The Salaries of Federal Employees
77
Ever wondered where all of your tax money goes?
In a society where salaries are secrets nobody wants to reveal, it is refreshing to find websites that have a tell all approach when it comes to the salaries of federal employees.
If you are interested in finding out just how well (or not) a government job pays, all you have to do is get online and click away.
For a broad view:
- 2007 Salary Tables and Related Information
For general salary ranges of particular job descriptions, check out this U.S. Office of Personnel Management website.
For an in-depth look:
- Federal Employees 2006 search
Find federal salaries based on location, agency, or even name at this site. Jobs that relate to national security are excluded, but other positions are available.
Why does it matter?
There are a variety of reasons why you should be able to find out how much federal employees are making.
First of all, it is important to know how tax money is used. This doesn't mean that you, personally as a taxpayer, are paying these salaries. But as a taxpayer, you should find out how taxes are used.
Second, it helps to see the salary differences between the private companies and government jobs. When I first saw some of the federal salaries, I was shocked--I was certain that the private sector paid more. I was wrong.
Public records are great sources of information. However, I wonder how some of these federal employees feel about having their salaries available for anyone to see. Are they worried about their privacy rights?
PrintShare it! — Rate it: up down flag this hub
Comments
I'd not want my salary disclosed no matter who I worked for.
Then again, NBA stars have their salaries plastered everywhere and no one seems to mind..
I was a Federal employee at a starting salary of $11,000 per year. I made more as an active duty soldier (Post Viet Nam Era) than my first Federal job. It is true that some positions are over compensated, especially when the selected employee is incompetent. When I resigned, I earned a little over 30k.
If you think posted annual salaries are ridiculous; add compensation for non-work days; like Federal Holidays, annual and sick leave. Divide the annual salary by 2086 hours, it escapes me why an extra 6 hours is necessary for there are only 2080 hours possible in 52 weeks of working 40 hours a day.
Anyway, based on the number of active Federal time; employees get 4 - 8 hours of annual leave bi-monthly. All employees get 4 hours of sick leave bi-monthly. Employees are not suppose to carryover more than 240 hours of annual from pay-period 26 to pay-period 1 of the next paid year. Employees are warned to either use or lose annual leave in excess of 240 hours. The only stipulation that allows excess carryover is in the event excess leave was scheduled and the employee could not take the leave due to scheduling conflict (too many employee requesting to be off in the same time-frame; absenteeism which may cause immediate supervisor to cancel an approved leave request for staffing purposes, ...
Sick leave is continuous accumulation.
It's true, the long-term benefits of being a federal employee can be wonderful (imagine: 8 hours of vacation every pay period), but being a federal employee has its downfalls as well (lack of creative freedom, politics, etc.). I was working as a contractor for a federal department--when you start out as a federal employee, you are not well-paid, you have to earn the benefits and higher salaries. I would love to see great benefits and salaries in the private sector as well.
There are surely a great many advantages to being a Federal employee!
I'm a current federal employee. The wages in my agency are below what the private sector pays, for the same type of job.
As far as sick pay goes, it accumulates at 4 hrs per pay period, for your entire career with the government. For the newer system (there are older workers still on the old system), you can accumulate thousands of hours of sick leave in your career, but if you don't use them, you LOSE them...you do NOT get paid for any unused sick leave if you leave or retire from the government. And believe me, managers are always on the lookout for people trying to use up sick leave (such as just before they retire or quit)--some managers will actually call your doctor if they think you are abusing sick leave. So lots of people leave the government, and leave hundreds of hours of unused sick leave behind.
Also, a work week is 40 hours, which means you have to be at work for 8 1/2 hours every day to allow for a half hour lunch. When I worked in the private sector, I worked 7 1/2 hour days (allowing for a half hour lunch) and made the same amount of money as I do now working 8 hour days. It makes for LONG days, being at work for 42 1/2 hours a week (and not getting overtime for those 2 1/2 hrs).
