Here are a few notes on government employment trends, and how they relate to the recent employment report. All graphs are interactive.

From the BLS Labor Report,

Government employment changed little in June (+26,000). During the first half of 2014, employment at the federal level declined by 23,000, continuing its long-term downward trend, while local government added 76,000 jobs. State government employment changed little in June, and has changed little, on net, in 2014.

Illustrated graphically, the trend over the last fifty years shows and uneven decent, which not only correspond to recessions, but are most likely the result of technology, innovation and consolidation:

Yet other FRED data seems to indicate that, taken on the whole, government (all levels) are hiring and adding to some of the employment numbers:

Additionally, the rebound of the “all government” measurement of employees has occurred in less than two years:

And  consistent with the BLS report, local government surged, adding to the employment numbers by 76,000:

Finally, the rebound for state and local government shows a different picture in terms of length of time to recover:

Which illustrates this final graph demonstrating over the long haul, which agencies were hit the hardest – the ones where all of us live: