Contrary to widespread public perception, the vast majority of the Nation's 2.1 million Federal employees work at least the required 40 hours a week and adhere to lunch and coffeebreak rules. When time lost due to a small number of abusers is taken into account, taxpapers appear to be getting hundreds of millions of dollars of 'free' labor each year from the many Federal employees who regularly work extra time without compensation. GAO reached this conclusion after analyzing questionnaire responses from about 3,000 randomly selected employees at the 7 largest Federal agencies (collectively employing 70 percent of all civilian workers). GAO also observed employee work-hour practices and interviewed 238 personnel officers, supervisors, and union representatives in the 7 agencies in various locations across the country.