Federal exodus

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Do tell, what do you spend your day working on?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Why don't you try going through your day cutting by half the things the government brings you and see how it goes. You can start by breathing half as much clean air and driving half as much on interstate highways.

I don't disagree with your overall point, but your reference to "half" is mathematically illiterate. Not a shocker on this liberal arts heavy board.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So if 20-30% retire (and these are the ones who are the agency experts at the 15 and SES levels) and then Trump imposes a freeze on hiring new staff, those of us young GS-13s and 14s will be in hog heaven.

AMEN!!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Why don't you try going through your day cutting by half the things the government brings you and see how it goes. You can start by breathing half as much clean air and driving half as much on interstate highways.

I don't disagree with your overall point, but your reference to "half" is mathematically illiterate. Not a shocker on this liberal arts heavy board.

I'm a math major. But I recognize pedantry when I see it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The situation (at my agency) is that around 30% of the people are ELIGIBLE to RETIRE and are only sticking around because they like the work and their colleagues.

If even a hint of shenanigans occurs, they will just walk out the door. And if that happens, the shit. will. hit. the. fan. because a lot of these people were in the agency for decades and have a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge that they will take with them. That's how I am reading it.

Oh blah, blah, blah. If they had any integrity they would have walked out under Clinton years ago.

This is just self-soothing wankage.

Huh? I came in at the beginning of GWB. He sucked but I could still do valuable work that saves lives. I am in a highly specialized, highly skilled position. If I leave, it will reduce the good work my office can do. I will stay unless and until Trump makes me unable to do that good work.

This describes me as well. But for the first time in my career, I am thinking about cashing in and moving to the industry. I'm starting to wonder if industry resistance might be the best hope for protecting the important government program I have devoted my working life to.

I hear you. I said what I plan to do, but I absolutely do not judge anyone else for making a different choice. I'm a woman, and it's hard for me to stay with a chief executive who views me as less than human. And I'm not ruling out leaving. But for now I am staying because I know there will be lives lost if I leave, especially with a hiring freeze.

Omg. Some of you seem to think you're Mother Theresa. Saving lives right and left.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good, lazy assholes... Let them try to make it in the real world.

I used to work in the private sector. I made a couple hundred thousand more each year than I do as a fed. If I go back, my life will be worse, but I'll make a lot more money. It won't be hard to go back. I "made it" in the private sector before I had fed experience, which is valuable. You assume all feds are the same and couldn't hack it in the private sector. You are wrong.

Couldn't agree more. I recently became a fed after many years in the private sector. I'm surprised about all the vitriol aimed at Federal workers.

[Anonymous]

Federal worker here. No one is leaving because of Trump, they're filling you. At my agency they were going to be retiring in the next couple of years regardless. I hope they do, we need young fresh blood who wants to take risks. Too many employees sitting there basically Retired in Place (RIP) and not doing shit or doing the minimum to get buy. They've made their high three and will be leaving with a generous retirement.

In IT, the average age of the federal worker is 55. Way, way too old to adapt new technology and move federal IT into the next wave. They don't understand technology really and won't push to implement new ideas or technologies because they fear change and are just waiting until they retire so it's not their problem.

A lot of older federal workers are irrelevant and a waste of space.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Federal worker here. No one is leaving because of Trump, they're filling you. At my agency they were going to be retiring in the next couple of years regardless. I hope they do, we need young fresh blood who wants to take risks. Too many employees sitting there basically Retired in Place (RIP) and not doing shit or doing the minimum to get buy. They've made their high three and will be leaving with a generous retirement.

In IT, the average age of the federal worker is 55. Way, way too old to adapt new technology and move federal IT into the next wave. They don't understand technology really and won't push to implement new ideas or technologies because they fear change and are just waiting until they retire so it's not their problem.

A lot of older federal workers are irrelevant and a waste of space.

Very ageist comments, bro. Bitter about a promotion?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So if 20-30% retire (and these are the ones who are the agency experts at the 15 and SES levels) and then Trump imposes a freeze on hiring new staff, those of us young GS-13s and 14s will be in hog heaven.

AMEN!!!!

