 000 70, 000
80, 000 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
2012
Number of employees Fiscal year
A
Page 9 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
estimate to account for employees who can be expected to leave federal
service before becoming eligible to retire. Our analysis of CPDF data shows
that 0. 55 percent of federal employees left federal service each year
in the 8 years prior to their eligibility dates. Eliminating those expected
to leave prior to reaching retirement eligibility reduces the percentage of
the 1998 workforce who will be eligible to retire by 2006 to 31 percent
(with about 23 percent of those employees becoming eligible for the first
time between 1999 and 2006).
Figure 2 illustrates the percentage of federal employees who became eligible
each year between 1991 through 1998 and the percentage estimated to become
eligible each year between 1999 and 2006. Between fiscal years 1991 and
1998, the percentage of employees who became eligible to retire each year
ranged from 1. 8 to 2.1 percent. The percentage estimated to reach
eligibility each fiscal year between 1999 and 2006 ranges from 2.3 to
3.3 percent.
Page 10 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Figure 2: Percentages of the 1990 and 1998 Workforce Becoming Eligible to
Retire in Each Year, in the Subsequent 8- Year Periods (Accounting for
Attrition)
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data.
Upon reaching retirement eligibility, employees may leave immediately or
continue working. 8 Based on estimates derived from federal retirement
trends over the past 10 years, there is a consistent downward trend in the
likelihood of employees retiring within the first few years of eligibility.
As figure 3 indicates, federal employees have become less likely- by roughly
50 percent- to retire within their first year of eligibility. About 21
percent
of the employees who became eligible to retire in fiscal year 1997 retired
during their first year of eligibility. This is a 19- percentage point
decrease from 1988, when 40 percent of those becoming eligible to retire
actually did so. We did not attempt to determine why an increasing number of
2 2.1 2. 1 2 1.9 1.8 1.9 2 2.3 2.5 2.7
3.1 3.3 3. 3 3.1 3. 1
0 0.5
1 1.5
2 2.5
3 3.5
4 4.5
5 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
2006
Fiscal year Percentage of total federal workforce eligible to retire for the
first time
Estimations Actual
A
8 Law enforcement officers and firefighters are subject to mandatory
retirement requirements; however, some continue working longer with waivers.
Page 11 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
employees continue to work past their eligibility for retirement, because it
was outside the scope of this report. However, labor force data maintained
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics show that private sector workers are also
remaining in the workforce longer. The percentage of private sector workers
still working at age 65 or older increased from 10.8 percent in 1985 to 12.8
percent in 2000.
Figure 3: Percentage of Each Year?s New Retirement Eligibles who Retired
Within 1 to 10 Years
Note: Each column represents the aggregate percentage of the year?s new
retirement eligibles that have retired as of September 30, 1998. The
difference between the aggregate percentage and 100 percent represents the
percentage that were still in federal service as of September 30, 1998. The
top block in the chart-- retirements in the fourth year or later after
eligibility-- is 1 year less for each year after 1988. For example, there
are 9 years of separation data for 1989 eligibles, so the top block
represents retirements within 4 to 9 years of eligibility; for 1990
eligibles, it represents retirements within 4 to 8 years of eligibility,
etc. Source: GAO analysis.
40 40 43 32 31 31 26 23 22 21 13 15 8
11 11 9 10
9 9
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
20 21 20
18 15 12
7
1st year 2nd year 3rd year 4th - 10th year
Fiscal year Percentage retiring
12 7 8 10 8 8
8 8 A
Page 12 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
On the basis of actual retirement trends from 1988 through 1998, we
estimated that 15 percent of the fiscal year 1998 workforce will retire
between 1999 and 2006 or a rate of about 2 percent a year. If Congress
broadens agencies? buyout authorities or makes other changes to civil
service laws, a greater but unestimated number of employees may retire. 9
The projected 15- percent retirement represents a 4- percentage point
increase from retirements taken without buyouts in fiscal years 1991
through 1998. In that 8- year period, nearly 202,500 career employees (11
percent) took voluntary or mandatory retirements without buyouts and an
additional 61, 000 career employees retired with buyouts. We estimated that
63 percent of the employees who become eligible to retire each year from
1999 through 2006 will retire within 10 years after their eligibility dates.
Most of these retirements are likely to occur within 4 years of
eligibility. See figure 4 for a comparison of past and projected
retirements. 9 We did not attempt to estimate retirements associated with
future buyouts because we could neither estimate how many agencies would be
given buyout authority, the nature of that authority, nor to what extent
agencies would use buyouts.
Page 13 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Figure 4: Past and Estimated Federal Workforce Retirements as a Percentage
of the Fiscal Year 1990 or Fiscal Year 1998 Workforce
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data. 1.8
1.2 1.6
1.2 1. 2 1.1 1.2 1. 2 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9 2 2 2.1
0 0.5
1 1.5
2 2.5
3 3.5
4 4.5
5 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
2006
Fiscal year Percentage of total federal workforce retiring or estimated to
retire
Estimations Actual
A
Page 14 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
The retirement estimations from 1999 through 2006 are close in magnitude to
the number of positions cut by federal agencies under Federal Workforce
Restructuring Act from fiscal years 1994 through 1999. The act required
agencies to eliminate 272,900 full- time equivalent (FTE) positions by 1999.
The human capital shortfalls that developed during this downsizing may
provide insight for managing the expected future retirement losses. In
response to a 1995 survey, several agencies said that mandated downsizing
resulted in a loss of institutional memory, increased
work backlogs, and skill imbalances. 10 Half of the 24 agencies surveyed
said that the downsizing hindered their ability to carry out their missions.
As a result of federal downsizing efforts, many federal agencies have done
only limited recent recruiting and hiring. According to an OPM report on
downsizing, one of the top three strategies for accomplishing downsizing was
the hiring freeze. 11 As our work at federal agencies has shown, downsizing
without appropriate attention to maintaining the needed number of skilled
employees has impaired some agencies? ability to perform their core
missions. 12 Without adequate workforce planning and
succession strategies, the possibility exists that similar imbalances may
result from retirement- related losses expected over the next 5 years,
particularly at agencies with higher proportions of staff becoming eligible
for retirement.
Projected Eligibility and Retirements Rates Differ Among Agencies
As figure 5 shows, the percentage of employees in the 1998 federal workforce
in each agency who will be eligible to retire by the end of fiscal year 2006
13 will be substantial at all 24 of the agencies we reviewed. Every agency
except one will see at least a quarter of its workforce eligible for
retirement by 2006. 10 Federal Downsizing: Better Workforce and Strategic
Planning Could Have Made Buyouts More Effective (GAO/ GGD- 96- 62, Aug. 26,
1996).
11 Report of an Oversight Special Study: Downsizing in the Federal
Government, OPM, Office of Merit Systems Oversight and Effectiveness, Karen
Bandera and Sherman Chin, (Aug. 1998). 12 See Human Capital: Managing Human
Capital in the 21 st Century (GAO/ T- GGD- 00- 77, Mar. 9, 2000) and Human
Capital: Meeting the Governmentwide High- Risk Challenge (GAO- 01- 357T,
Feb. 1, 2001). 13 Estimates for retirement eligibility exclude roughly 5
percent of the fiscal year 1998 workforce who would become eligible between
fiscal years 1999 and 2006 but are projected to leave prior to reaching
retirement eligibility.
Page 15 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Figure 5: Percentage of Each Agency?s Fiscal Year 1998 Workforce Who Will Be
Eligible to Retire as of the End of Fiscal Year 2006
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data.
