Statistically, a federal employee is more likely to die than to quit. Federal employees are paid so much that many hundreds–or even thousands–of applicants now apply for some federal openings, such as openings in the U.S. Postal Service.
In the private sector, this would signal a basic “supply versus demand” solution: wages would be adjusted downward until supply was more equitably balanced with demand. Taxpayers would then get more “government services” for their money.
But supply-and-demand analysis doesn’t seem to apply to government hiring decisions. A 2014 story in the Baltimore Sun revealed that some federal agencies are now (secretly) capping the number of applicants at a given number; say 25. (Those who apply after this secret number is reached are not always told that their applications won’t be considered.)
The Baltimore Sun article is here.