Yes, fed. employees get holidays off, just like most private sector jobs. But we don't get personal days, and cannot use sick leave in place of annual leave. For the 1st 3 years of fed. employment, we get 4 hrs of annual leave per 2 weeks, which works out to about 13 days of annual per year. In order to take a 2 week vacation, I'd have to work for nearly a year in order to save up enough time. A lot of private sector jobs give 2 weeks' vacation right off the bat.
Job satisfaction is not always about the money. In the government, it is a very regimented job. As Stacie pointed out, there is no room for creativity or input, and no negotiating your salary, time off, or anything. "It is what it is"--if you think you can do your job more efficiently a different way--forget it. You have to abide by all the rules, no matter how inefficient, outdated, or suppressing they may be.
Because I am older, I will probably stay with the government until I can retire. But if I was 20 something, I would probably be looking for another job, in the private sector.
"you have to be at work for 8 1/2 hours every day"
"It makes for LONG days, being at work for 42 1/2 hours a week (and not getting overtime for those 2 1/2 hrs)."
Wow !! You've GOT to be kidding me !?!?!?
A whole 2.5 hours unpaid .. You must be VERY spoiled.
Try working 60+ hour weeks and "only" paid for 40 hours.
Try working 80 hour weeks and "only" paid for 40 hours.
One thing I think the govt needs to get in line with, with most of the public sector, is the lack of a pension. So many companies, large and small, are either dropping pensions or scrapping plans for a pension due to global competition. I would love to see the govt -local, state and federal- get with the program and save BILLIONS in taxes that those that have lost their pensions will have to continue to pay for for the rest of their lives while no longer receiving the income.
Get with the real world, get with the program and lower our taxes in the process.
Jon, you should quit Mcdonalds then and get a real job.
Jon, I'm with you that fed workers should quit bitching. ESPECIALLY in this economic climate. But you must be misguided to think that feds have bloated pensions. I'm a fed, and with the exception of some law enforcement or political positions, our pension gets us 1.1 percent per year, so if I put in a full 30 I get 33 percent of my BASE pay. That's nothing fantastic at all, most local governments have much higher pensions.
I love the private sector worker's expertise on federal employment life. These comments are laughable, at best. There is room for creativity and change for more productive way of doing things. I hate the public posting of wages, it's no one's business but mine what I earn. I don't understand how people think they have a "right" to know what I earn. Yes, my salary is paid by your taxes. By the same token, you salary is paid by the items I purchase, so why isn't your salary posted? Where is my purchasing money going? I wouldn't trade my job for any job in the private sector. I've worked in the private sector for many years before landing my federal job (obtained at the age of 40). I wouldn't go back to private for any amount of money. The benefits and pay is nice, as well as job security.
I am a Federal employee as well. So far I've been able to work in exotic places like Africa, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. All this while my family goes about their lives waiting for dad to come back home. I too have worked in the public sector but I wouldn't go back. I really didn't like working with civilians. You couldn’t pull a 24 hour shift if you tried and if you did you would call in sick after that. Can't call in sick at the places I've been. As for posting my salary big deal. You have the power to pull the plug on the government at any time you want. I graciously serve all of you in one way or another. You just never know who you may need to call in the middle of the night when no one else would come to help you. Sleep well Jon or whatever your name is and peace to you. By the way did you even vote this year ?
"Try working 60+ hour weeks and "only" paid for 40 hours.
Try working 80 hour weeks and "only" paid for 40 hours. "
That would make you an idiot, not a hard worker. I have refused MANY management positions that come with "salary". "Salary" is just another way to say, "We're going to screw you out of your overtime LEGALLY"! I make more than MANY salary people I know personally and have NO interest or desire to work a salaried job.
So Jon if you don't like what you've got, MAKE A CHANGE. Don't drag the rest of into your stupidity and call it normal. It's far from it. That very crap for non-salaried individuals is WHY unions ever took hold anywhere. We as a country need to STOP abusing our workers. Japan, Germany, China all come here and build plants that would normally be union jobs here and the workers never seem to have interest in unionising because they are treated fairly and have decent benefits. I CAN give MULTIPLE examples.
