2013 budget: Staffing levels remain mostly flat

All News

2013 budget: Staffing levels remain mostly flat

The size of the federal workforce has been an issue of political discussion for the past couple years. But amid everything else in the official 2013 budget request...

Jack Moore

February 13, 2012 9:07 pm

2 min read

The size of the federal government — and particularly the federal workforce — has been an issue of political discussion for the past couple years.

But amid everything else in the official 2013 budget request unveiled Monday, the overall size of the federal government, in terms of staffing levels, would remain relatively constant.

Part of the 2013 budget request provides concrete details about current staffing levels at each agency as well as estimated staffing levels for 2013. Overall, the White House 2013 budget would add 2,400 new positions across more than 25 agencies and departments.

However, agency by agency the numbers vary widely. The Treasury Department is due for an increase of 3.3 percent — which would bring its workforce to more than 111,000. Similarly, the Securities and Exchange Commission will see 600 positions added, an increase of 15.4 percent for the smaller agency.

On the other hand, the Broadcasting Board of Governors is set to lose about 100 positions, which is 5 percent of its workforce, while the Office of Personnel Management’s staffing levels are projected to decrease by 400 positions — a 7 percent cut.

(Below is an agency-by-agency chart of estimated staffing levels for 2012, compared to the budget’s 2013 projections. Numbers are approximate.)

Cabinet-level agencies

Agency	Number of full-time employees
Agency	2013 estimate	2012 estimate	Difference	Percent change
Agriculture	92,300	93,300	-1,000	-1.1 percent
Commerce	42,000	40,500	1,500	3.7 percent
Defense	756,800	764,300	-7,500	-1.0 percent
Education	4,300	4,300	0	0 percent
Energy	16,400	16, 500	-100	-0.6 percent
Health and Human Services	71,500	70,100	1,400	2.0 percent
Homeland Security	188,900	187,500	1,400	0.7 percent
Housing and Urban Development	9,400	9,400	0	0 percent
Interior	69,800	70,400	-600	-0.9 percent
Justice	118,600	117,900	700	0.6 percent
Labor	17,400	17,400	0	0 percent
State	32,500	32,400	100	0.3 percent
Transportation	57,900	57,700	200	0.3 percent
Treasury	111,800	108,200	3,600	3.3 percent
Veterans Affairs	306,600	302,300	4,300	1.4 percent

Independent agencies

Agency Read more: All News	Number of full-time employees
Agency Read more: All News	2013 estimate	2012 estimate	Difference	Percent change
Broadcasting Board of Governors	1,900	2,000	100	-5.0 percent
Environmental Protection Agency	17,100	17,100	0	0 percent
General Services Administration	13,000	13,200	-2,00	-1.5 percent
NASA	18,200	18,400	-2,00	-1.1 percent
National Archives and Records Administration	3,300	3,300	0	0 percent
Nuclear Regulatory Commission	3,900	4,000	-1,00	-2.5 percent
Office of Personnel Management	5,300	5,700	-400	-7.0 percent
Securities and Exchange Commission	4,500	3,900	600	15.4 percent
Small Business Administration	3,400	3,400	0	0 percent
Social Security Administration	63,400	65,400	-2,000	-3.1 percent