Database on public sector employment contains statistics for more than 140 countries and territories, on total employment, employment in the private sector, and public sector employment by sex, by type of institutional unit, by level of government and by economic activity.
To read a complete explanation on this subject, please visit http://www.ilo.org/public/english/bureau/stat/download/wp_pse_e.pdf
The total public sector employment covers all employment of general government sector as defined in System of National Accounts 1993 (see Annex) plus employment of publicly owned enterprises and companies, resident and operating at central, state (or regional) and local levels of government. It covers all persons employed directly by those institutions, without regard for the particular type of employment contract.
The central government units consist in general of a single institution composed of departments or ministries, of autonomous agencies carrying out special functions, and of all NPIs which are controlled and mainly financed by public authority. Their fiscal, legislative and executive authority extends over the entire territory of the country. The administration units which provide some services to local residents but which are directly dependent on central units should be an integral part of central government unit (see Annex, paragraphs 4.117 to 4.122).
The state government units (or regional government units) consist of "state governments which are separate institutional units plus those NPIs that are controlled and mainly financed by state governments". Their fiscal, legislative and executive authority extends to the territory of the "state" (or region) into the country. They are often own autonomous agencies for special functions. (see Annex, paragraphs 4.123 to 4.127).
The local government units are institutional units whose fiscal, legislative and executive authority is generally much less than that of central or state (or regional) governments. They typically provide a wide range of services to local residents and often depend on grants or transfers from higher levels of governments. (see Annex, paragraphs 4.128 and 4.129).
The general government sector employment is the total employment of all government units, social security funds and non-market Non Profit Institutions (NPIs) that are controlled and mainly financed by public authority.
The government units carry out government functions and have fiscal, legislative and executive authority, which extend to their competent geographical areas.
The Non Profit Institutions (NPIs) are legal entities which are autonomous from government units. They are classified under the general government only if they are non-market, as well as financed and controlled by public authority.
The social security funds are "social insurance schemes covering the community as a whole or large sections of the community, and are imposed and controlled by government units". They can operate at each level of government (see Annex, paragraph 4.130).
The employment of publicly owned enterprises and companies is the employment of all units producing goods or services for the market and which are mainly owned and/or controlled by government units.