More Americans seek federal gov't jobs

• Source: Xinhua
• [15:07 July 28 2009]
• Comments

Many Americans who did not like government jobs before have to turn to the federal government for jobs as the country's unemployment rate hits over 10 percent in many states.

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said 2.4 percent of the total private-sector workforce in the country was laid off or fired in December 2008, while only about 0.3 percent of the federal workforce lost their jobs involuntarily.

Before the recession, not so many Americans liked government jobs because government employees usually make less money than private-sector employees.

More law school graduates used to prefer to work at private law firms than in the government as prosecutors. Some Americans did not want to work for the government because some government jobs require background checks and have strict restrictions.

But now things have changed. Some have been laid off by private companies, some find it hard to get a job in the private sector. One of the places that are still hiring is the US federal government.

It is expected that the US federal government's civilian workforce of 2.8 million is likely to expand significantly over the next several years as the government continues to stimulate the economy, rescue troubled banks, overhaul health care and pursue other elements of US President Barack Obama's agenda.

People found that government career now holds greater appeal because it is more stable even if it is not well paid compared with jobs in the private sector.

According to the US Office of Personnel Management, government hiring has increased steadily over the past four years, from 79,000 in fiscal year 2004 to 99,000 in fiscal year 2007.

The US Heritage Foundation estimates that the 787-billion-U.S. dollar economic stimulus package signed into law by Obama could create at least 100,000 more government jobs next year and 120,000 ones by 2012.

Obama's 3.5-trillion-dollar budget plan will create more jobs since the government will play a greater role in financial regulation, student loans, environmental regulation and care for war veterans.

Besides, to recruit more young people to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US government has allowed permanent residents to join the army and shorten the waiting period for them to become US citizens.