Based on past retirement patterns at each of the 24 CFO agencies, we
calculated retirement estimates for each agency, for fiscal years 1999
through 2006. 14 We estimated that retirements will range from about 7
percent of the 1998 workforce at NASA to about 29 percent at AID. Because
the size of each agency?s 1988 workforce and the estimated retirement rates
differed, the number of estimated retirements ranges from a low of 258
employees at the National Science Foundation (NSF) to a high of nearly
97,000 employees at Department of Defense (DOD). Figure 6 shows our
retirement estimates for each of the 24 agencies.
Percentage eligible to retire 31
50 28 32 33 37
27 36 33 32
39 30
24 36
31 39 41
27 37 40
45 41
27 26
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Agriculture
AID Commerce
DOD Education
Energy EPA
FEMA GSA
HHS Interior
Justice Labor
NASA NRC
NSF OPM
SBA SSA
State Transportation
Treasury Veterans Aff
airs HUD
A
14 The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) does not submit personnel
action data to the CPDF. Consequently, retirement probabilities for FBI
employees are based entirely upon the historical retirement data of all
other Justice employees.
Page 16 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Figure 6: Percentage of Each CFO Agency?s Fiscal Year 1998 Workforce Who We
Estimate Will Actually Retire by 2006
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data.
15 29
15 15 9 9 11
19 9
14 11 12 14 18 7
17 24
9 19 19 23
15 16 15
0 10
20 30
40 50
60 70
80 90
100 Agriculture
AID Commerce
DOD Education
Energy EPA
FEMA GSA
HHS In
terior Justice
Labor NASA
NRC NSF
OPM SBA
SSA State
Transportation Treasury
HUD Veterans Affairs
Percentage estimated to retire
A
Page 17 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Estimated eligibility and retirement rates also likely vary at the component
level within agencies. Thus, even those agencies that have relatively low
agencywide percentages of employees estimated to retire may have components
that will be heavily affected, which in turn could affect the accomplishment
of mission tasks and strategic goals for agency components and for the
agency as a whole. For example, while NASA is projected to lose only 7
percent of its staff at the agency level, some of its
components could be affected severely by losses. As a result of NASA
complying with the FWRA, several NASA and Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel
studies concluded that the shuttle program workforce has suffered
significantly from the agency?s past downsizing. 15 The studies concluded
that the workforce may not be sufficient to support the planned shuttle
flight rate and many key positions are not sufficiently staffed by qualified
workers. Retirements that disproportionately affected specific areas, such
as the space- shuttle program, could severely effect NASA?s ability to meet
mission objectives.
The availability of workers with the necessary skills can also affect an
agency?s ability to replace retiring workers. For example, NRC is estimated
to lose about 7 percent of its staff. However, NRC?s ability to maintain the
skills needed to achieve its mission and fill gaps created by retirement
eligibilities could be threatened by the decline in university enrollments
in nuclear engineering and other fields related to nuclear safety.
Projected Eligibility and Retirement Rates Differ Among Mission- Critical
Occupations
Just as retirement eligibility and actual retirements will vary among
agencies, we estimated that they will also vary among the 29 missioncritical
occupations we reviewed. The percentage of employees estimated to reach
retirement eligibility over the next several years will be substantial for
many occupational series. As figure 7 indicates, between 27 percent and 53
percent of the 1998 employees in the selected occupations will be
eligible to retire by the end of fiscal year 2006. 15 Independent Assessment
of the Shuttle Processing Directorate Engineering and Management Processes,
NASA?s Human Exploration and Development of Space Independent Assessment
Office (Nov. 4, 1999); Report to Associate Administrator, Office of Space
Flight, Space Shuttle Independent Assessment Team (Mar. 7, 2000); and Annual
Report for 1999, Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel (Feb. 2000).
Page 18 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Figure 7: Estimated Percentage of Selected Mission- Critical Occupation?s
Fiscal Year 1998 Workforce That Will Be Eligible to Retire as of the End of
the Fiscal Year 2006
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data.
Based on past retirement patterns for each of the selected occupations, we
also calculated retirement estimates for fiscal years 1999 through 2006. We
estimated that actual retirements in the 8- year period will range from 8
percent for Electrical Engineers (GS- 850) to 30 percent for Program
GS- 340 Program Management GS- 80 Security Administration
GS- 105 Social Insurance Administration GS- 110 Economist
GS- 201 Personnel Management GS- 301 Miscellaneous Administration and
Program Series GS- 334 Computer Specialist
GS- 341 Administrative Officer GS- 343 Management and Program Analysis
GS- 360 Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance GS- 391 Telecommunications
GS- 511 Auditing GS- 512 Revenue Agent GS- 602 Medical Officer
GS- 801 General Engineering GS- 802 Engineering Technician GS- 850
Electrical Engineering
GS- 855 Electronics Engineering GS- 856 Electronics Technician GS- 861
Aerospace Engineering
GS- 1101 General Business and Industry GS- 1102 Contracting
GS- 1301 General Physical Science GS- 1310 Physics GS- 1320 Chemistry
GS- 1341 Meteorological Technician GS- 1801 General Inspection,
Investigation, & Compliance
GS- 1811 Criminal Investigating Series GS- 1822 Mine Safety and Health
Occupations
53 47
46 44
44 43
42 41
40 40 39
39 39
39 38
38 37
35 35
34 34
33 32
30 29
28 27
27
Percentage eligible to retire
40 01020 3040 5060
A
Page 19 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Managers (GS- 340). Figure 8 shows our retirement estimates for each of the
29 selected occupations.
Figure 8: Percentage of Selected Occupation?s Fiscal Year 1998 Workforce
Estimated to Retire by 2006
Source: GAO analysis of CPDF data. 0 102030405060 GS- 80 Security
Administration
GS- 105 Social Insurance Administration GS- 110 Economist
GS- 201 Personnel Management GS- 301 Miscellaneous Administration and
Program Series GS- 334 Computer Specialist
GS- 340 Program Management GS- 341 Administrative Officer GS- 343 Management
and Program Analysis
GS- 360 Equal Employment Opportunity Compliance GS- 391 Telecommunications
GS- 511 Auditing
GS- 512 Revenue GS- 602 Medical Officer GS- 801 General Engineering
GS- 802 Engineering Technician GS- 850 Electrical Engineering
GS- 855 Electronics Engineering GS- 856 Electronics Technician GS- 861
Aerospace Engineering
GS- 1101 General Business and Industry GS- 1102 Contracting
GS- 1301 General Physical Science GS- 1310 Physics GS- 1320 Chemistry
GS- 1341 Meteorological Technician GS- 1801 General Inspection,
Investigation, & Compliance
GS- 1811 Criminal Investigating Series GS- 1822 Mine Safety and Health
Percentage estimated to retire Occupations
8 10
13 14 14 14
14 16 16 16
17 17
18 18 18 18
19 19 19 19
20 20
21 22
23 25
27 29
30
Page 20 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
It is also important to know the total number of estimated losses for each
occupation, because occupations with similar percentages retiring could
provide different challenges in workforce planning. For example, of the 29
selected mission critical occupations, the occupation with the smallest
number of employees estimated to retire and the one with the largest have
close retirement percentages. Numerically, we estimated 289 Meteorological
Technicians (GS- 1341) and 9, 217 Criminal Investigators (GS- 1811) will
retire. However, these numbers represent 29 percent of the Meteorological
Technicians (GS- 1341) and 27 percent of Criminal Investigators (GS- 1811).