People like you really ruffle my feathers. I got into a federal job because of that VERY stupidity. Butt holes that would come to work as management and tell workers, "I've never taken a sick day in twenty years". Meanwhile the workers are thinking one of two things, that either A: he's an idiot or B: he's superhuman. Normal people get sick. Normal people have families. Normal people work FORTY HOURS per week. Normal people don't live to work, they work to live. NORMAL PEOPLE DON'T WANT TO BE CORPORATE SLAVES! So if you think that 60+ hours without overtime is normal, maybe just maybe, I'm talking about YOU.
I too am like others am a Fed, but I have also spent many years in the private sector. In my experience the worlds are similar, you still have people that are overpaid for what they do.
I do like the security of my Federal job and try not to take that for granted while others are definitely suffering in this economy. Life is about choices, sometimes you make right ones and sometimes you don't. I gave up 6 years of my life to get a degree after losing my house, job and wife in the private sector.
I am thankful for what that taught me, but at the time I wasnt'.
To me in both Federal Service and the Private Sector, it is about Customer Service and the job you do..
As I tell my friends.. I don't have a job I am blessed to have a career.. Career is what I love to do..
Peace be with you.
I was a federal contractor, but took up a government position that came available. It's probably just my agency, but we're really revamping our entire organization, and I've never felt the kind of "electricity in the air" like I do here, since I worked in startups. At my agency, I generally feel less politics than the large corporations I've worked for, as long as I try to stay away from the contracting rules and regs, etc.
I love my job. I am a highly skilled person in my field, and could work almost anywhere. But, I choose to work here, because I love the people, the work is incredibly rewarding, and it's the first job (again, since working at a startup) that I don't mind getting up in the morning and going to. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Some federal agencies are no doubt terrible to work for (just like many corporations are), but I love mine.
The real issue of federal pay versus the private sector is the fact that the private sector benefits have been waning over the years, while the federal benefits have stayed the same or improved.
Take job security, government employees have it and most of the private sector doesn't have it. About a decade ago corporations came up with the "At Will" employment contract. This contract took away any obligation of the employer to keep the employee. The employee was at the will of the employer. Just like "no fault" divorce, no reason is needed to get rid of the employee. The government employee and union employees have protections against frivilous termination.
The "At Will" circmvents the discrimmination issue inovolved in unlawful termination. This is because no reason need be given for the termination.
In today's world, benefits are more important than salary. Most of the private sector has lost the free or cheap health insurance benefits. In those cases where the employee has a benefit, it may be substandard and cost a lot out of the pocket to pay their co-pay. For those in the private sector that don't get any health benefits from their employer, they must pay on their own with after tax dollars.
On the retirement issue, FERS (Federal Employee Retirement System) is a real retirement plan for government employees, while Social Security for the rest of us is an expensive piggy bank for Congress. With FERS you can retire at 55 compared to 65-70 with Social Security. Without going through the advantages of FERS over Social Security, lets see if government employees would trade their FERS for Social Secuity and vice versa. You know the answer, so why don't all the workers in the country have a private retirement system like FERS?
If government employees are public servants, then how do servants have better benefits than the master?
I have always been very grateful for my federal job. I, too, worked many years in the private sector. Putting with unreasonable supervisors, there way or the highway attitude, on-call positions 24 hours/day, numerous lay-offs with "keep focused on your work, otherwise you could lose your severance pay". I've done it all. Now, I have more work and will never possibly get caught up because of the hiring freeze, but I have reasonable supervisors, job security, great benefits, and excellent pay (GS 12, rapidly moving to Step 4). I feel bad for those in the private sector being laid-off. I feel for families who are struggling with the cut-backs. I hope we all can get through these terrible times.
I don't see any challenges to my comments from the federal workers.
