Home Media Center News Releases

Washington, D.C.—Ongoing budget issues across the federal government are fueling increasing dissatisfaction within the federal workforce, according to rankings released today on the best places to work in the federal government. According to the rankings, overall job satisfaction among federal employees dropped to score of 57.8 on a scale of 100—the lowest level it has been since the rankings were started in 2003.

“This is not just disappointing, it should be alarming to federal lawmakers and the American public,” said President Colleen M. Kelley of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU). “It underscores the reality that a lengthy pay freeze, severe budget cuts, ongoing threats to their retirement and continuing criticism of their work takes a very heavy toll.”

The current rankings, compiled prior to the October government shutdown and released by the Partnership for Public Service, show a decline of 3 percentage points in overall employee job satisfaction, marking the third consecutive year of decline. The rankings are based on data collected by the Office of Personnel Management in its annual Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey.

Despite the overall decline, there are a number of agencies where NTEU’s strong presence played an important role in helping create and maintain the kind of workplace that most effectively serves the public. Among the four categories of federal agencies, NTEU-represented agencies took top honors in two of those categories: mid-sized agencies and agency subcomponents.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was ranked highest in employee satisfaction and commitment among mid-size agencies—a category in which four NTEU-represented agencies were in the top nine. In addition to the FDIC, these agencies are the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (4th), Federal Communications Commission (7th) and National Credit Union Administration (9th).

Among agency subcomponents, the NTEU-represented Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) ranked highest, boosting its score by 4.1 percentage points—to 84.4 percent—from a year-earlier.

“PTO and FDIC are prime examples of how agencies can rise to the top of the best places to work rankings by working closely with the union to be responsive to employee concerns. A strong labor-management relationship can help overcome negative external issues through policies and procedures that help employees stay highly productive and satisfied with their work,” said President Kelley.

At PTO, NTEU represents trademark office and patent office employees. Along with an advanced telework program, NTEU has negotiated other benefits for workers that include bar dues reimbursement for trademark attorneys, and a new contract covering patent employees that provides greater flexibility in work schedules, as well as improved telework and promotion programs.

There are clear lessons here, President Kelley said, including the need for open communication between labor and management, adequate resources for federal agencies, and true respect for federal employees for the work they do every day. “Massive budget cuts forced by sequestration are causing federal agencies, and federal workers, to struggle to meet their missions. Given the strong commitment of federal employees to their jobs, an inability to fully perform them is a devastating blow,” Kelley said.

The Federal Communications Commission, another NTEU-represented agency, had the most-improved score among mid-sized agencies. Earlier this year, NTEU reached a new contract with the FCC that strengthens employee rights and benefits.

On that front, she noted the continuing disappointing score for the Department of Homeland Security, which ranked 19th and last among large agencies, and which saw its score drop by 6.1 percentage points from 2012, to only 46.8 percent in employee satisfaction. Just last week, President Kelley testified before Congress on low morale issues among DHS employees.

As the nation’s largest independent federal union, NTEU represents 150,000 employees in 31 agencies and departments.