Contact Amanda Farnan Press Secretary (774) 571–3639 [email protected] Federal Leaders Say Hiring a Skilled Workforce Still an Issue November 19, 2020 The federal government currently employs around 2.1 million people, with the defense and security-related agencies accounting for more than 70% of the entire federal workforce. That number exceeds all private and semi-private businesses in the United States – including Walmart, which currently employs some 2.2 million people worldwide yet only has 1.5 million associates in the U.S.