Aim. This article examines the psychological implications of occupational burnout among public administration employees, with a focus on its impact on family functioning. Drawing on selected empirical studies, the aim is to identify key antecedents and symptoms of burnout and to examine how prolonged work-related stress may disrupt family dynamics, particularly parenting and the modelling of adaptive behaviours. Methods and materials. The article is a narrative literature review based on an analysis of national and international research findings concerning burnout in public sector occupations. Results and conclusion. Findings indicate that burnout in public administration is a widespread and multifactorial phenomenon, driven by chronic exposure to organisational stressors such as excessive workload, time pressure, unstable regulatory frameworks, legal overregulation, and escalating competence demands. Additional contributing factors include limited decision-making autonomy, lack of recognition, deficient communication, and value conflicts. Psychological vulnerability — especially high neuroticism — further increases susceptibility to burnout. Quality of workplace relationships, particularly with supervisors and peers, also plays a moderating role. Critically, the effects of burnout transcend the occupational domain, adversely affecting the individual’s emotional availability and relational functioning within the family system. This can impair parenting efficacy, contribute to intergenerational transmission of stress, and undermine overall family wellbeing. Thus, burnout among public sector employees should be conceptualised not only as an occupational health issue but also as a systemic social concern. Addressing it requires a comprehensive approach combining preventive and therapeutic interventions at both organisational and individual levels.