I am a Federal Employee, but I first worked in the private sector. In the Private Sector, my pay was more, the workload was less, and I recieved more benefits for the premium that I paid. Not only health insurance, but significant discounts for hospitalizations and medications. I did not receive as many paid holidays. I would have stayed with them, but I could not tolerate having to cater to anyone and everyone associated to the boss (wife, friend, cousin, children, etc.). At times, I would be afraid to enter the elevator, because you never knew who might not like the way that you looked or the way that you looked at them and it just might be a friend of the Director.
As a Federal Employee, I too am swamped with work. I have never worked so hard before in my life. I am grateful to have a job. The benefits are ok and the longer I am employed, the better the benefits become. It touches my heart when my clients say "You deserve more. They don't pay you enough for all that you do".
Initially, I felt that publicizing a person's actual salary was going too far. When this news became available at my job, it simply made the environment sort of hostile and work production reduced. Why? Because people realized that others were making more than them and doing less work.
Initially, I was pissed that my
Karen,
It appears from what you wrote that your private sector job was a long long time ago. The private sector has been going down hill for the past twenty years. The benefits are lsss each year and less employers offer benefits. There is no job security since the at will employment was spread around the private sector. Social Security is a bad joke in comparison to your FERS retirement.
Their are a lot of crappy low paying non benefit jobs in the private sector.
Millions of workers in the private sector lost their jobs in the last year, how many Federal Employees lost their jobs? Millions of private sector workers received pay cuts and reduced benefits, how many Federal Employees had this experience? Most Federal Employees can retire under FERS, ten or more years earlier than those on Social Security. FERS has better pensions and unlike Social Security you don't have to pay into the system from the time you began work until you retire and then if you earn wages after you retire, Social Security is still taken out of your wages.
There are many jobs in the private sector where people put in extra hours without getting paid at all. There are many jobs in the private sector where the bosses are mistreating their employees and there is no one to protect them. When you put the Federal Employee package up against those in the private sector the Fed package is heads up better.
I actually stumbled upon this page looking to see what salary is posted for myself (can't find the site I went to years ago). As a fed employee, I fully agree with my salary being posted, and I believe ALL fed employees' salaries should be posted. Just like the hundreds of pages in the recent govt spending bill are disclosed so the taxpayers will (eventually) know where their money goes.
As far as govt versus private sector, based on current job ads I could easily get a 30-40% pay increase by moving back into the private sector, i.e., the real world (I spent the first 5 years out of college there). The pay cut that I took coming to the govt covers better health benefits, more vacation and sick leave, and a bit more job security (what I have seen in the govt is that you rarely get laid off per se, they just stop giving you raises, offer you incentives to quit, give you crappy jobs until you get "fed" up and quit, or they relocate you to a place where you don't want to go, so you quit... but they can do this whenever they want, there's no "union protection" against this). These are the big reasons why the govt can manage to attract people while offering much lower salaries. Without these, why would ANYONE want my job???
If I wanted to work 60-80 hours/week and make a LOT more money, I'd go back to the private sector. And you can bet your tail that most of the extra pay would be saved so that when -- not if -- I got laid off, I'd have a few months salary to live on while seeking another job. The rest of the extra pay would cover larger health insurance costs and saving for retirement from every paycheck (as opposed to paying into FERS out of every paycheck). Job security, health care costs, and retirement savings are moot points if you are financially responsible.
DoD Civilian,
You can't compare apples to oranges.
A job is worth Salary + Benefits + Job Security
it is the total of these three components that need to be compared.
With the economy in the state that it is currently and all of the unemployment do you really think that you could get a job that easily in the private sector?
BTW, you would be paying Social Security and Medicare out of every pay check and you would be paying not just until retirement ( which would be 67-70 years and not 55 year old) and you wouldn't get the same retirement.
Health insurance can run to over a thousand dollars a month for some families and have a high co pay.
Most familes in the private sector don't have enugh money to pay for their housing and basic needs much less money to invest.
You must have graduated from college in the 1950s because the real world doesn't resemble your image of it.
If Social Security is so good then why do you have FERS.
