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OPM.gov / Policy / Data, Analysis & Documentation / Federal Employment Reports
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Federal Employment Reports

 

Overview

OPM through its Data Analysis Group (DAG) provides OPM management, the President, Congress, and many other customers such as, the Government Accountability Office, the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Congressional Research Service, the media, educational institutions, and many agencies with data and analysis from its Enterprise Human Resources Integration-Statistical Data mart (EHRI-SDM) and other data sources (113 process, Work Years and Personnel Costs). This generally takes the form of sending customers raw data, summaries of the raw data, or special reports. Data available to OPM through its EHRI-SDM covers over 2 million Federal civilian employees and has information concerning occupations, agency of employment, salaries, promotions, awards, and many other transactions concerning Federal civilian employees. The Data Analysis Group produces special and recurring reports on a variety of subjects and those reports are available on this website. DAG also processes certain Freedom of Information Requests and customized requests received through its email boxes. DAG uses EHRI-SDM data to provide analysis of policy options (direct hiring authorities, accelerated promotions available to certain occupations, various aspects of hiring reform, veteran hiring, diversity information), legislative changes, and trends in Federal employment.

Statistical Data Mart

The Enterprise Human Resources Integration-Statistical Data Mart (EHRI-SDM), was established in FY 2010 and uses data from the Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI), and is the Federal Government's primary source of detailed information about its civilian employees.

The EHRI-SDM is an automated system covering about 96 percent of all Federal civilian non-Postal Executive Branch employees. The data elements in the EHRI-SDM include those reflected on the employee's Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action. The EHRI-SDM system includes information about individuals such as date of birth, sex, race/ethinicity and race, service computation date, tenure, educational level, veterans preference, geographic location of duty, pay plan, grade, salary, occupational series, and supervisory status.  These data elements are maintained and released under strict precautions in adherence with Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act guidelines.

The EHRI-SDM is comprised of two files, status and dynamics data.  Each are described below.

The Status File records demographic information, job information, the agency of employment and location of employees, and other aspects of the on-board Federal workforce. 

The Dynamics File records personnel actions such as the hiring and separating of employees.

The EHRI-SDM covers most of the non-Postal Federal Executive Branch. Specifically, agency coverage is as below.

Executive Branch coverage includes all agencies except the following:

  • Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve
  • Central Intelligence Agency
  • Defense Intelligence Agency
  • Foreign Service personnel at the State Department (included until March 2006)
  • National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • National Security Agency
  • Office of the Director of National Intelligence
  • Office of the Vice President
  • Postal Regulatory Commission
  • Tennessee Valley Authority
  • U.S. Postal Service
  • White House Office

Other exclusions include:

  • Foreign Nationals Overseas
  • Public Health Service's Commissioned Officer Corps
  • Non-appropriated fund employees

Legislative Branch coverage is limited to the following:

  • Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission
  • Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission
  • Government Printing Office 
  • Medicare Payment Advisory Commission 
  • Ronald Reagan Centennial Commission 
  • U.S. - China Economic and Security Review Commission 
  • U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom 
  • U.S. Tax Court

Judicial Branch is entirely excluded.

The coverage above represents the current coverage of the EHRI-SDM. This coverage is subject to change over time.

Recent significant changes include:

  • The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection, a Federal Reserve component, began reporting in March 2011. 
  • The Federal Bureau of Investigation did not report data on personnel actions (dynamics data) until Fiscal Year 2007.
  • The State Department stopped providing data on Foreign Service Personnel in March 2006.

EHRI-SDM coverage can differ from that of other Office of Personnel Management (OPM) data sources.

* Hearing impaired users may utilize the Federal Relay Service by dialing 1-800-877-8339** to reach a Communications Assistant (CA). The CA will dial the requested number and relay the conversation between a standard (voice) telephone user and text telephone (TTY) user.

** Visiting the Federal Relay Service website will provide access to additional Toll-Free and Toll Access Numbers.

Common Characteristics of the Government

This document is produced annually and serves as an overview of the size and characteristics of the Federal civilian workforce, enabling reporters, external analysts, and the general public access to commonly requested descriptive information.

The report covers the limitations and nature of OPM data, and uses the data to describe common ways to look at the Federal civilian workforce and how those definitions impact commonly requested facts.

 

Reports & Publications

Retirement Statistics and Trend Analysis

This document provides a brief summary on total retirees, average age, and average length of service at retirement for the federal civilian workforce.

Federal Executive Branch Characteristics FY 2010-2018

This document provides a brief summary on total employment, hiring, separations, average salary, average age, and average length of service by agency, location, ethnicity, and race, gender, and education level for the federal civilian workforce.

Major Work Locations of the Executive Branch

This document presents an overview of the major work locations of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government within the United States, providing the public and analysts access to commonly requested information about the different work locations of the Federal Workforce. This document presents basic data, in the form of tables and graphs, on the major work locations within the United States for the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

Salary Information for the Executive Branch

This document presents an overview of salary data for the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, providing the public and analysts access to commonly requested information about salary for the Federal Workforce. This document presents basic data, in the form of tables and graphs, on salary information for the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

Sizing Up the Executive Branch

This document presents an overview of the size of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, providing the public and analysts access to commonly requested information about the size of the Federal Civilian Workforce. This document presents basic data, in the form of tables and graphs, on the current and historical size of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

Retirement Age & Trend Analysis of the Executive Branch

This report presents an historical overview on the retirement age of the Executive Branch of the Federal Government within the United States, and provides to the public and analysts access to commonly requested information about the average age of the Federal Workforce upon retirement.

Accessions, Separations, and Pay Periods for the Executive Branch

This document presents an overview of Accessions, Separations and Pay Periods for the Executive Branch of the Federal Government, providing the public and analysts access to commonly requested information about the Federal Workforce. This document presents basic data, in the form of tables and graphs, on Accessions, Separations and Pay Period information for the Executive Branch of the Federal Government.

Senior Executive Service Report

The Senior Executive Service Report for Fiscal Years 2014 - 2018 provides a brief summary of federal employees in Senior Executive Service.

Executive Branch Retirement Statistics

The Executive Branch Retirement Statistics report examines the patterns and trends of federal retirement in the executive branch.

Federal Employee Participation Patterns on the Thrift Savings Plan

This report examines the participation and deferral trends and investment behavior of Federal employees who participated in the Thrift Savings Plan.

Note:

To fully understand and use the data provided in these reports, we strongly recommend you review the EHRI-SDM  information.

Employment & Trends

This quarterly publication presents data on the Federal civilian workforce by branch, agency, and geographic area. Current information and trends of employment, payroll, and turnover are summarized in detailed statistical tables. Employment and Trends published four times a year (December, March, June, and September).  Previous versions of this publication may be obtained upon request at Fedstats@opm.gov.

The following editions are available:

Historical Tables

The two tables are adjusted annually as data becomes available and represent a historical snapshot of the Federal workforce and retirements over time. The three tables include:

Executive Branch Civilian Employment Since 1940 shows employment within the Executive Branch over time excluding uniformed military personnel, the Postal Service, and and intelligence agencies.

Executive Branch Retirements of NSFTP Federal Civilian Employees 2000 to present represent the retirement of non-seasonal, full-time permanent employees of the Executive Branch only, and does not include U. S. Postal Service, Legislative or Judicial branches, or intelligence agencies.

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