What is Civil Servant?

A civil servant is a government employee who works in a professional, nonpolitical role to carry out the day-to-day operations of public agencies. Civil servants are part of the civil service, which includes the permanent staff that keeps the government running, no matter which party or elected officials are in power.

Civil servants typically work in areas like education, transportation, healthcare, and public safety. Their jobs range from local administrative staff to analysts, inspectors, and national-level employees in agencies such as the Department of Education or the Social Security Administration.

Examples of civil servants include:

• Teachers and school district staff

• Public health workers, such as epidemiologists and health inspectors

• City or county administrative staff who manage records and services

• Social workers who support families and vulnerable residents

• Transportation workers in state or local transit departments

• Analysts and program specialists in federal agencies

• Firefighters and certain law enforcement personnel, depending on jurisdiction

It’s helpful to distinguish this from the broader term of public servant. While all civil servants are public servants, not all public servants are civil servants. Public servant refers to anyone who serves the public, including elected officials and political appointees, while civil servants specifically hold career, nonpolitical government jobs.

Civil servants play a vital role in turning policies into action, delivering essential services, and ensuring fair, effective, and accountable government for the public.