If management chooses to replace these losses, depending on the job markets,
it could be more of a recruitment challenge to replace a large number of
employees in one occupation than a smaller
number in another, even though their percentages of losses are similar.
Conversely, if only a small number of people work in an occupation,
replacing a few of them could be very challenging. Retirement and
eligibility estimates for the selected occupations are based on the
aggregate workforce of the 24 agencies. Consequently, to determine
agencywide, and perhaps component- specific, eligibility and retirement
estimates for mission critical occupations, agencies would need to conduct
analyses of their own specific workforce needs. For example, the
Departments of Labor and Justice (along with 14 other CFO agencies)
identified Criminal Investigators (GS- 1811) as a mission critical
occupation. However, while about 50 (or 40 percent) of Labor?s criminal
investigators were eligible to retire in fiscal year 1999, about 3,500 (or
18 percent) of Justice?s criminal investigators were eligible. These and
other
workforce demographics are an essential part of comprehensive workforce
analyses because they indicated different human capital consequences that
will require different actions to address them. For example, although the
number of criminal investigators eligible to retire at Labor is relatively
low, the percentage of that occupation eligible to retire is significant,
and
represents a considerable loss of institutional knowledge. Alternatively, at
Justice, where 18 percent of criminal investigators are eligible to retire,
the loss of institutional knowledge may not be as great of a concern.
However, replacing 3,500 employees could present significant recruiting
challenges for Justice. Recruiting concerns are particularly noteworthy in
the case of Criminal Investigators (GS- 1811), given that 15 other agencies
listed the occupation as mission- critical, adding interagency competition
to the existing competition with state and local governments and the private
sector. This is especially problematic with occupations such as the Computer
Specialist Series (GS- 334), which was identified by all 24
Page 21 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
agencies as mission critical and is a field for which there is keen
competition from the private sector.
Conclusions Federal agencies will be facing an increased loss of employees
to retirement over the next 5 years. The number of employees retiring will
be roughly equivalent to the decrease in employees during the downsizing of
the 1990s, which, because of inadequate human capital management
accompanying downsizing, resulted in a number of problems affecting the
ability of agencies to accomplish their missions. We believe that the
challenges facing the federal government from retirements over the next 5
years make it imperative that agency officials act promptly to ensure their
workforce?s will be adequate in the future to efficiently, economically, and
effectively deliver products and services to the public.
It is generally accepted that workforce planning that assesses current and
future needs, matches those needs to the skills and abilities of current and
expected future employees, and devises strategies to overcome any shortfalls
or imbalances is necessary to ensure the availability of adequate
human capital. Managing the effect of federal retirements on an agency?s
capability to accomplish its missions is an important part of workforce
planning.
In designating strategic human capital management as a governmentwide high-
risk area, we pointed out the importance of agencies acquiring and
developing staffs whose size, skills, and deployment meets agency needs.
Workforce planning is a key step toward this goal. We also found in our
previous work that workforce planning is an important element of human
capital management in the private sector, and that federal agencies need to
have good workforce planning to enable them to accomplish their
missions. Our estimates for retirement eligibility and actual retirements,
overall and for agencies and critical occupations, further illustrate the
importance of each agency conducting workforce planning so that their own
special needs and circumstances are considered and so that they do not find
themselves with staffing skills shortfalls.
OPM has begun stressing to agencies the importance of integrating strategic
human capital management into agency planning. OPM has also been focusing
more attention on developing workforce planning tools to help agencies. For
example, it has developed a workforce planning model
with associated research tools and has launched a website to facilitate
information sharing about workforce planning issues.
Page 22 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Agency Comments OPM agreed that it is critical for agencies to use workforce
planning to address the challenges in replenishing the federal workforce.
OPM also strongly supported our use of statistical workforce analysis to
estimate the likely retirements rather than limiting the analysis to the
number of employees eligible to retire, which can be misleading.
Additionally, the agency agreed with the trends shown in our estimates
although its estimates are somewhat higher due to differences in our
methodologies. For example, OPM included likely early out retirements in its
projections while ours did not. Our estimating method is more conservative
than OPM?s but its method is also reasonable. Our and OPM?s estimates both
illustrate the need for workforce planning. We are sending copies of this
report to Senator Richard J. Durbin, Senator Joseph I. Lieberman, Senator
Fred Thompson, Senator George V. Voinovich, and to Representative Judy
Biggert, Representative Dan Burton, Representative Elijah E. Cummings,
Representative Steve Horn,
Representative Asa Hutchinson, Representative Jim Turner, and Representative
Henry A. Waxman, in their capacities as Chair or Ranking Member of Senate
Committees and Subcommittees or Chair or Ranking Minority Member of House
Committees and Subcommittees. We are also sending copies of this report to
the Honorable Steven R. Cohen, Acting
Director, Office of Personnel Management, the heads of the 24 CFO agencies,
and other interested parties. We will make copies available to others on
request.
If you or your staff have any questions on this report, please call me or
Thomas G. Dowdal on (202) 512- 6806. Key contributors to this report were
Walter E. Reed, Jr. and Rebecca Shea.
Victor S. Rezendes Managing Director, Strategic Issue
Page 23 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Page 24 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Appendix I
Appendi xes Scope and Methodology Appendi x I
Our objectives were to (1) estimate the number of employees who would be
eligible to retire and the number who would actually retire for fiscal years
1999 through 2006 at 24 major agencies, and compare those estimates with the
number of employees who were eligible and actually retired
during fiscal years 1991 through 1998; (2) assess actual and estimated
eligibility and retirement for the same periods for each of the 24 agencies;
and (3) assess actual and estimated eligibility and retirement for the same
periods for selected occupations critical to the 24 agencies. To accomplish
these objectives, we
determined retirement eligibility rates for fiscal years 1999 through 2006
by applying retirement plan eligibility rules to data in Office of Personnel
Management?s (OPM) Central Personnel Data File (CPDF) using employees age at
hire, birth date, and retirement plan;
determined past retirement rates by analyzing separation data from OPM?s
CPDF for fiscal years 1991 through 1998;
estimated retirement rates for fiscal years 1999 through 2006 by creating
a forecasting model using retirement trends for fiscal years 1988 through
1997;
determined the extent of change between retirement rates for fiscal years
1991 through 1998 and projected retirement rates for fiscal years 1999
through 2006;
surveyed the 24 CFO agencies to determine the occupations they consider
critical to achieving their missions and strategic goals and analyzed
historical and projected retirement data for 29 selected occupations that
agencies identified; and
reviewed our prior work and current literature on retirement projections
and workforce planning to provide context.
Appendix I Scope and Methodology
Page 25 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Estimated Retirement Eligibility and Projected Retirements To determine the
federal employee retirement eligibility and projected
retirement estimates for fiscal years 1999 through 2006, we used OPM?s CPDF.