I would like to hear more stories from government employees about the real world.
I work for the best government agency - Social Security in Baltimore. I am challenged, respected, have good management backing me. I work hard and give a good days work for my pay. I am grateful for the job security and benefts and know that I have no worries about losing my job and home. And that next January, I'll receive some raise even if its a fraction of past years.
We do a lot of work for a small budget and have a customer base that appreciates us. Checks are mailed timely and accurately. Yes, mistakes sometimes happens but our success rate is nearly 100 percent. Our web site is ranked highest in the government and so is our customer service.
I'm proud of my job and my co-workers and we all resent the tired jokes of fed workers on the dole. A large number of us work hard and are proud of the job we do.
Teri-
I hope that you were not counting me in the people making jokes.
My point is the system not the job done by its workers.
Social Security is not as good as FERS period.
I don't doubt that you and your agency our doing a good job.
Would you trade in your FERS for Social Security?
Good to see there are people concerned with what other people make . I for one also do not care about whether you know my salary or not. I don't know yours and that’s ok with me issues Veritas. You focus on FERS in some of your statements. Federal employees pay the same taxes you do. And depending on where you live you may pay more. If a person gets a federal job later on in their career they won't be able to retire at 55. Check the rules. There are birth years that equate to retirement age and they can be found at http://www.opm.gov/retire/pre/fers/eligibility.asp . If you make too much you can reduce you social security benefit to $0.00 . Federal wages are established by civilian wage comparison. They just don't pull numbers out of hat. I would suggest you research first. Spend less time blogging sir. You tag is all over the Internet which means you have plenty of time to do research.
Health benefits and working conditions. That’s what most of us work for not to become millionaires. How about that corporate bailout. Those were civilians right ? There aren't any federal employees I know that get balloon retirements. Those salaries are posted as well yet you pick on the FED employees. Interesting.
Federal employees do loose their jobs by the way. It happens when jobs are "outsourced". The FAA does this now. Safety concern there ?? Like I said..do some valid research and then come on back. Everyone has opinions and you seem to love yours.
boo hoo Fed Guy,
I did research all the facts and figures about the Federal Jobs and put them in my hubs. You made your comment personal, remember that.
Are you ready to trade your benefits and FERS for the dearth of benefits in the private sector and take Social Security and put your job at risk and at the whim of your employer? Most of the private sector works on an at will type employment, where the employer doesn't even have to give you a reason to let you go. Losing jobs because of being outsourced happens more in the private sector than in government. The private sector has lost millions of jobs, and companies have gone out of business, this doesn't happen in government. Federal agencies and departments can't go bankrupt, so when they are running in the red, the taxpayers have to bail them out. Yes, I know that you pay taxes as well, but you should also be against bailing out badly run government agencies.
You are the federal employee that I am concerned about and you made the challenge about research but all I read from you is hot air with no substance.
Put up or sh,,,l
The bottom line is you wouldn't change your job and your benefits and your retirement and job security for any of those in the private sector.
All those Federal Holidays and Vacation Time are not taken by many in the private sector.
Don't bother to answer, unless you take the gas out of your demeanor.
At least use the spell checker.
Fed Guy
How is it that the public servants (government workers) are entitled to a different and better system than the people that they are supposed to be working for?
Why isn't the government workforce run the same as the workforce in the private non union sector?
It seems that government has the motto, do as I say and not as I do.
I am sure that we could sell out Ebay, with FERS to Social Security swaps.
I suspect that you are the exception to the average government worker in that they know what a great deal they got when they went to work for the government. You appear to be in denial.
Do you think that with today's unemployment (10% in California) that comparing salaries is meaningful. Your secured job earnings trump all of those that are unemployed and have no salary. Many of them aren't even on unemployment any more.
I think it is ironic, that people comment on other people's comments not having facts and figures and support, while they themselves provide none of their own.
I am a guest on this hub and I don't feel right with this dialogue. I would be more than happy to go on one of your hubs to discuss this further, or you can comment on one of my hubs.
