RELATED March 10, 2026 Partnership for Public Service's public comments on OPM's "Reduction in Force Appeals" proposed rule March 06, 2026 Partnership for Public Service’s public comments on OPM’s “Suitability Action Appeals” proposed rule February 13, 2026 Partnership for Public Service’s public comments on OPM’s “Ensuring Consistent and Rigorous Standards for Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Programs” proposed rule Back to Reports Longest Federal Government Shutdown in History Created the Risk of a Federal Brain Drain February 19, 2019 Like any organization, our government can only succeed and effectively serve the American public if it is able to recruit and retain high-quality talent. The recent 35-day shutdown poses a real risk to our government’s ability to do just that. In this issue brief, we use analyses from three major job and recruiting websites to highlight the negative effect of the shutdown on the government’s workforce. Download (51k)