For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

www.bls.gov/ebs 

GLOSSARY

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

sick leave and disability benefit combinations.

Access to a benefit plan. Employees are 

considered to have access to a benefit 

plan if it is available for their use. For 

example, if an employee is permitted to 

participate in a retirement plan offered 

by the employer, he or she is placed in 

a category with those having access to a 

retirement plan, regardless of whether he 

or she chooses to participate. 

Participation. Participation is the percent 

of employees who actually enroll in a 

benefit plan. A plan may be a contributory plan, which requires an employee to 

contribute to the plan’s cost in order to 

participate, or it may be a noncontributory plan in which the employer pays 100 

percent of the cost of the benefit.

Defined-benefit plan. A defined-benefit 

retirement plan provides employees with 

guaranteed retirement benefits that are 

based on a benefit formula. A participant’s 

retirement age, length of service, and preretirement earnings may affect the benefit 

received.

Defined-contribution plan. A definedcontribution retirement plan specifies the 

level of employer contributions and places 

those contributions into individual em- ployee accounts. Retirement benefits are 

based on the level of funds in the account 

at the time of retirement.

Medical care. Medical care provides 

coverage for the treatment and prevention 

of a broad range of illnesses and injuries, 

and can include coverage for surgical care, 

visits to a physician, or hospital care with 

inpatient hospital charges. 

Outpatient prescription drug care. Prescription drug care provides coverage for 

out-of-hospital prescription drugs. Usually, coverage does not include such items 

as medical appliances or devices, in-hospital drugs, blood, and blood plasma. 

Retiree health care. Retiree health care 

is a health plan that provides coverage 

to a retiree beyond what is mandated by 

COBRA or other health care insurance 

continuation laws. Coverage must include 

items typically found in a medical plan 

(such as hospitalization and doctors’ care). 

Family leave. Family leave is given to 

employees to care for a family member 

who is ill. Leave may also be available to 

care for a newborn child, an adopted child, 

or a sick adult relative. Family leave may 

be paid or unpaid. 

TABLE 2

especially notable for paid holidays 

and paid vacations. Ninety percent of State government workers 

had access to paid holidays versus 

60 percent of local government 

workers. Eighty-six percent of 

State government workers had 

access to paid vacations versus 51 

percent of local government workers. (See table 2.) Local government workers had less access to 

paid holidays and paid vacations 

partly because teachers make up 

a larger percentage of employees 

than in State government. Teachers and other employees in schools 

are commonly employed on the 

basis of 9- or 10-month contracts 

and often do not receive formal 

holiday and vacation benefits. ●

Paid leave benefits: Access of State and local 

government workers, National Compensation

Survey, March 2010, in percent

Benefit type Government type

State Local

Paid holidays 90 60

Paid sick leave 94 88

Paid vacations 86 51

Paid personal leave 54 61

Paid funeral leave 90 83

Paid jury duty leave 94 90

Paid military leave 88 71

Family leave

 Paid 19 16

 Unpaid 97 93
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

ployed 14.7 million workers, with 

57 percent employed in education.1 

State government employment is 

more widely diversified than local 

government employment. According to “Occupational Employment 

and Wages by Ownership, May 

2009” issued by the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics 

program, the largest occupations in 

State government are correctional 

officers and jailers, office clerks, 

registered nurses, and executive 

secretaries and administrative assistants. Approximately 700,000 

employees work in these occupations, or over 15 percent of State 

2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES • JANUARY 2011 

government employment. In contrast, the largest occupations in local 

government are in education, specifically teaching. The largest four 

occupations in local government are 

elementary school teachers (except 

special education), teacher assistants, and secondary school teachers 

(except special and vocational education), and middle school teachers 

(except special and vocational education). These occupations account 

for nearly 4 million local government employees, or 27 percent of 

local government employment. 

Benefit access and 

participation

Retirement and savings, health 

care, and paid leave, are among the 

most common benefits for State 

and local government employees, 

although access and participation of the benefits can vary. 

Retirement and savings. Retirement and savings plans, including defined-benefit and definedcontribution plans, are offered 

to the majority of State and local 

government employees. As shown 

in table 1, 92 percent of State 

government workers had access 

to retirement plans, and 89 percent of local government workers 

had access to a retirement plan. 

Defined-benefit retirement plans 

were available to 87 percent of 

State government workers and 83 

percent of local government workers. Nearly all government workers who had access to a definedbenefit retirement plan participated. 

Defined-contribution plans, on the 

 

Benefit

Access Participation

Government type Government type

State Local State Local

All retirement benefits 92 89 87 85

 Defined-benefit plans 87 83 78 79

 Defined-contribution plans 43 24 25 14

Health care 94 86 87 75

 Medical care 94 86 82 69

 Dental care 59 53 52 45

 Vision care 49 33 37 28

 Outpatient prescription drug coverage 93 84 82 68

Retirement and health care benefits: Access and participation of State and 

local government workers, National Compensation Survey, March 2010, in percent

TABLE 1

1 For details on State and local government 

employment, see table B-1 in “The Employment Situation—May 2010,” available online 

at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/

empsit_06042010.pdf.