Ew you are right. I am the wrong one. You are also correct in stating that I would not trade my benefits for yours.
That is your right to question. I am not your typical Fed employee either. Most of my work is done in other places outside the office serving my country and people like you and I am happy to do so. I don't make what people make on the "outside" because you won't find my job on the outside.
I am a guest here as well and I do take your comments personal. But like I said it is your right. As for the "Spell checker" comment. What ever dude!
Have a better day and remember you as a citizen of these United Sates have the option to pull that “Money” plug at anytime. You do vote don't you?
Sorry if I offended you or anyone else on this site.
Fed
Yes, I voted but my team wasn't on the ballot.
When the Federal Government has one system for themselves and another inferior system for the rest of the country, why would they pull the plug on the money for that funds their system. The majority of voters, vote either Row A or Row B and neither row has a desire to kill their golden goose.
It just doesn't make sense for us to pay for the premium retirement system enjoyed by the government and at the same time have the government that created the inferior Social Security system blame the recipients of SS.
If Social Security was so good, why won't you trade your FERS for it?
Does this sound like the work of a country that was founded by the people, for the people and of the people?
Thanks for returning to the issue.
Spell check was a cheap shot, as I sometimes fail to do it. Guilty.
$30. -$40.00 an hour???? HAH, I'm a letter carrier for the USPS, I WISH, I made that much.
As to overtime??? what's that? We have downtime EVERYDAY. No more overtime at USPS.
Stacie, I didn't mean to take over your hub but the subject just prompts my fingers to respond.
RR -- I have the greatest respect for the USPS, especially the letter carriers, The USPS is one of those bastard sons of the federal government. Years ago, the USPS was annexed from the real government departments, although I believe that they still have many of the attributes of the federal departments in job benefits, retirement and job security.
Making more than $40 an hour doesn't help if you don't have the same benefits as those found in the government and union jobs. The chance of a government working losing their job is nil in comparison to those in the private sector.
Many people in the private sector that have salaried jobs, usually put in more than 40 hours a week for only 40 hour pay.
Issues Veritas - you are so concerned with FERS versus Social Security and the other benefits federal employees have. Go to www.usajobs.gov and find a new job that you can enjoy without all this bitterness. The government is always hiring.
Worker -- an ambiguous term
The country doesn't exist to support the government and its workers, The government exists to support the country.
My bitterness as you call it, is because the government is too obese and its burden far outweighs its benefit.
We have the welfare group in this country that get freebies from the government and then we have the welfare group that are government workers. These government workers are supposed to be public servants and the people are supposed to be their masters. Do people that work for Donald Trump as his servant get the same benefits that he does from making his living.
The answer has to be NO, so why should public servants get benefits and job security that most of the non government, non union workers in the private sector can get from their employers.
This is not to say that all or even most government workers are no doing a good job, but there are a lot of them that don't pull their weight and you know who you are in that category. My point is that there are too many government workers on the payroll and the people in the private sector are taxed to pay for them. Yes, government workers get taxed but they have a secure job and great benefits that are in a class by themselves.
You say that the government is always hiring but you don't say that the public sector is laying off in the millions. There is something basically wrong that government should be immune to an economy that has crashed and burned. It is like Donald Trump losing his job but his head butler keeps hiring additional staff and giving huge retirement awards to staff that is going into retirement.
Drug dealers are always selling drugs, so your solution is to become a drug dealer.
I am a veteran with a bachelor of science degree working at a VA hospital. I am under the FERS retirement system and I DO pay into social security. I am 60 years old and do not expect to retire for at least the next 3 years. I have 28 years of federal service including military time. By the way, I received a net pay of about $100 per month in 1969; how’s that for living the ‘fat life’?
I could elect not to pay into the Thrift Savings Plan and rely strictly on social security when I retire. But why would I want to do that if I can elect to pay into a retirement system? The Civil Service Retirement System and FERS are very different. I could blame my co-workers who are under the CSRS for being treated differently, but what would that accomplish? Private sector employees have the choice of enrolling in IRA plans and many companies have (or had) 401K plans. Why would they not want to look into retirement planning and pay into a fund that would supplement their social security?
