Do federal employees have it good?

[jingramm]

I came across an article on CNN on top earning towns and the median family incomes in the DC metro area are $367,660 (Rank #1 Great Falls, VA), $191,677 (Rank #13 Potomac, MD), Tyson's Corner, etc.

For those workers mainly in the DC area, don't they have it good?
Aren't they grossly overpaid? I know people making a ton of money in the DC area for not doing anything. Their work hours are strict 9-5 most times and they have job stability. In the private sector, if a company is broke like how the US currently is, people would be losing jobs left and right.

 

[Sluggo]

We are rebuilding America, starting with the Federal Government and working our way down.



BTW, keep up that bitching and I guarantee that there will be no money when we get to you.

 

[Siddhartha]

nevermind

 

[Sonikku]

If you aren't one of the many government employees getting laid off outright, then you too can enjoy the excitement of interesting times while your bargaining rights are nixed and your pensions are either killed off or tied into the rock stable stock market.

If you want to live the sweet live with a government job though, work in congress. The pay alone puts you in the top 6 percentile, but the pay is just for starters. The perks are just fantastic, and are worth several times the pay. Enjoy full, limitless healthcare for you and your family with no premiums, donut holes, deductibles and copays or coverage limits. But if it's pay you're worried about, they now have it set up so their pay goes up a percentage automatically regardless as for how good or bad they are at their jobs. They can also claim it no matter what, even when things get backed up, soldiers go without and other government employees get furloughed. Can't beat that We should all only be so lucky.

 

[DesiPower]

I am sure the CNN article is including all the DC area Escort service employees... you know... with all the political clients...

 

[yinan]

Federal employees have it awesome. They basically cant get fired no matter what. Stab your boss, you MIGHT get sent home for the rest of the day with pay.

 

[Elganja]

federal employees and federal contractors are 2 different things...

the employee's have the job security (literally have to commit a felony and even then, you still may not get fired) and the contractors make the money (but can be let go at a drop of a hat and the benefits aren't nearly as good)

a lot of times, employee's will work until they can retire then become a contractor

 

[KB]

Those DC workers making 300,000+ aren't likely government employees. Heck the president only makes 400,000. The money makers are lobbyists, contractors, lawyers, consultants for the government.

 

[GTaudiophile]

Stop and think about the trillions in tax revenue sent to Washington. And then think about 99 out of every 100 people doing something illegal/illegit with your hard-earned money. Remember, the people here are the money-sucking middle men. Of course they are living high on the hog.

<- Not an employee of the US government.

 

[AyashiKaibutsu]

Those DC workers making 300,000+ aren't likely government employees. Heck the president only makes 400,000. The money makers are lobbyists, contractors, lawyers, consultants for the government.

This. They have it decent (at the higher levels at least), but it's not as good as people make it out to be.

 

[gophins72]

Sounds like you need to move to DC, ASAP!

 

[Elbryn]

Federal employees have it awesome. They basically cant get fired no matter what. Stab your boss, you MIGHT get sent home for the rest of the day with pay.

to be fair many union employees enjoy similar benefits.

 

[LookBehindYou]

You're talking about a very select few that make real good money.

Is it decent? Sure. My salary isn't bad, probably considered poor by ATOT standards, but it isn't bad.

The benefits are great though. I work 7-3:30 with time and a half overtime (or i can get credit hours), union benefits, great health plan, 20 vacation days, 13 sick days, and the ability to do flex time meaning if i take an hour and a half for lunch, i just tack on a 1/2 hour at the end of teh day.

The downside is that you get to see firsthand why the government is the way it is. Some of the people here are useless. You could get one 25 year old with half a brain and computer skills to replace 5 people here.

my opinion.

word.
lby

 

[GTaudiophile]

What is the statistic? 3 out of every 4 white collar employees in DC is a lawyer. Federal or not, they make good money.

 

[AeroEngy]

federal employees and federal contractors are 2 different things...

the employee's have the job security (literally have to commit a felony and even then, you still may not get fired) and the contractors make the money (but can be let go at a drop of a hat and the benefits aren't nearly as good)

a lot of times, employee's will work until they can retire then become a contractor

This. I know engineers who work for the government. One I know got arrested for getting drunk and doing something dumb while working in Japan for a couple weeks. All he got was a talking to by his boss. He still got his guaranteed pay raise and promotion at the end of the year. I know others who don't do anything 80&#37; of the time ... same thing guaranteed pay raise every year. At my compnay you would probably be fired.

I will add that although they don't get paid as much as contractor in the same area they aren't doing to bad. My friend is an enginner who has worked for them for about 7 years He is a GS-12 step 6 (I think) which in DC makes $87,350 ... not bad considering the perks.

 

[GTaudiophile]

BTW, don't forget the cost of living here is pretty much as high as it gets.

I pay close to $2500/month for a 1.5 bed/1.5 bath, 1000 sq. ft. apartment in a "recently gentrified" neighborhood in NW DC.

 

[LookBehindYou]

BTW, don't forget the cost of living here is pretty much as high as it gets.

I pay close to $2500/month for a 1.5 bed/1.5 bath, 1000 sq. ft. apartment in a "recently gentrified" neighborhood in NW DC.

That's insane. That is pretty much my take home pay for the month as a GS-9.

 

[Triumph]

I came across an article on CNN on top earning towns and the median family incomes in the DC metro area are $367,660 (Rank #1 Great Falls, VA), $191,677 (Rank #13 Potomac, MD), Tyson's Corner, etc.

