Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability
Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability

Government "Outside" Workforce Exceeds Number of State Personnel System Employees

Report 01-16, March 2001

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Report Summary

  • State government is the largest employer in Florida-and that is counting only state employees whose positions are established within state personnel systems or whose jobs are funded by other personal services (OPS) dollars appropriated by the Legislature.1/ Often overlooked are the thousands of "outside" workers, such as employees of state service contractors, grantees, community colleges, and public school districts, whose positions are funded in whole or in part with state dollars. Including "inside" and "outside" workers, we estimate the total state-funded work force to be 486,265, of which 57% are "outside."
  • Based on readily available fiscal and labor market data, we estimate that in Fiscal Year 1999-2000, the state funded 1.33 outside jobs (277,127) for every inside state personnel system and OPS position (209,138).
  • School districts and community colleges accounted for 74% of the outside workforce. State service contractors accounted for 16%, while the remaining 10% were employees of non-state organizations and local governments that received grants, direct appropriations, or cooperative agreement funds from the state.
1/ The State's personnel systems include the State Personnel System, the State University System, the State Courts System, the Legislature, the Florida Lottery, the Auditor General, and other executive pay plans. The other executive pay plans consist of much smaller entities that are not included in any of the six personnel systems.

Related Reports
  1. State Agencies Have Increased Their Use of Other Personal Services Employees
    Report 07-28 April 2007
  2. Measuring the Size and Cost of Florida State and Local Government
    Report 03-19 March 2003
  3. State's "Actual" Workforce Is Increasing Primarily Due to Growth In Outside Jobs
    Report 02-14 March 2002
  4. Assessing Privatization in State Agency Programs
    Report 98-64 February 1999
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.
government, government support,contracts, workforce, off-budget, grants, employees, jobs, contractors, grantees, workers, privatization, outsourcing, contracting, positions, FLAIR, personnel