.

from cover page►
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS 

ployed 14.7 million workers, with 

57 percent employed in education.1 

State government employment is 

more widely diversified than local 

government employment. According to “Occupational Employment 

and Wages by Ownership, May 

2009” issued by the BLS Occupational Employment Statistics 

program, the largest occupations in 

State government are correctional 

officers and jailers, office clerks, 

registered nurses, and executive 

secretaries and administrative assistants. Approximately 700,000 

employees work in these occupations, or over 15 percent of State 

2 PROGRAM PERSPECTIVES • JANUARY 2011 

government employment. In contrast, the largest occupations in local 

government are in education, specifically teaching. The largest four 

occupations in local government are 

elementary school teachers (except 

special education), teacher assistants, and secondary school teachers 

(except special and vocational education), and middle school teachers 

(except special and vocational education). These occupations account 

for nearly 4 million local government employees, or 27 percent of 

local government employment. 

Benefit access and 

participation

Retirement and savings, health 

care, and paid leave, are among the 

most common benefits for State 

and local government employees, 

although access and participation of the benefits can vary. 

Retirement and savings. Retirement and savings plans, including defined-benefit and definedcontribution plans, are offered 

to the majority of State and local 

government employees. As shown 

in table 1, 92 percent of State 

government workers had access 

to retirement plans, and 89 percent of local government workers 

had access to a retirement plan. 

Defined-benefit retirement plans 

were available to 87 percent of 

State government workers and 83 

percent of local government workers. Nearly all government workers who had access to a definedbenefit retirement plan participated. 

Defined-contribution plans, on the 

 

Benefit

Access Participation

Government type Government type

State Local State Local

All retirement benefits 92 89 87 85

 Defined-benefit plans 87 83 78 79

 Defined-contribution plans 43 24 25 14

Health care 94 86 87 75

 Medical care 94 86 82 69

 Dental care 59 53 52 45

 Vision care 49 33 37 28

 Outpatient prescription drug coverage 93 84 82 68

Retirement and health care benefits: Access and participation of State and 

local government workers, National Compensation Survey, March 2010, in percent

TABLE 1

1 For details on State and local government 

employment, see table B-1 in “The Employment Situation—May 2010,” available online 

at http://www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/

empsit_06042010.pdf.

.

from cover page►
For additional assistance on 

benefits, contact one of our 

information offices:

NATIONAL: WASHINGTON, DC

(202) 691-6199 TDD: (800) 877-8339

NCSinfo@bls.gov www.bls.gov/ebs

REGIONAL:

ATLANTA

(404) 893-4222

BOSTON

(617) 565-2327

CHICAGO

(312) 353-1880

DALLAS

(972) 850-4800

KANSAS CITY

(816) 285-7000

NEW YORK

(646) 264-3600

PHILADELPHIA

(215) 597-3282

SAN FRANCISCO

(415) 625-2270

BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

www.bls.gov/ebs 

GLOSSARY

The next Program Perspectives will feature 

sick leave and disability benefit combinations.

Access to a benefit plan. Employees are 

considered to have access to a benefit 

plan if it is available for their use. For 

example, if an employee is permitted to 

participate in a retirement plan offered 

by the employer, he or she is placed in 

a category with those having access to a 

retirement plan, regardless of whether he 

or she chooses to participate. 

Participation. Participation is the percent 

of employees who actually enroll in a 

benefit plan. A plan may be a contributory plan, which requires an employee to 

contribute to the plan’s cost in order to 

participate, or it may be a noncontributory plan in which the employer pays 100 

percent of the cost of the benefit.

Defined-benefit plan. A defined-benefit 

retirement plan provides employees with 

guaranteed retirement benefits that are 

based on a benefit formula. A participant’s 

retirement age, length of service, and preretirement earnings may affect the benefit 

received.

Defined-contribution plan. A definedcontribution retirement plan specifies the 

level of employer contributions and places 

those contributions into individual em- ployee accounts. Retirement benefits are 

based on the level of funds in the account 

at the time of retirement.

Medical care. Medical care provides 

coverage for the treatment and prevention 

of a broad range of illnesses and injuries, 

and can include coverage for surgical care, 

visits to a physician, or hospital care with 

inpatient hospital charges. 

Outpatient prescription drug care. Prescription drug care provides coverage for 

out-of-hospital prescription drugs. Usually, coverage does not include such items 

as medical appliances or devices, in-hospital drugs, blood, and blood plasma. 

Retiree health care. Retiree health care 

is a health plan that provides coverage 

to a retiree beyond what is mandated by 

COBRA or other health care insurance 

continuation laws. Coverage must include 

items typically found in a medical plan 

(such as hospitalization and doctors’ care). 

Family leave. Family leave is given to 

employees to care for a family member 

who is ill. Leave may also be available to 

care for a newborn child, an adopted child, 

or a sick adult relative. Family leave may 

be paid or unpaid. 

TABLE 2

especially notable for paid holidays 

and paid vacations. Ninety percent of State government workers 

had access to paid holidays versus 

60 percent of local government 

workers. Eighty-six percent of 

State government workers had 

access to paid vacations versus 51 

percent of local government workers. (See table 2.) Local government workers had less access to 

paid holidays and paid vacations 

partly because teachers make up 

a larger percentage of employees 

than in State government. Teachers and other employees in schools 

are commonly employed on the 

basis of 9- or 10-month contracts 

and often do not receive formal 

holiday and vacation benefits. ●

Paid leave benefits: Access of State and local 

government workers, National Compensation

Survey, March 2010, in percent

Benefit type Government type

State Local

Paid holidays 90 60

Paid sick leave 94 88

Paid vacations 86 51

Paid personal leave 54 61

Paid funeral leave 90 83

Paid jury duty leave 94 90

Paid military leave 88 71

Family leave

 Paid 19 16

 Unpaid 97 93