Have a back up plan, wannabes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Federal worker here. No one is leaving because of Trump, they're filling you. At my agency they were going to be retiring in the next couple of years regardless. I hope they do, we need young fresh blood who wants to take risks. Too many employees sitting there basically Retired in Place (RIP) and not doing shit or doing the minimum to get buy. They've made their high three and will be leaving with a generous retirement.

In IT, the average age of the federal worker is 55. Way, way too old to adapt new technology and move federal IT into the next wave. They don't understand technology really and won't push to implement new ideas or technologies because they fear change and are just waiting until they retire so it's not their problem.

A lot of older federal workers are irrelevant and a waste of space.

Well, you're going to be waiting a long, long time for that fresh blood, because Trump says he's going to impose a federal hiring freeze as soon as he gets in the White House.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Good, lazy assholes... Let them try to make it in the real world.

I used to work in the private sector. I made a couple hundred thousand more each year than I do as a fed. If I go back, my life will be worse, but I'll make a lot more money. It won't be hard to go back. I "made it" in the private sector before I had fed experience, which is valuable. You assume all feds are the same and couldn't hack it in the private sector. You are wrong.

Couldn't agree more. I recently became a fed after many years in the private sector. I'm surprised about all the vitriol aimed at Federal workers.

I would agree to a truce. I know many federal workers work hard and do a great job. I thank you folks for that. On the other hand, it is extremely hard to get a federal job - there are many, many qualified applicants for any decent level position that opens up. Pretty much anyone that leaves the federal service will be replaced and not missed, much like in any large organization (and the federal service is HUGE). Those posting here that they are "saving lives" will be replaced with others that will "save lives". That is the sobering reality of it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The situation (at my agency) is that around 30% of the people are ELIGIBLE to RETIRE and are only sticking around because they like the work and their colleagues.

If even a hint of shenanigans occurs, they will just walk out the door. And if that happens, the shit. will. hit. the. fan. because a lot of these people were in the agency for decades and have a tremendous amount of institutional knowledge that they will take with them. That's how I am reading it.

Oh blah, blah, blah. If they had any integrity they would have walked out under Clinton years ago.

This is just self-soothing wankage.

Huh? I came in at the beginning of GWB. He sucked but I could still do valuable work that saves lives. I am in a highly specialized, highly skilled position. If I leave, it will reduce the good work my office can do. I will stay unless and until Trump makes me unable to do that good work.

This describes me as well. But for the first time in my career, I am thinking about cashing in and moving to the industry. I'm starting to wonder if industry resistance might be the best hope for protecting the important government program I have devoted my working life to.

Oh dear, what will we do without you.

right now, a woman in India is dancing up and down with joy

Well, sure, if you'd like India managing your mother's Medicare plan, that's great.

Uh typical thick Fed. She will hold an HB visa and replace you in the States. I have my own Medicare plan which needs no management. So what do you actually do?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Just a note from the world that ensures your food isn't contaminated, the flu doesn't kill you, and clean water flows into your home and private sector business: federal employees pay taxes, too.

If you want to rely on a profit-driven sector for all these basic necessities, you may be surprised by what you would miss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Just a note from the world that ensures your food isn't contaminated, the flu doesn't kill you, and clean water flows into your home and private sector business: federal employees pay taxes, too.

If you want to rely on a profit-driven sector for all these basic necessities, you may be surprised by what you would miss.

Don't mean to bash the feds, but e coli kills dozens every year, the flu kills thousands and the Flint water crisis wasn't caught by the federal watchdogs either. Try again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Just a note from a citizen in the real world who pays your salaries in the form of my (hard-earned, private sector derived) tax dollars:

Half of you would never be missed.

Just a note from the world that ensures your food isn't contaminated, the flu doesn't kill you, and clean water flows into your home and private sector business: federal employees pay taxes, too.

If you want to rely on a profit-driven sector for all these basic necessities, you may be surprised by what you would miss.

Don't mean to bash the feds, but e coli kills dozens every year, the flu kills thousands and the Flint water crisis wasn't caught by the federal watchdogs either. Try again.

And don't forget our financial regulators at the SEC. Those guys are the best... outside of Enron, AIG, and Bernie Madoff, WorldCom, Bear Stearns, Lehman Brothers … ...