Compensation structure of the federal executive’s active civil servants in Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian Federal Public Administration is going through a period of fiscal tightening, and as personnel expenses are one of the largest components of expenditure, it is important to assess its composition. This article analyzes in detail the remuneration structure of executive branch careers. The article shows that most federal employees are among the 10% best-paid employees in the country, earning a salary premium relative to the private sector and other countries’ public servants. Moreover, we show that civil servants with equivalent duties have significantly different remuneration, depending on the body of the direct or indirect administration in which they work. In addition, we highlight the procyclicality of the expenditure on executive branch active personnel. An administrative reform agenda is important to rationalize public service careers, provide remuneration in line with the Brazilian reality, and reward high-performance employees through medium and long-term goals.