What Is A Federal Civilian Employee?

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Classifying someone as a federal civilian employee isn’t as complicated as it seems. If it’s broken down by terms, anyone who works for the federal government is a federal employee. A civilian is someone who is not a member of the armed forces.

Key Takeaways

• Federal civilian employees are employed by the federal government and not members of the armed services.

• Federal civilian employees work for either the executive branch, the legislative branch or the judicial branch of government and perform a wide variety of jobs within these branches.

• The federal government hires a lot of general contractors who may work for the government on a regular basis, but they do not qualify as federal employees.

• Pay for federal employees is set based on a schedule which is overseen by the Office of Personnel Management.

What Is a Federal Civilian Employee?

Federal civilian employees are everywhere and sometimes might not even realize that they fall into that category. Most people who are not in the armed services and work for the federal government on a daily basis are federal civilian employees.

These people are entitled to pay in accordance with the General Schedule provided in section 5332 of title 5 of the federal government. Typically, their pay and raises are determined by the president and Congress rather than merit or any commission basis.

Similarly, their benefits are determined by the government and often are in line with other people doing similar jobs for the federal government across the country and sometimes even in foreign countries.

To put it simply, any person who is not in the armed services and is hired by, paid by, and receives benefits from the federal government is most likely a federal civilian employee.

The Branches of Federal Employment

The United States government has three main branches. If your job falls under one of these three branches, there’s a good chance that you’re a federal employee.

• Executive Branch. The executive branch of the United States federal government consists of the President, the Vice President, the executive office of the president, the cabinet which consists of 15 executive departments, and other independent agencies, committees, and executive departments. This branch is responsible for carrying out and enforcing laws.

• Legislative Branch. The legislative branch creates laws and confirms or rejects presidential nominations for heads of agencies, federal judges, and the Supreme Court. It also has the authority to declare war. This branch includes Congress, which is the Senate and the House of Representatives. It also includes many special agencies that support Congress.

• Judicial Branch. The judicial branch assesses and interprets laws that already exist. They conduct court cases in the Supreme Court and all other federal courts.

Within each branch are numerous jobs that keep everything running smoothly, from people who keep the White House ground looking fantastic to state federal judges.

What Jobs Do Federal Civilian Employees Hold

The federal government hires many people who are not members of the armed forces, even the Department of Defense employs civilians to do some jobs in their organization. This means that there are a wide variety of jobs that fall under the federal government’s umbrella but aren’t held by active military members.

Some common federal civilian employee jobs include:

• Politicians

• Judges

• Department heads

• Law enforcement/police

• Public health care workers

• Science and engineering professionals

• Administrative professionals

• Maintenance workers

Just like any business needs a variety of employees to keep it running smoothly, from maintenance personnel to executives and everything in-between, the federal government also needs all of these employees and more.

What’s the Difference Between a Federal Employee and a Government Contractor?

While the federal government hires many civilians to complete jobs, they also hire many outside companies to do work for them too. This can add a layer of confusion to categorizing your employment status, especially if your entire career is spent working for the federal government, but you’re employed by an outside contractor.

The best way to determine if you’re a federal civilian employee or not is to look at who your paychecks come from. If you’re getting paid directly from the federal government, then the odds are that you qualify as a federal civilian employee. If your paychecks come from a separate, private company that isn’t the federal government, you’re hired on a contractor basis and not a federal employee.

Another way to determine if you’re a federal employee or a government contractor is where your benefits come from. If you qualify for health benefits, vacation, and other benefits provided by the federal government, then you’re a federal employee. If your benefits package comes from an outside agency, then you’re most likely a contractor.

How are Federal Civilian Employees Paid?

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages the administration of pay for civilian federal employees. To determine wages, the OPM looks at basic pay, locality, special rates, limitations, premium pay, grade and pay retention, severance pay, recruitment, retention, and more.

The federal government needs to keep their pay competitive and offer a benefits package that incentivizes people to work for the government.

OPM creates laws and regulations that are then used for all federal civilian employees, and each federal agency is responsible for complying with these rules.

Most government jobs, federal, state, and local, have established pay schedules which list the pay ranges for a specific job classification. This is considered your pay grade, and you will be paid within that pre-specified range. There are some situations where a meritorious bonus is earned, but annual bonuses are not a part of the federal pay structure.

Federal Civilian Employee FAQ

1. How do I know if I’m a federal civil employee?

   The best way to check if you’re a federal civil employee is to look at your paycheck. If you’re paid by the government and you’re not a member of the armed services, then it’s likely that you are a federal civil employee.

2. How do I become a federal civilian employee?

   If you want to become a federal employee, USA.gov lists all of the federal jobs that are available. Some will require internships, some require specific degrees, and many require you to live in a certain region.

   Understanding what jobs are out there is a good starting point, and then learning what qualifications you need for the job you want is the next step. Finally, you’ll want to apply for the job and follow the guidelines for application to ensure you’ve crossed all of your Ts and dotted your Is.

3. What do federal workers do?

   The federal government needs employees in a wide range of jobs to perform smoothly, just like any company would. Employees in the federal government often fall into the category of administrative, professional, technical, blue-collar, or clerical.

   Everything from keeping the federal property looking clean and maintained to determining what foods are safe for the public to eat falls under the federal employment umbrella, so there are a lot of opportunities.

4. How are federal workers paid?

   All federal jobs are based on job classification, grade level, geographic location, and length of employment. This schedule is managed by the OPM. Most workers are eligible for step increases every one to three years until they reach the maximum pay for their job. In addition to pay, federal government employees receive a generous compensation package of benefits for their employment.

Author

Kristin Kizer

Kristin Kizer is an award-winning writer, television and documentary producer, and content specialist who has worked on a wide variety of written, broadcast, and electronic publications. A former writer/producer for The Discovery Channel, she is now a freelance writer and delighted to be sharing her talents and time with the wonderful Zippia audience.