Retirement eligibility dates were calculated using age at hire, years of
service, birth date, and retirement plan coverage. Probabilities for
retirement between fiscal years 1999 and 2006 were developed from actual
separation data, of which retirement is a component, for fiscal years 1988
through 1998. We calculated retirement probabilities for the entire CFO
workforce, for each agency, and for 29 selected occupations. Employees who
retired with a buyout were excluded from the analysis to avoid overstating
estimated future retirements. 1 The Federal Bureau of
Investigation (FBI) does not submit personnel action data, such as
retirements or other separations, to the CPDF. Consequently, retirement
probabilities for FBI employees are based entirely upon the historical
retirement data of all other Justice employees. Also, governmentwide
retirement data from fiscal years 1991 through 1998 are slightly lower than
actual because of the unreported FBI retirements. We did not independently
verify the CPDF data for the years we reviewed. However, in a 1998 report,
we found that governmentwide data from the CPDF for
the key variables in this study (agency, birth date, service computation
date, occupation, and retirement plan) were 99 percent or more accurate. 2
Specifically, using the population of career employees on board as of
September 30, 1987, we selected, on the basis of retirement plan, length of
service, age at hire, and birth date, employees who were either already
eligible to retire, or who would become eligible to retire by September 30,
1997. The separation activity of this extracted population was tracked
through September 30, 1998, providing a 10- year time period of actual
retirement data (1988 to 1998) upon which to base retirement projections.
Separation activity from 1988 to 1998 for the selected population consisted
of the following actions: (1) separation from federal service prior to
reaching retirement eligibility, (2) retirement after reaching retirement
eligibility, (3) separation other than retirement upon reaching retirement
eligibility, and (4) no separation within the 10- year time period. For each
1 During the 1990s, federal agencies could, within certain parameters, offer
employees up to $25,000 to leave federal employment. This incentive was
referred to as a buyout and was used to help reduce the size of the federal
workforce.
2 OPM?s Central Personnel Data File: Data Appear Sufficiently Reliable to
Meet Most Customer Needs (GAO/ GGD- 98- 199, Sept. 30, 1998)
Appendix I Scope and Methodology
Page 26 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
year, we calculated frequencies for separation prior to eligibility and for
retirement for each cohort of employees becoming eligible to retire for the
first time that year. For example, of those who became eligible to retire in
fiscal year 1988, we determined the percentage that retired each year
through September 30, 1998. Similarly, of the employees who became eligible
in fiscal year 1997, we determined the percentage that separated
each year since 1988. Due to data limitations, both ends of the prediction
spectrums are truncated. Taking employees who became eligible in fiscal year
1995 as an example, we could only determine the number who actually
retired within 3 years of eligibility because our latest separation data was
for 1998. Similarly, for this cohort, we could only derive frequencies for
separation prior to eligibility for 7 years, since our earliest separation
data was for 1988.
Final retirement probabilities are the average of three summary statistics
of retirement and separation frequencies for the 10- year time period. The
three summary statistics are (1) the 10- year average, (2) the most recent
data point, and (3) the next data point on a fitted regression line. The
probabilities for each of the 10 years do not total 100 percent-- the amount
under 100 percent represents employees who are expected to retire after
the 10- year time period. We applied the retirement and preeligibility
separation probabilities to career employees on board as of September 30,
1998, and calculated estimates through fiscal year 2006. Because we excluded
retirements taken with buyouts, early- out retirements, and disability
retirements from our trend data, our projections for future retirement are
for regular, voluntary, and mandatory retirements only. At the time we
started our analysis, we had CPDF data only through 1998. However, we later
received
1999 data and compared our retirement estimates with actual retirements
taken without buyouts in fiscal year 1999 and found that they differed by
only 127 people, or 0.5 percent less than the actual. We used these same
techniques to estimate future retirements within each of the 24 CFO agencies
and within the 29 selected occupations.
Identifying Mission- Critical Occupations We surveyed the 24 CFO agencies in
June 1999 to determine the
occupations they considered critical to achieving their missions. (See app.
II for the survey.) Each agency determined which occupations they considered
mission critical in responding to the survey. Agencies provided listings of
occupations by agency title and OPM series number.
Appendix I Scope and Methodology
Page 27 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
We focused on the OPM series number and compiled a listing of occupations
using the OPM official titles. We did this because agencies? listings often
used different agency titles with the same occupational series number.
Focusing on the series number, agencies identified 364 occupations as
mission critical, as shown in table I. About 43 percent of the 364
occupations identified as mission- critical were cited by only 1 agency,
about 17 percent were identified by 2 agencies, and about 40 percent were
identified by 3 or more agencies. We judgmentally selected 29 of the 364
occupations for review based on the following criteria, which required that
the occupation
included at least 100 employees in fiscal year 1998 at each agency that
identified them as mission critical,
had at least a 10- percent eligibility rate for retirement within the
agency as of the end of fiscal year 1999,
met the above criteria for 3 or more agencies, and
included at least 1000 employees governmentwide who would become eligible
to retire between 1988 and 1998.
We also selected three occupations that were each identified as mission
critical by only one agency and which represented at least 8 percent of that
agency?s workforce. For example, the Social Insurance Administration series
(GS- 105) is only employed by the Social Security Administration and
represents 41 percent of the agency?s workforce.
We used these criteria to help us select occupations that could represent
the most significant future retirement challenges or opportunities for the
24 CFO agencies.
Page 28 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Appendix II The Survey Appendi x II
GAO U. S. General Accounting Office Retirement Trends and Succession
Patterns Facing the Federal Workforce
Introduction
The U. S. General Accounting Office, an investigative agency of Congress,
has been asked by the House Subcommittee on Civil Service to review
retirement trends and succession patterns facing the federal workforce. The
issues we are focusing on in this review center on workforce challenges in
the near future due to demographic changes, specifically the loss of federal
personnel as they age and retire, and the ability of federal agencies to
replace them with skilled and qualified personnel.
There are two separate data collection instruments contained in this
package. Each focuses on employment trends for mission critical occupations
in your department/ agency. Specifically, we are interested in actual
retention rates and potential problems in retaining and replacing staff in
mission critical occupations in the near future as well as in the more
distant future. Our definition of a mission critical occupation is found at
the top of form ?A?.
The forms included in this package are as follows:
Form ?A? - is a form for listing of all mission critical occupations for
each major separate sub- component (e. g., bureau, command, etc.) of your
department or agency.
Form ?B? - is a form that contains a series of questions focusing on each
separate mission critical occupation identified by each major separate
component (e. g., bureau, command, etc.) of your department or agency.
Instructions for Completing Forms ?A? and ?B?
Forms ?A? and ?B? should be completed at the department/ agency level and
for each major separate sub- component (e. g., bureau, command, etc.) of the
department or agency.
Make as many photocopies of forms ?A? and ?B? as necessary.
Complete one copy of form ?A? listing all occupations considered to be
mission critical.
For each of the occupations listed on form ?A?, a separate copy of form
?B? must be completed.
Return all completed forms to the point of contact at your department or
agency headquarters. If you have any questions, please call Mr. Walter Reed
at (202) 512- 5584. Thank you for your assistance.
Appendix II The Survey
Page 29 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Form A (Page 1 of 1) Form A - Listing of all mission critical occupations
Department/ Agency/ Bureau/ Command name:
__________________________________________________________ Please list below
all mission critical occupations for your department/ agency/ or sub-
component (bureau, office, etc.). Mission critical occupations fall into two
categories as defined below.
Mission Critical Occupations:
Core mission occupations - Occupations that most directly affect the
department?s/ agency?s ability to accomplish its missions. For example, an
air traffic controller likely would be a ?core mission? occupation for the
FAA.
Critical support occupations - Occupations that provide support for the
?core mission? occupations. For example, a computer systems specialist
likely would be a ?critical
support? occupation for the FAA.
When entering series numbers and series titles, please use OPM?s standard
job series numbers and series titles
Core Mission Occupations Series number Series title
_________ _________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________
Critical Support Occupations Series number Series title
_________ _________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________ _________
_________________________________
Please make as many photocopies of form B as necessary and complete a
photocopy of form B for each occupation listed above.