You do not make $367k a year working for the government. You don't even make $191k. MAYBE a few SES levels (which is equivalent to a general officer) make close to that. Those are the people who run entire organizations. The federal pay schedule is public knowledge and you can see what people make around here.

The people who live in Great Falls RUN the companies that get government contracts. Or they directly lobby Congress to get those contracts (you bring in big money, you get paid big money). It is not the workers who actually do the work. Unless you are planning on being a CEO then I don't think moving here is going to net you a hefty 6 figure salary.

 

[Zargon]

This. I know engineers who work for the government. One I know got arrested for getting drunk and doing something dumb while working in Japan for a couple weeks. All he got was a talking to by his boss. He still got his guaranteed pay raise and promotion at the end of the year. I know others who don't do anything 80&#37; of the time ... same thing guaranteed pay raise every year. At my compnay you would probably be fired.

I will add that although they don't get paid as much as contractor in the same area they aren't doing to bad. My friend is an enginner who has worked for them for about 7 years He is a GS-12 step 6 (I think) which in DC makes $87,350 ... not bad considering the perks.

thats shit pay in DC Metro area isnt it?

friggin half million bucks for a crappy older house if TV is telling me the truth

as for the DUI dude, uh....I didnt realize places would fire you for a misdemeanor. as for the promotion, who knows, but the 'raise' is called a 'cost of living adjustment' and isnt usually tied to performance of duties. sadly at my previous gov't job, they got rid of all performance based raises because the mayor said they were 'unfair'

LBY is right, its hard sometimes, seeing some people skate by doing jack shit while sucking down paychecks, I have a coworker that does about one hour of work a day, and bitches about welfare nonstop, even though IMO hes basically on welfare by not being canned for lazyness/incompetence

 

[ichy]

Federal employees make a comfortable living, but considering the horrible cost of living in DC and the surrounding suburbs they are not living large. The real money is made by the weasels at companies like Booze Allen (an organization that seems to exist primarily to create worthless Power Point presentations.) Also, part of the reason that the average federal salary is relatively high is that there's no such thing as a government janitor or maintenance worker. That stuff is all contracted out.

 

[SP33Demon]

It depends on the field, but overall federal employees are now making more than contractors. Of course they have it good, but good luck getting into the government in this economy. Better have your Master's + be disabled and/or a veteran to get the job.

 

[SP33Demon]

You do not make $367k a year working for the government. You don't even make $191k. MAYBE a few SES levels (which is equivalent to a general officer) make close to that. Those are the people who run entire organizations. The federal pay schedule is public knowledge and you can see what people make around here.

The people who live in Great Falls RUN the companies that get government contracts. Or they directly lobby Congress to get those contracts (you bring in big money, you get paid big money). It is not the workers who actually do the work. Unless you are planning on being a CEO then I don't think moving here is going to net you a hefty 6 figure salary.

He said 191-367 HOUSEHOLD. Which is right on the money because since Obama took office, 6 figure federal salaries in the metro area have gone up by over 20&#37; (and that was a 2010 statistic). I'm sure it's even worse now.

 

[smoothvirus]

As others have pointed out, only a tiny handful of people would make $367k a year as government employees. Probably less than 5 people.

Most of the people who work with government around here are contractors that work for big defense contractors like Lockheed Martin or Raytheon. Some of the government agencies treat contractors like absolute dirt, and some of them treat contractors well. I worked for one agency that had security escort a contractor out the door because he told a mildly offensive joke within earshot of the director. Too bad for him, he didn't know the guy in the suit 10 feet away was the director. They wouldn't even let him pack his things, we had to ship them to him in a box.

The last (current) recession has not really impacted the Washington area. There's always work around here. But here's the thing, most things around here, especially housing, are expensive as hell. A small starter home anywhere within 30 miles of DC would run you $350,000 easily. In a nice area like Arlington more like $600,000. I just paid close to half a million for a townhouse that in most other areas would run maybe $100,000.

Contractors typically make more than federal employees do.

This whole myth about everyone here being lazy is utter bullshit. Most people here are workaholics and get offended at the idea of someone who isn't willing to put in lots of extra hours at the job.

 

[smoothvirus]

thats shit pay in DC Metro area isnt it?

It's about average. There was an article I read in the Post that said to get by around here you need to make about $75000 a year, that was 6 years ago.

$87000 is enough to have a decent condo and a Honda around here.

friggin half million bucks for a crappy older house if TV is telling me the truth

Absolutely the truth and it's even more than that in nice neighborhoods that are close to or inside the city.

A one story ranch house in Arlington county that's within walking distance of a Metro station will run you $750000 easily.

 

[AeroEngy]

thats shit pay in DC Metro area isnt it?

friggin half million bucks for a crappy older house if TV is telling me the truth

as for the DUI dude, uh....I didnt realize places would fire you for a misdemeanor. as for the promotion, who knows, but the 'raise' is called a 'cost of living adjustment' and isnt usually tied to performance of duties. sadly at my previous gov't job, they got rid of all performance based raises because the mayor said they were 'unfair'

LBY is right, its hard sometimes, seeing some people skate by doing jack shit while sucking down paychecks, I have a coworker that does about one hour of work a day, and bitches about welfare nonstop, even though IMO hes basically on welfare by not being canned for lazyness/incompetence

It wasn't a DUI. I think it was the equivalent of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and some kind of destruction of property charge.

Also 87k isn't to bad if you are working out of Pax River in Southern MD where housing is significant cheaper but you sitll get the DC cost of living &#37; bonus. Also besides cost of living increases the increases in steps are pretty much guarenteed at certain time intervals regardless of performance.