Month by Month: How the Federal Workforce Changed

Annual workforce reports smooth over the dramatic monthly swings that define the federal employment cycle. The monthly data tells a more honest story.

December is the cruelest month. Every December shows a massive spike in retirements — end-of-year departures that are deeply embedded in federal culture. December 2021 was the worst single month in our data: a net loss of 18,323 employees, driven by 18,920 retirements alone.

COVID suppressed movement in both directions. In early 2020, both hiring and separations dropped as the government froze in place. But by mid-2020, agencies were on a hiring surge — March through August 2020 saw consistently positive net gains as the government ramped up pandemic response.

The Great Resignation arrived late. While the private sector saw quit rates spike in 2021, federal quits peaked in mid-2021 through early 2022. Government employees, with better job security, took longer to join the trend — but they did join it.

2023 was a recovery year. Every month of 2023 in our data shows positive net change — the government was actively rebuilding headcount after the 2021-2022 exodus.

Note: This data covers FY2020 through September 2023 from OPM FedScope bulk files. For 2025 data including DOGE workforce reduction impacts, see the DOGE Impact Dashboard.