Who employs groundskeepers for public parks in the United States?

Groundskeepers for public parks in the United States are typically employed by local or municipal governments, since public parks usually fall under the jurisdiction of city or county authorities. These governmental bodies have departments specifically dedicated to the maintenance and operations of park facilities, such as a Department of Parks and Recreation or similar. Groundskeepers may be full-time city or county employees, seasonal workers, or part-time staff, depending on the size of the park and the workload.

In some cases, state governments employ groundskeepers for state parks, and the federal government hires these workers for national parks through the National Park Service. Additionally, private contractors may sometimes be used to carry out groundskeeping services for public parks, especially if the local government decides to outsource this work to reduce costs or manage workforce flexibility.