<P> The Federal Government is the nation's single largest employer . Although most federal agencies are based in the Washington, D.C. region, only about 16% (or about 288,000) of the federal government workforce is employed in this region . </P> <Table> Federal Government executive branch civilian employment, except U.S. Postal Service, fiscal year 2016 (Employment in thousands) <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Worldwide </Th> <Th> Washington, D.C. </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Worldwide </Th> <Th> Washington, D.C. </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Combined Total </Th> <Td> 2,096 </Td> <Td> 173 </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Executive departments </Th> <Td> 1,923 </Td> <Td> 132 </Td> <Th> Independent agencies </Th> <Td> 173 </Td> <Td> 41 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Defense, total </Th> <Td> 738 </Td> <Td> 16.5 </Td> <Th> Social Security Administration </Th> <Td> 64 </Td> <Td> 0.2 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Army </Th> <Td> 251 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> NASA </Th> <Td> 17 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Navy </Th> <Td> 207 </Td> <Td> 12 </Td> <Th> Environmental Protection Agency </Th> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Air Force </Th> <Td> 169 </Td> <Td> 0.5 </Td> <Th> Securities and Exchange Commission </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Other defense </Th> <Td> 80 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> General Services Administration </Th> <Td> 12 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Veterans Affairs </Th> <Td> 373 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Th> Small Business Administration </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> 0.8 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Homeland Security </Th> <Td> 192 </Td> <Td> 24 </Td> <Th> Office of Personnel Management </Th> <Td> 5 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Treasury </Th> <Td> 92 </Td> <Td> 9 </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Justice </Th> <Td> 117 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Agriculture </Th> <Td> 97 </Td> <Td> 7 </Td> <Th> Executive departments (cont .) </Th> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Interior </Th> <Td> 71 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Health / Human Services (HHS) </Th> <Td> 87 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Energy </Th> <Td> 15 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Transportation </Th> <Td> 55 </Td> <Td> 8 </Td> <Th> State </Th> <Td> 13 </Td> <Td> 10 </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Commerce </Th> <Td> 46 </Td> <Td> </Td> <Th> Housing / Urban Dev (HUD) </Th> <Td> 8 </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Labor </Th> <Td> 16 </Td> <Td> 5 </Td> <Th> Education </Th> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Th> </Th> <Th> Worldwide </Th> <Th> Washington, D.C. </Th> <Th> </Th> <Th> Worldwide </Th> <Th> Washington, D.C. </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Combined Total </Th> <Td> 2,096 </Td> <Td> 173 </Td> <Td_colspan="3"> </Td> </Tr>

Who sets the pay for civil service members