If any writer has an issue with federal holidays, I suggest that the complaints be taken to Congress. Federal workers do not have the authority to abolish holidays enacted by Congress.
If people in the private sector are working 60 to 80 hours per week and getting paid for 40 hours, I suggest they look into the Fair Labor Standards Act. If an employer ‘suffers to permit’ a wage earner to work beyond the 40-hour basic work week, they are obligated to pay for the work. The FLSA addresses payment and overtime rates. The issue is that many employees feel they will enhance their employment standing by donating their time.
And finally, a little cheese with that whine might make the issues a bit more palatable!
Ah, issues veritas. Another private employee complaining about the benefits of the feds, about the over burdened system. I would suggest you go to USA Jobs and post your resume, but know what? Most agencies aren't hiring! At least, Social Security Admin isn't.
Yes, people may retire at 55 (only if they have enough years in). Hmmm, who now does the jobs that those people were doing? Oh yes, the remaining employees. Not much work, you say? WRONG! With the outstanding number of layoffs, more and more people are claiming disabilities just to get some income.
And you know what? YOUR tax dollars pay for these frivolous claims. Broken pinky finger, amputated big toe, stiff neck. Of course they won't be allowed. But, you know what? People have the right to file. We are required to take our time to process the paperwork to get a decision on their disability claim. Talk about a waste of taxpayers money.
Don't forget, all these extra claims are in ADDITION to the workloads retirees were doing that were not replaced.
Why don't you focus your energy on REAL issues? Why don't you do some research to find out exactly what goes on in an agency?
I am paid very well for my job (approaching $72k in 09/2009 - GS12-step 3, look it up). I would never trade my job for any private job. I cannot retire at 55 because I will not have enough years in. I will, however, retire at 62. Not just because of my job. I can retire because of wise financial decisions. Living in a modest house, my newest car is a 2001 Honda, the other is a 97 Dodge. We don't take extravagant vacations. We don't shop at hooty-tooty clothing stores, we buy our groceries at Aldi's. I refuse to charge anything on a credit card, we keep an emergency fund at all times in the bank.
What does this get me? My wife is a stay-at-home mom who does not have to work. A big vacation every 2 or 3 years, and no financial stress.
Seems your biggest issue is that you cannot retire at 55. Well, neither can I. But, maybe if you take our lifestyle to heart, you too can retire at 62.
If you only knew what truly takes place in the federal government your article would be significantly different. No offense, but a more research would have revealed that privatizing the federal government, which costs hundreds of millions more, has bee the plan of some congressmen. Unfortunately for the taxpayers, persons employed by big-money private corporations who get the contracts, are inexperienced with federal work and normally produce much lower grade work for a big price that is hidden from the public.
It is not true about having to wait until 62 to retire,as peace officer positions can retire at age 55.
Just try to get a Government job if your 60 in a peace officer setting and you will see.Try the B.L.M. or the Forest service and try to get hired as a fire fighter or peace officer..
I am at a private company with good pay and good benefits; I have worked many, many hours in excess of 40 at different periods of my life, am facing less job security, and have experienced continued constant erosion of benefits and pay. However, I am amazed at the bitterness and hostility to the federal government workers expressed in this post. The little I have had to do with the government, I am impressed by its workers and, rather than being jealous of their situation, I am glad that they are not in the plight that those of us in private sector find ourselves in. I find it appalling that because some are in a bad situation, they look around and demand that all join them....
cgull8m says:
2 years ago
It is shocking the Federal employees are paid more, I know they are paid very high in USPS, some make 30 to 40$ an hour and also do more overtime and paid double overtime. Private sector is scrimping too much, they want to make more profits so the pay is very less and make them work harder. In case of Federal the Unions have a big say, most of them are not fired and have life time jobs that pays too much for less work. Good post Stacie.