Attorney Moms-I need your help to see if I'm underpaid-from another JD Mom

[Anonymous]

Another lawyer mom here, and I echo that you are not underpaid. Yes, you may be able to make more money elsewhere, but not with the flexibility and the ability to work from home. Everyone wants to work form home and have flexible, family friendly schedules: that's why employers who offer that don't need to pay as much. The people who earn significantly more than you do are "paying for it" with their time and stress.

I have been practicing over 10 years, 5 of those in government. I took a huge (60%+) pay cut to move from a law firm to the government. It was absolutely worth it for the lifestyle benefits, including telework. Like most government lawyers, I work hard and do high-quality work, so my employer is getting value for the money. But they are providing value to me, too. It's a win-win, not a case of being underpaid because I could draw a larger check elsewhere.

It sounds like your telework arrangement is full time? If so, that is golden and you would be a fool to give it up unless something else about the job really is intolerable. I recently promoted from GS14 to GS15 and was able to keep the part-week telework gig I had at the 14 level, but it was not a sure thing and no one else at my level teleworks at all. I would happily take a cut back to 14 and a non-lawyer position in order to telework full time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP keep dreaming. You have it good, much better than most govt attorneys.

I'm a recently retired 26 yr fed manager... This is spot one, be happy
For what you have.... As 20:34 noted you can make more if you go private and get on the rat race treadmill but that doesn't sound like your goal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP keep dreaming. You have it good, much better than most govt attorneys.

I'm a recently retired 26 yr fed manager... This is spot one, be happy
For what you have.... As 20:34 noted you can make more if you go private and get on the rat race treadmill but that doesn't sound like your goal.

I mean spot on... Darn iPad keyboard...m

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP keep dreaming. You have it good, much better than most govt attorneys.

I'm a recently retired 26 yr fed manager... This is spot one, be happy
For what you have.... As 20:34 noted you can make more if you go private and get on the rat race treadmill but that doesn't sound like your goal.

I mean spot on... Darn iPad keyboard...m

P.p.s. To clarify further my 26 yrs. included 3+!yrs as staff attorney, 9 yrs supervisory and 14 yrs as a non supervisor/ manager/policy advisor, so I think have a fair view of the "lay of the land."

You will give up invaluable independence and flexibility in return for significantly greater $$ (IMO).

[Anonymous]

Underpaid.

[Anonymous]

As an attorney you have a choice (1) earn more money or (2) keep your flexibility. I'm in the same position as you are and have looked into my options extensively. I've chosen to keep the flexibility.

[Anonymous]

This thread is eye-opening. I had no idea that at so many other agencies, it was frowned upon for GS-15s to telework. I am a GS-15, and telework one day a week and my boss (SES) wouldn't care if I did so more often. Same goes for the other GS-15 attorneys who work in my office.

Plus, I've got a friend at another agency (she and I were colleagues at BigLaw before we defected to the feds) and she is a GS-15, too, and also teleworks at least one day a week. I also have another GS-15 friend at another agency who moved away to a different town, but her agency decided to let her work from home almost full-time.

Had no idea it was so tough to telework for so many GS-15 attorneys! Good to know. I'll thank my boss again next time I see him.

[Anonymous]

Are you supervisory? I think that's when it gets harder to telework and agencies vary as to whether they have non-sup 15s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you supervisory? I think that's when it gets harder to telework and agencies vary as to whether they have non-sup 15s.

Know of an agency where supervisor 15s can telework two to five days every week. And they have the best offices.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are a government attorney. Whether you can "make more money" depends on the job you can apply for and what GS classification that job has. Is it GS-15, SES, and are you qualified for it. There are relatively few non-supervisory GS-15 jobs in government. Most agencies have a hiring freeze right now.

It's kind of academic whether you can make more money. The question is, can you get a higher paying government job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you supervisory? I think that's when it gets harder to telework and agencies vary as to whether they have non-sup 15s.

Know of an agency where supervisor 15s can telework two to five days every week. And they have the best offices.

I don't doubt it, but I also know of agencies where they don't allow sup to telework, and it seems to me (although I may be wrong) that it is more common to distinguish based on that, than based only on whether someone is a 14 or 15, but I could be wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread is eye-opening. I had no idea that at so many other agencies, it was frowned upon for GS-15s to telework. I am a GS-15, and telework one day a week and my boss (SES) wouldn't care if I did so more often. Same goes for the other GS-15 attorneys who work in my office.

Plus, I've got a friend at another agency (she and I were colleagues at BigLaw before we defected to the feds) and she is a GS-15, too, and also teleworks at least one day a week. I also have another GS-15 friend at another agency who moved away to a different town, but her agency decided to let her work from home almost full-time.

Had no idea it was so tough to telework for so many GS-15 attorneys! Good to know. I'll thank my boss again next time I see him.

I also fall into this category. As do many other attorneys at my agency. The trick is finding an agency that doesn't believe that GS-15 positions should be reserved for supervisors - which are agencies that have a lot of attorneys. I actually make the same amount as my boss.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP keep dreaming. You have it good, much better than most govt attorneys.

I'd say much better than most other jobs, too.

I'm lucky. I work 10 months, with 20 required summer days (mostly flexible, with one week of mandatory meetings). I am paid slightly less. 60% of my job could be handled from home, but it's not part of the culture to allow this.

I wish I could work from home - even though I know I have it good!

I have two kids - 9 and 5.

[Anonymous]

Supervisors are not allowed to telework at our agency. As for non-supervisory 14s and 15s, telework is entirely up to the manager. Some (mine included) allow telework 3 days a week. Others don't allow it at all.

[Anonymous]

You are only 5 years out of school? Your pay is good for a govt attorney with 5 years experience and working from home full time is an excellent perk. That would be worth at least 20k to me.