Data Show Homeland Security's Massive Impact on Government

The Office of Personnel Management has posted some new data that give you a sense of how the creation of the Department of Homeland Security ricocheted across the government.

Between October 2002 and October 2004, the Transportation Department lost 45,655 employees, the Treasury Department lost 36,292 and the Justice Department lost 27,412.

Homeland Security began operating in March 2003, taking employees from 22 agencies. They included passenger and baggage screeners from Transportation, customs and Secret Service agents from Treasury and immigration inspectors from Justice.

Overall federal employment increased during the 2002-2004 period, by 38,302 workers, to bring the total number of executive branch employees to 1.85 million.

In 2004, according to OPM, the "typical fed" was 46.8 years old, had served in government for 16.5 years, held a white-collar job under the General Schedule pay system and earned $59,238. (This year, the average GS salary was $63,125, and $80,425 in the Washington area.)

OPM's snapshot of the 2004 workforce shows that 41.9 percent had bachelor's degrees or higher, 55.5 percent were men, 31.4 percent were minorities, 22.4 percent qualified for veterans preference and 66.3 percent were covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System.

During the 2002-04 period, the number of professional, administrative and technical jobs increased, and the number of clerical jobs fell.

Those employment trends ran somewhat counter to the previous decade, when post-Cold War downsizing and Clinton administration job cuts led to staffing reductions except in administrative jobs. Women, however, made gains in federal employment between 1994 and 2004, with the percentage of women holding administrative or professional positions rising from 38.7 percent to 43.4 percent of the workforce.

Most occupations remained fairly stable across government. But one group -- "safety technician," the job classification for Transportation Security Administration screeners -- jumped by 65.6 percent, a result of the decision by Congress to deploy federal employees at the nation's airports after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

One of the largest job losses came in a group that has been disappearing across government in recent years -- office secretary. Secretarial jobs dropped almost 16 percent over a two-year period, to 37,798 in 2004.

OPM projections suggest that federal employment will hold steady until 2008-2010, when large numbers of employees could retire. Over the next 10 years, 60 percent of the government's white-collar employees will be eligible to retire, according to OPM.

Katrina Countdown

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This could be the winter of discontent (apologies to Shakespeare here) for the Department of Homeland Security.

Rep. Thomas M. Davis III (R-Va.) is heading up a special panel on the response to Hurricane Katrina and promises to deliver a report by Feb. 15. Davis promises a fair-handed appraisal but noted yesterday it will not shy away from discussing "leaders who failed to lead." House aides predict that the Davis report will explore management breakdowns related to Katrina that should prove of wide interest across government.

In the Senate, Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Joseph I. Lieberman (D-Conn.) plan several more hearings about Katrina and the aftermath. They, too, are planning to publish a report, probably in mid-March.

The department has an internal review underway, and some congressional aides expect Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to announce a new approach for dealing with disasters before the congressional reports hit the streets.

Retirements

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Arthur Besner of the Education Department retired Jan. 3 after 41 years in the government. Since July 1970, he has served in the department's office for civil rights in legislative, public affairs and customer service positions. He also wrote speeches on civil rights and educational equity issues.

Barbara E. Doran , an information technology specialist for the White House office of administration, retired Jan. 3 after almost 34 years of federal service.

E-mail:barrs@washpost.com