Some government jobs are offering big bonuses, higher pay and parental leave to lure applicants

• Sign-on bonuses, higher pay, and paid family leave are on offer with some government jobs.
• Roles such as public school teachers and police officers have a reputation of being underpaid. 
• Listings offer an average of 20% higher pay compared to last year, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Job prospects in some sectors such as tech might be less than rosy, but some government agencies are pulling out the stops in a bid to attract applicants.

Thousands of government positions are on offer, according to FRED Economic Data and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.