Retention
Few Quitters
The government's monthly quit rate is much lower than the private sector's.
| Private industry | Federal government | |
|---|---|---|
| Sept. 2001 | 2.5 | 0.5 |
| Oct. 2001 | 2.2 | 0.6 |
| Nov. 2001 | 1.7 | 0.8 |
| Dec. 2001 | 1.6 | 0.7 |
| Jan. 2002 | 1.8 | 0.8 |
| Feb. 2002 | 1.6 | 0.6 |
| Mar. 2002 | 1.7 | 0.7 |
| Apr. 2002 | 1.9 | 0.5 |
| May 2002 | 2 | 0.6 |
| Jun. 2002 | 2.1 | 0.5 |
| Jul. 2002 | 2.2 | 0.5 |
| Aug. 2002 | 2.7 | 0.8 |
| Sept. 2002 | 2.2 | 0.4 |
Even when the economy is strong, as it was in the late 1990s, the federal quit rate remains low.
| Year | Quit Rate |
|---|---|
| 1998 | 2.4% |
| 1999 | 2.3% |
| 2000 | 2.4% |
| 2001 | 2.1% |
| 2002 | 1.7% |
Source: FedScope, Bureau of Labor Statistics
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