Appendix II The Survey
Page 30 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Form B (Page 1 of 2) Please make as many photocopies of this form as
necessary.
Form B - Mission Critical Occupation Form
Department/ Agency/ Bureau/ Command name:
________________________________________________________
When entering series numbers and series titles, please use OPM?s standard
job series numbers and series titles.
Series number: _____________ Series title:
____________________________________________ a. Do you consider this job
series (occupation) to be core mission or critical support as defined on the
top of form A? (Check one.)
1. Core mission (Most directly affects agency?s ability to accomplish its
mission, e. g., FAA - air traffic controller) 2. Critical support (Provides
support for the core mission occupations, e. g., FAA - computer systems
analyst)
b. Please indicate the level of difficulty your department/ agency has had
and anticipates having in retaining sufficient staff in this job series for
the following time frames. (Check one box in each row.)
Time period Very
difficult (1)
Somewhat difficult
(2) Not
difficult (3)
No basis to judge
(4) FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999 through 2000 FY 2005 through 2006
c. Please indicate the level of difficulty your department/ agency has had
and anticipates having in recruiting sufficient staff in this job series for
the following time frames. (Check one box in each row.)
Time period Very
difficult (1)
Somewhat difficult
(2) Not
difficult (3)
No basis to judge
(4) FY 1997 FY 1998 FY 1999 through 2000 FY 2005 through 2006
d. Currently, how easy or difficult is it for your department/ agency to
find employees in this job series that meet your criteria for quality?
(Check one.)
1. Very easy 2. Somewhat easy 3. Somewhat difficult 4. Very difficult
e. If you checked box 3 or 4 (somewhat or very difficult) in question d, to
what extent, if at all, has your department/ agency hired staff in this job
series who, in your estimation, are of lower quality than you would have
desired? (Check one.)
1. To a very great extent 2. To a great extent 3. To a moderate extent 4. To
some extent 5. To little or no extent 6. No
basis to judge
(Continued on page 2)
Appendix II The Survey
Page 31 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Form B (Page 2 of 2)
f. To the best of your knowledge, at the current time, do the following
factors make it difficult, easy, or have no effect on your department?s/
agency?s ability to retain staff in this job series? (Check one box in each
row.)
Retention Factors
Makes it very difficult
(1) Makes it
somewhat difficult
(2) Has
no effect
(3) Makes it
somewhat easy
(4) Makes it
very easy
(5) No basis
to judge (6) a. Pay compared to nonfederal employers (private sector,
state/ local government) b. Benefits (leave, retirement, health insurance,
etc)
compared to nonfederal employers. c. Content of work (challenging
assignments, federal
issues, etc.) d. Availability of job opportunities for similar work outside
of the federal government e. Reputation/ image of the federal government as
an employer f. Opportunities for promotion g. Availability of awards or
recognition h. Availability of training/ opportunities for growth i. Job
security provided by the federal government j. Ability of FERS employees to
leave the federal government
for the private sector k. Other- Specify: ________________________________
g. To the best of your knowledge, at the current time, do the following
factors make it difficult, easy, or have no effect on your department?s/
agency?s ability to recruit staff in this job series? (Check one box in each
row.)
Recruitment Factors
Makes it very difficult
(1) Makes it
somewhat difficult
(2) Has
no effect
(3) Makes it
somewhat easy
(4) Makes it
very easy
(5) No basis
to judge (6) a. Pay compared to nonfederal employers (private sector,
state/ local government) b. Benefits (leave, retirement, health insurance,
etc)
compared to nonfederal employers. c. Content of work (challenging
assignments, federal
issues, etc.) d. Availability of job opportunities for similar work outside
of the federal government e. Reputation/ image of the federal government as
an employer f. Opportunities for promotion g. Availability of awards or
recognition h. Availability of training/ opportunities for growth i. Job
security provided by the federal government j. Ability of FERS employees to
leave the federal government
for the private sector k. Other- Specify: ________________________________
Page 32 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations Appendi x I II
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
1. Correctional Institution Administration Series GS- 0006
1 2. Correctional Officer Series GS- 0007 1 3. Safety and Occupational
Health Management Series GS- 0018
1 1 1 1 1 1 4. Safety Technician Series GS- 0019 1 5. Community Planning
Series GS- 0020 6. Outdoor Recreation Planning
Series GS- 0023 1
7. Park Ranger Series GS- 0025 1 8. Environmental Protection
Specialist Series GS- 0028 1 1 1
9. Environmental Protection Assistant Series GS- 0029
10. Chaplain Series GS- 0060 1 11. Fingerprint Identification Series GS-
0072 12. Security Administration Series GS- 0080 1 1 13. Fire Protection and
Prevention
Series GS- 0081 1
14. Police Series GS- 0083 1 1 1 15. Nuclear Materials Courier Series GS-
0084 1 16. Security Guard Series GS- 0085 1 17. Social Science Series GS-
0101 1 1 1 1 1 18. Social Science Aide and
Technician Series GS- 0102 1
19. Social Insurance Administration Series GS- 0105 20. Unemployment
Insurance Series GS- 0106 21. Health Insurance Administration Series GS-
0107
1 22. Economist Series GS- 0110 1 1 1 1 1 23. Foreign Affairs Series GS-
0130 1
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 33 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical DOL DOS DOT Treas VA
AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies 1 1
1 1 1 1 10 1
1 1 2 1 1
1 1 1 1 7
1 1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 9 1
1 1 5 1 1
1 1 1 8 1
1 1
1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 12
1 2
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 34 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
