(CNSNews.com) - There were 1,469,000 fewer people working for government in the United States in June than there were in February, according to the employment numbers released today by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
This is despite the fact that government employment increased by a modest 33,000 from May to June.
Government started 2020 with 22,714,000 workers this January. In February that increased to 22,745,000. In March, government employment started down, hitting 22,728,000.
It hit the lowest level for this year in May—at 21,243,000.
The drop from 22,745,000 in February to 21,276,000 in June means that 1,469,000 fewer people were working for government in June that in January.
“Government employment changed little in June (+33,000), as job gains in local government education (+70,000) were partially offset by job losses in state government (-25,000),” the BLS said in its employment report today.
“Government employment is 1.5 million below its February level,” BLS said.
Federal government employment peaked this year in April, when it hit 2,893,000. In June, it was 2,885,000—or 8,000 below the April peak.
State government employment peaked this year in February at 5,199,000. In June, it was 4,915,000—or 284,000 below the February peak.
Local government employment peaked this year in March, when it hit 146,800,000. In June, it was 13,476,000—or1,204,000 below that March peak.
Government employment in the United States hit an all-time high of 22,996,000 in May 2010, the last Census year. From April to May of 2010, federal employment jumped from 2,984,000 to 3,416,000—an increase of 432,000.
By the end of 2010, federal employment was down to 2,870,000.