Public Service Recognition Week
Public Service Recognition Week is recognized the first week of May to celebrate individuals who dedicate their careers to serving the public. It is a time to express gratitude and appreciation to those who serve our nation at federal, state, county, tribal and local levels.
5 interesting facts about Public Service
Almost 24 million people, or 15% of the U.S. workforce, are involved in federal, state or local government (1).
Elementary and secondary schools employ the highest number of state and local government employees with nearly 7 million teachers, aides and support staff across the nation (2).
Public Service Recognition week was first celebrated in 1985 (3).
The size of the federal government in proportion to the total U.S. populations has decreased in over the past 50 years. Between 2001 and 2017, the percentage who entered the federal government, from the overall pool who opted for a government job, decreased from nearly 75% to 25% (1).
One third of the federal workforce will be eligible to retire by 2025 (4).
Sources:
Hill Fiona, “Public service and the federal government”, Bookings, 27 May 2020, https://www.brookings.edu/articles/public-service-and-the-federal-government/#:~:text=Across%20the%20U.S.%2C%20nearly%2024%20million%20people%E2%80%94a%20little,million%20are%20employed%20in%20state%20and%20local%20governments
McNichol Elizabeth, “Five Important Facts About Public Employees, 18 Jun 2012, https://www.cbpp.org/blog/five-important-facts-about-public-employees#:~:text=Five%20Important%20Facts%20About%20Public%20Employees%201%201.,wages%20than%20their%20private-sector%20counterparts.%20...%20More%20items
“Public Service Recognition Week”, Partnership for Public Service, https://ourpublicservice.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/PSRW24_guide_howtocelebrate.pdf
Weisner Molly, “Federal retirees urge Congress to waive savings disbursement rule as inflation bites”, Federal Times, 20 Jun 2022, https://www.federaltimes.com/fedlife/retirement/2022/07/20/federal-retirees-urge-congress-to-waive-savings-disbursement-rule-as-inflation-bites/