24. International Relations Series GS- 0131 25. Intelligence Series GS- 0132
1 1 26. International Cooperation Series GS- 0136 27. Manpower Development
Series GS- 0142 28. Geography Series GS- 0150 1 1 29. Civil Rights Analysis
Series GS- 0160 30. History Series GS- 0170 1 31. Psychology Series GS- 0180
1 1 1 32. Psychology Aide and Technician
Series GS- 0181 1
33. Social Work Series GS- 0185 1 34. Social Services Aide and
Assistant Series GS- 0186 1
35. Social Services Series GS- 0187 1 36. Archaeology Series GS- 0193 1 37.
Personnel Management Series GS- 0201 1 1 1 1 1 1 38. Personnel Clerical and
Assistance Series GS- 0203
1 1 1 1 39. Military Personnel Clerical and Technician Series GS- 0204
1 40. Military Personnel Management Series GS- 0205
1 41. Personnel Staffing Series GS- 0212 1 42. Personnel Classification
Series GS- 0221 1 43. Employee Relations Series GS- 0230 1 1 1 44. Labor
Relations Series GS- 0233 1 1 45. Employee Development Series GS- 0235 1 1 1
46. Apprenticeship and Training Series GS- 0243
47. Contractor Industrial Relations Series GS- 0246 1
48. Wage and Hour Compliance Series GS- 0249 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 35 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1
1 1 1 5
1 1
1 1
1 3
1 1
1 2
1 1 1 1 7 1
1 2 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18
1 1 1 1 1 9 1 1
1 1 1 4
1 1 3
1 1 1 1 7
1 1 1 5
1 1 1 1 1 8
1 1 1
1 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 36 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
49. Equal Employment Opportunity Series GS- 0260
1 1 1 1 1 50. Federal Retirement Benefits
Series GS- 0270 51. Miscellaneous Administration and
Program Series GS- 0301 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
52. Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant Series GS- 0303 1 1 1 1
53. Information Receptionist Series GS- 0304 1 54. Mail and File Series GS-
0305 1 1 55. Secretary Series GS- 0318 1 1 1 1 1 56. Clerk- Typist Series
GS- 0322 1 57. Office Automation Clerical and
Assistance Series GS- 0326 1 1
58. Computer Operation Series GS- 0332 1 1 59. Computer Specialist Series
GS- 0334 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 60. Computer Clerk and Assistant Series GS- 0335
1 1 61. Program Management Series GS- 0340 1 1 1 62. Administrative Officer
Series GS- 0341 1 1 1 1 1 63. Support Services Administration
Series GS- 0342 64. Management and Program
Analysis Series GS- 0343 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
65. Management and Program Clerical and Assistance Series GS- 0344
1 1 1 66. Logistics Management Series GS- 0346 1 1 1 67. Equipment Operator
Series GS- 0350 1 1 68. Printing Clerical Series GS- 0351 1 69. Data
Transcriber Series GS- 0356 70. Equal Opportunity Compliance Series GS- 0360
1 1 71. Telephone Operating Series GS- 0382 1 72. Telecommunications
Processing
Series GS- 0390 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 37 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1 1 1 1 10
1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 18
1 1 1 1 1 9 1
1 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 11 1
1 1 1 5
1 1 4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 24
1 1 4
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 10
1 1 1 1 1 10
1 1 1 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17
1 1 5
1 1 5
1 3 1
1 1
1 1 4 1
1 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 38 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
73. Telecommunications Series GS- 0391 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 74. General
Telecommunications
Series GS- 0392 75. Adminstration and Office Support Student Trainee Series
GS- 0399
76. General Biological Science Series GS- 0401 1 1 1 1 1 77. Microbiology
Series GS- 0403 1 1 78. Biological Science Technician Series GS- 0404
1 1 1 79. Pharmacology Series GS- 0405 1 80. Ecology Series GS- 0408 1 1 81.
Physiology Series GS- 0413 1 82. Entomology Series GS- 0414 1 83. Toxicology
Series GS- 0415 1 84. Botany Series GS- 0430 1 85. Plant Physiology Series
GS- 0435 86. Genetics Series GS- 0440 1 87. Rangeland Management Series GS-
0454 1 88. Range Technician Series GS- 0455 1 89. Forestry Series GS- 0460 1
90. Forestry Technician Series GS- 0462 1 91. General Fish and Wildlife
Administration Series GS- 0480
1 92. Fishery Biology Series GS- 0482 1 1 93. Wildlife Refuge Management
Series GS- 0485 1
94. Wildlife Biology Series GS- 0486 1 95. Financial Administration and
Program Series GS- 0501
1 1 1 1 1 96. Financial Clerical and Assistance GS- 0503 97. Financial
Management Series GS- 0505 1 1 1 1 1 98. Accounting Series GS- 0510 1 1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 99. Auditing Series GS- 0511 1 1 1 1 1 1 (Continued From Previous
Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 39 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16
1 1 1 3
1 1
1 1 1 8
1 3
1 4 1
1 3
1 2 1
1 2 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2
1 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14
1 1 1 1 4
1 1 1 1 9
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 40 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
100. Revenue Agent GS- 0512 101. Accounting Technicians GS- 0525 1 1 1 1
102. Tax Audi t or GS- 0526 103. Cash Processing Series GS- 0530 104.
Voucher Examining Series GS- 0540 105. Civilian Pay Series GS- 0544 1 106.
Military Pay Series GS- 0545 1 107. Budget Analysis Series GS- 0560 1 1 1 1
1 1 108. Budget Technician GS- 0561 1 109. National Bank Examiner GS- 0570
110. Tax Examiner GS- 0592 111. Insurance Accounts Series GS- 0593 112.
Financial Management Student
Trainee Series GS- 0599 113. General Health Science Series GS- 0601 1 114.
Medical Officer Series GS- 0602 1 1 1 115. Physician?s Assistant Series GS-
0603 1 1 116. Nurse Anesthetist GS- 0605 117. Nurse Series GS- 0610 1 1 118.
Licensed Practical Nurse GS- 0620 1 119. Nursing Assistant GS- 0621 1 120.
Dietitian and Nutritionist Series GS- 0630 1 121. Occupational Therapist
Series GS- 0631 1 122. Physical Therapist Series GS- 0633 1 123.
Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant Series GS- 0636
124. Recreation/ Creative Arts Therapist Series GS- 0638 1
125. Health Aide and Technician Series GS- 0640 1
126. Nuclear Medicine Technician Series GS- 0642 1
127. Medical Technologist Series GS- 0644 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 41 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1
1 1 1 7
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 3 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16
1 1 3
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 1 5
1 1 1 1 7
1 3
1 1
1 1 4
1 2
1 2
1 1 3
1 2
1 2
1 1 1 1
1 2
1 2 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 42 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
128. Medical Technician Series GS- 0645 1 129. Diagnostic Radiologic
Technologist Series GS- 0647 1
130. Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist Series GS- 0648 131. Medical
Instrument Technician Series GS- 0649
1 132. Respiratory Therapist Series GS- 0651 1 133. Pharmacist Series GS-
0660 1 134. Pharmacy Technician Series GS- 0661 1 135. Optometrist Series
GS- 0662 136. Speech Pathology and Audiology Series GS- 0665
1 137. Podiatrist Series GS- 0668 1 138. Medical Records Administration
Series GS- 0669
1 139. Health System Administration
Series GS- 0670 1
140. Health System Specialist Series GS- 0671 1 141. Prosthetic
Representative Series GS- 0672 142. Medical Records Technician Series GS-
0675
1 143. Medical Clerk Series GS- 0679 1 144. Dental Officer Series GS- 0680 1
1 145. Dental Assistant Series GS- 0681 1 146. Dental Hygiene Series GS-
0682 1 147. Dental Laboratory Aide and
Technician Series GS- 0683 1
148. Public Health Program Specialist Series GS- 0685
1 149. Sanitarian Series GS- 0688 1 150. Industrial Hygenist GS- 0690 1 1 1
151. Consumer Safety Series GS- 0696 1 1 152. Veterinary Medical Science
Series GS- 0701
1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 43 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 2
1 2
1 1
1 2 1
1 2 1
1 1
1 2
1 2
1 2 1
1 2
1 1
1 2 1
1 3
1 2
1 2 1 1 1
1 1 5 2
1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 44 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
153. Animal Health Technician Series GS- 0704 1 154. General Engineering
Series GS- 0801 1 1 1 1 1 1 155. Engineering Technician Series GS- 0802 1 1
1 1 156. Safety Engineering Series GS- 0803 1 1 157. Fire Protection
Engineering
Series GS- 0804 1 1
158. Materials Engineering Series GS- 0806 1 1 159. Landscape Architect
Series GS- 0807 1 160. Architecture Series GS- 0808 1 1 1 1 161.
Construction Control Series GS- 0809 1 1 1 162. Civil Engineering Series GS-
0810 1 1 1 1 1 163. Surveying Technician Series GS- 0817 1 164. Engineering
Drafting Series GS- 0818 1 165. Environmental Engineer Series GS- 0819 1 1 1
166. Construction Analyst Series GS- 0828 1 167. Mechanical Engineering
Series GS- 0830 1 1 1 1 1 1 168. Nuclear Engineer GS- 0840 1 1 1 169.
Electrical Engineering Series GS- 0850 1 1 1 1 1 1 170. Computer Engineering
Series GS- 0854 1 1 1 1 171. Electronics Engineering Series GS- 0855 1 1 1 1
1 1 172. Electronics Technician Series GS- 0856 1 1 1 1 173. Biomedical
Engineering Series GS- 0858 1 1 174. Aerospace Engineering Series GS- 0861 1
175. Naval Architecture Series GS- 0871 176. Ship Surveying Series GS- 0873
177. Mining Engineering Series GS- 0880 1 178. Petroleum Engineer GS- 0881 1
1 1 179. Agricultural Engineering Series GS- 0890 180. Ceramics Engineering
Series GS- 0892 1 181. Chemical Engineering Series GS- 0893 1 1 1 1 182.
Industrial Engineer GS- 0896 1 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 45 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 14
1 1 1 1 8
1 1 1 1 6
1 1 1 5
1 1 4
1 2
1 1 1 1 1 9
1 4
1 1 1 1 9 1 1
1 1 1 1 7
1 2
1 1 1 1 10
1 1 5
1 1 1 1 1 11
1 1 6
1 1 1 1 10
1 1 1 1 8
1 3
1 1 3
1 1
1 1
1 2 3
1 1
1 2
1 1 1 1 8
1 1 4 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 46 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
183. Law Clerk GS- 0904 184. General Attorney Series GS- 0905 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
185. Hearing Officer GS- 0930 1 186. Administrative Law Judge GS- 0935 1
187. Paralegal Specialist GS- 0950 1 1 1 1 1 188. Pension Law Specialist
Series GS- 0958 189. Contract Representative GS- 0962 190. Legal Instruments
Examining Series GS- 0963
1 1 1 191. Land Law Examiner GS- 0965 1 192. Passport and Visa Examining
Series GS- 0967 193. Legal Clerical and Assistance GS- 0986 1 1 1 194.
General Claims Examining Series GS- 0990 1 195. Workers? Compensation Claims
Examining Series GS- 0991
196. Loss and Damage Claims Examining Series GS- 0992 197. Veterans Claims
Examining
Series GS- 0996 198. Claims Clerical Series GS- 0998 199. General Arts and
Information
Series GS- 1001 1 1 1
200. Museum Curator GS- 1015 1 201. Museum Specialist GS- 1016 1 202. Public
Affairs Series GS- 1035 1 1 1 1 1 203. Language Specialist Series GS- 1040 1
1 204. Photography Series GS- 1060 1 205. Audiovisual Production Series GS-
1071 1 1 1 206. Writing and Editing GS- 1082 1 1 1 207. Technical Writer-
Editor GS- 1083 1 1 1 208. Visual Information Series GS- 1084 1 1 1 1 209.
Editorial Assistant GS- 1087 1 1 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 47 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 20
1 2
1 1 3
1 1 1 1 1 1 11
1 1
1 1 1 1 4
1 1 5 1
1 1
1 1 1 6
1 2
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 2 3 1 1
1 1 1 1 1 10
1 3
1 2 3
1 1 1 1 7 3
1 5 3 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 48 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
210. General Business and Industry Series GS- 1101 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
211. Contracting Series GS- 1102 1 1 1 1 1 1 212. Industrial Property
Management
Series GS- 1103 1
213. Property Disposal Series GS- 1104 214. Purchasing Series GS- 1105 1 1 1
1 215. Procurement Clerical and
Technician Series GS- 1106 1 1
216. Property Disposal Clerical and Technician Series GS- 1107
217. Public Utilities Specialist Series GS- 1130 1 1 218. Trade Specialist
GS- 1140 1 219. Industrial Specialist Series GS- 1150 1 1 220. Production
Control Series GS- 1152 1 1 221. Financial Analyst GS- 1160 1 1 222.
Insurance Examining Series GS- 1163 223. Loan Specialist Series GS- 1165 1 1
1 224. Revenue Officer GS- 1169 225. Realty Series GS- 1170 1 1 1 226.
Appraising Series GS- 1171 1 227. Building Management Series GS- 1176 228.
Patent Attorney Series GS- 1222 1 1 1 229. Patent Advisor Series GS- 1224 1
230. General Physical Science Series GS- 1301 1 1 1 1 1 1 231. Health
Physics Series GS- 1306 1 1 1 1 232. Physics Series GS- 1310 1 1 1 1 233.
Physical Science Technician GS- 1311 1 1 234. Geophysics Series GS- 1313 1 1
235. Hydrology Series GS- 1315 1 1 236. Hydrologist Technician GS- 1316 1 1
237. Chemistry Series GS- 1320 1 1 1 1 1 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 49 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 16 1
1 1 2
1 1 6
1 1 4
1 1 2
1 1 3 2 2
1 1 1 1 6
1 1
1 1 5
1 1
1 1 1 6
1 2
1 1
1 1 5 1
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 13
1 1 1 7
1 1 6
1 1 4
1 1 4
1 1 4
1 3
1 1 1 9 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 50 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
238. Metallurgy Series GS- 1321 1 1 1 239. Astronomy and Space Science
Series GS- 1330
1 1 240. Meteorology Series GS- 1340 1 241. Meteorological Technician Series
GS- 1341 1 242. Geologist GS- 1350 1 1 1 1 243. Oceanography Series GS- 1360
1 1 244. Navigational Information Series GS- 1361 245. Cartographer GS- 1370
1 1 246. Cartographer Technician GS- 1371 1 1 247. Geodesy Series GS- 1372 1
248. Land Surveyor GS- 1373 1 249. Geodetic Technician Series GS- 1374 1
250. Forest Products Technology Series GS- 1380
251. Food Technology Series GS- 1382 252. Textile Technology Series GS- 1384
253. Photographic Technology Series GS- 1386 1 254. Document Analysis Series
GS- 1397 1 255. Physical Science Student Trainee
Series GS- 1399 256. Librarian Series GS- 1410 1 1 257. Library Technician
Series GS- 1411 1 1 258. Technical Information Service GS- 1412 1 1 1 259.
Archives Technician Series GS- 1421 260. Actuary Series GS- 1510 1 261.
Operations Research Series GS- 1515 1 1 1 262. Mathematics Series GS- 1520 1
1 1 263. Mathematical Statistician GS- 1529 1 1 1 1 264. Statistician GS-
1530 1 1 1 1 265. Statistical Assistant Series GS- 1531 1 266. Cryptanalysis
Series GS- 1541 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 51 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 4
1 1 4
1 1 3
1 2
1 1 6
1 1 1 5
1 1 2
1 1 4
1 3
1 2
1 2
1 2
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 2
1 1 1 4
1 1
1 3
1 1 4
1 1 5
1 1
1 1 3
1 4
1 4
1 1 1 1 8
1 1 1 1 8 1 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 52 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
267. Computer Science Series GS- 1550 1 1 1 1 1 268. General Facilities and
Equipment Series GS- 1601
1 1 269. Cemetary Administration Series GS- 1630 270. Facility Manager/
Specialist GS- 1640 1 1 271. Printing Management Series GS- 1654 1 1 1 272.
Steward Series GS- 1667 1 273. Equipment Specialist Series GS- 1670 1 1 1
274. General Education and Training GS- 1701 1 1 1 275. Education and
Vocational Training GS- 1710 1 1 1 276. Training Instruction Series GS- 1712
1 1 1 1 277. Vocational Rehabilitation Series GS- 1715 278. Education
Program Series GS- 1720 1 279. Education Research Series GS- 1730 1 280.
Education Services Series GS- 1740 281. Instructional Systems Series GS-
1750 282. General Inspection, Investigation, and Compliance Series GS- 1801
1 1 1 1 1 283. Compliance Inspection and
Support Series GS- 1802 1 1
284. General Investigating Series GS- 1810 285. Criminal Investigating
Series GS- 1811 1 1 1 1 1 286. Game Law Enforcement GS- 1812 1 1 287.
Immigration Inspection Series GS- 1816 1 288. Mine Safety and Health Series
GS- 1822 289. Aviation Safety Series GS- 1825 290. Inspector/ Specialist/ A&
T Tax Specialist GS- 1854
291. Import Specialist GS- 1889 292. Inspector GS- 1890 293. Entry Aid GS-
1894 294. Border Patrol Agent Series GS- 1896 1 (Continued From Previous
Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 53 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1 1 8 2
1 1
1 1 4
1 4 1
1 4
1 1 5
1 1 5
1 1 1 1 8
1 1 1 1
1 1
1 1 2
1 1 1 1 9
1 1 1 5
1 1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 15 2 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 54 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
295. Customs Aid GS- 1897 296. Quality Assurance Series GS- 1910 1 1 1 297.
General Supply Series GS- 2001 1 1 1 298. Supply Program Management GS- 2003
1 1 1 299. Supply Clerical and Technician
Series GS- 2005 1 1
300. Inventory Management Series GS- 2010 1 1 1 1 1 301. Distribution
Facilities and Storage
Management Series GS- 2030 1
302. Supply Cataloging Series GS- 2050 1 303. Transportation Specialist
Series GS- 2101 1 1 1 304. Transportation Clerk and
Assistant Series GS- 2102 1
305. Transportation Industry Analysis Series GS- 2110
306. Railroad Safety Series GS- 2121 307. Highway Safety Series GS- 2125
308. Traffic Management Series GS- 2130 1 1 1 1 309. Freight Rate Series GS-
2131 310. Transportation Operations Series GS- 2150 1 1 311. Air Traffic
Control Series GS- 2152 312. Marine Cargo Series GS- 2161 1 313. Aircraft
Operation Series GS- 2181 1 1 314. Electronics Mechanic WG- 2604 1 1 315.
Electronic Industrial Controls
Mechanic WG- 2606 316. Electronic Equipment Craftsman WG- 2619 1 317.
Electrician WG- 2805 1 1 318. Lineman WG- 2806 1 319. Electrician - High
Voltage WG- 2810 1 1 320. Meter and Relay Craftsman WG- 2843 1 321.
Electrical Equipment Repairing WG- 2854 1 322. Instrument Making WG- 3314 1
(Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 55 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1
1 4
1 1 5
1 1 1 1 7
1 1 1 5
1 6
1 2 1
1 1 5
1 2
1 1
1 1
1 1
1 1 1 7
1 1
1 1 4
1 1 1
1 1 4 2
1 1 1
1 1 4 1 2 1
1 2 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 56 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
323. Machining WG- 3414 1 324. Power Saw Operating WG- 3422 1 325. Machine
Tool Operator WG- 3431 326. Linehandler WG- 3501 327. Laborer WG- 3502 1 1
328. Custodial Working WG- 3566 1 1 329. Insulating WG- 3610 1 330. Sheet
Metal Mechanic WG- 3806 1 331. Metal Form Machine Operator WG- 3869 332.
Audio Visual Equipment Operator WG- 3901 1 333. Pipefitting WG- 4204 1 334.
Plumbing WG- 4206 1 335. Glassblowing WG- 4370 1 336. Bindery Working WG-
4402 1 337. Picture Engraver WG- 4446 338. Plate Printer WG- 4454 339. Wood
Crafting WG- 4605 1 340. Carpentry WG- 4607 1 341. General Maintenance and
Operations WG- 4701
1 342. Utility Systems RepairingOperating WG- 4742
1 343. Maintenance Mechanic WG- 4749 1 1 1 344. Cemetary Caretaking WG- 4754
345. Locksmithing WG- 4804 1 346. Navigational Aids Reparing WG- 4843 347.
Gardening WG- 5003 1 348. Animal Caretaking WG- 5048 1 349. Planner
Estimator WG- 5201 1 350. Air Conditioning Equipment Mechanic WG- 5306
1 351. Elevator Mechanic WG- 5313 1 (Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 57 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 2 1
1 1
1 1 2
1 1 4 1
1 2
1 1 1 1 1 1
1 2
1 1
1 1 1 1
1 1
1 1 1 6
1 1 1
1 1 1 1 1
1 2 1 Agencies That Identified a Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 58 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
352. Production Machinery Mechanic WG- 5350 353. Plant Mechanic WG- 5352 1 1
354. Power Plant Operator WG- 5407 1 355. Lock and Dam Operating WG- 5426
356. Motor Vehicle Operating WG- 5703 1 1 1 357. Engineering Equipment
Operating WG- 5716 1 358. Heavy Mobile Equipment Mechanic WG- 5803
1 359. Automotive Mechanic WG- 5823 1 360. Tools and Parts Attending WG-
6904 1 361. Materials Handler WG- 6907 1 1 362. Materials Expediting WG-
6910 1 363. Cooking WG- 7404 1 364. Food Service Working WG- 7408
Agency Totals 10 154 56 11 73 144 49 83 44
(Continued From Previous Page)
Line Item Series Title Series
Number USDA Comm DOD DOEd DOE HHS HUD DOI DOJ
Appendix III List of 364 Mission Critical Occupations
Page 59 GAO- 01- 509 Federal Employee Retirements
1 1
1 3 1
1 1
1 1 5
1 2 1
1 2 1
1 1 1 5 1 1
1 1 34 25 113 62 114 54 55 16 33 41 28 6 17 17 14 Agencies That Identified a
Series as Mission Critical
DOL DOS DOT Treas VA AID EPA FEMA GSA NASA NSF NRC OPM SBA SSA Tot al
Agencies
Ordering Information The first copy of each GAO report is free. Additional
copies of reports are $2 each. A check or money order should be made out to
the Superintendent of Documents. VISA and MasterCard credit cards are
accepted, also.
Orders for 100 or more copies to be mailed to a single address are
discounted 25 percent.
Orders by mail: U. S. General Accounting Office P. O. Box 37050 Washington,
DC 20013
Orders by visiting: Room 1100 700 4th St. NW (corner of 4th and G Sts. NW)
U. S. General Accounting Office Washington, DC
Orders by phone: (202) 512- 6000 fax: (202) 512- 6061 TDD (202) 512- 2537
Each day, GAO issues a list of newly available reports and testimony. To
receive facsimile copies of the daily list or any list from the past 30
days, please call (202) 512- 6000 using a touchtone
phone. A recorded menu will provide information on how to obtain these
lists.
Orders by Internet: For information on how to access GAO reports on the
Internet, send an e- mail message with ?info? in the body to:
info@ www. gao. gov or visit GAO?s World Wide Web home page at: http:// www.
gao. gov
To Report Fraud, Waste, or Abuse in Federal Programs
Contact one: Web site: http:// www. gao. gov/ fraudnet/ fraudnet. htm e-
mail: fraudnet@ gao. gov 1- 800- 424- 5454 (automated answering system)
United States General Accounting Office Washington, D. C. 20548- 0001
Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300
Address Correction Requested Presorted Standard
Postage & Fees Paid GAO Permit No. GI00
*** End of document. ***