Why does DC Govt jobs pay so little?
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Anonymous
Lol, we occasionally see people with OPs attitude float through and they never last long. |
Anonymous
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Bc you guys are all on here all day and don't work.
Real work isn't like this. Most couldn't cut it. |
Anonymous
| Posting on a message board during work hours to call out other people for posting on the same message board during work hours is priceless. |
Anonymous
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This is the dumbest thread. The real question is why do municipal government jobs pay so little? Is it because everyone assumes that govt workers "coast" and "don't work hard" so refuse to pay higher taxes for services?
DC govt jobs pay more than nearly any other municipality in the country. The only two that compare are SF and Seattle. Certainly pay more than any other job in the region. DC govt jobs in certain agencies are highly competitive to land. I've wanted one for a while, and haven't been able to land one. The reason I have pursued municipal govt work rather than federal is that I think fed jobs have no impact and little meaning -- you're a tiny fish in a HUGE pond and, if you do policy, you have zilch interaction with the constituents you serve. In local govt jobs, you can potentially make an impact and the work is actually meaningful - albeit extremely frustrating and undervalued. |
Anonymous
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DC here. Agree there is no pension, but the 5 percent in the 403b is essentially your "match," without you even having to put in.
My salary is the same as my Fed equivalents but I am limited upward because there are few DC15s in the career service track. Benefits are similar to feds - we are one DC/one fed family and we have opted for DC health insurance and federal dental/eye. We had to purchase private ST and LT disability plans for my fed spouse, whereas I get mine straight from DC. We can get bonuses; whether or not your agency uses them varies a lot. QOL is the same as my previous non-profit job, making about 65 percent higher salary at DC. My spouse had been urging me to look at federal jobs for years, but I am happy with my team and our mission, so am staying put for now. YMMV. |
Anonymous
OP, I also have the SEC interviewing me. It is like 30k more and no staff to deal with. No board meetings. DC wants me to manage 7 staff and do board level work. Where I present to board a lot and sit in multiple management committee and deal with changing org. I love that but I have already done that twice. I can sit in a cube for way less work and more money at the SEC |
Anonymous
The SEC pays significantly more than just about any government work. It's unreasonable for you to complain about DC pay when you are comparing it to a federal financial regulator. Managers at other agencies make less than line grunts at the SEC. That you would do the same in the DC gov is no different than someone at DOJ, State, or any other agency not on an elevated pay scale. If you want to make the most money (with or without factoring in not having to be a supervisor), take the SEC job if offered. |
Anonymous
Thiiiiis. The issue here isn't that DC doesn't pay enough. It's that the SEC pays a lot. I'm a fed in another agency, and making the DC equivalent salary does indeed involve managing multiple teams. |
Anonymous
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OP getting the job. But I have some reservations. Want to pay me about my current salary. But I got some stock not vested walking away from and unsure of pay raises and bonuses.
Also worried glass door all talks about run down locations of offices. I have been to Fannie’s, SEC, Freddie, Finra offices and they have gyms and subsidized cafeterias, bonus, etc. all quasi govt. It really 100 percent will be benefits that is the make it or break it |
Anonymous
| OP I’m guessing you are just trolling at this point, but in the event you are not, do not take this job. Your attitude about everything DC government clearly being inferior, and your sense of entitlement, will come through to your colleagues loud and clear. And as the new person who will need a lot of help in learning the nuances of DC government, the longtime employees there will not help you because your attitude is so awful. They will sit and watch you inevitably fail, and then after you leave you will be the cautionary story in the office about that uppity snob that thought DC government should be like working for Fannie or Freddie and lasted only a few months. |
Anonymous
Not snobby I just have a skill set I could do at multiple companies. I was actually a GSE worker and to be honest they overpay. I got a 100k cash bonus each year and I got 8 percent 401k match. My base salary was 60k higher than a DC job at same level. But like with most GSE people you have if lucky 2-7 years and you get caught up in politics or a lay off. Which happened to me. I bought a house with huge downpayment and saved kids college while there so I can afford this pay cut. Just want a job 7-8 years till retirement. That said the job I have now post Fannie was a really big pay cut. Ouch. But WFH I have no staff to deal with and boss is cool. The DC job sounds exciting and mission focused. I like that. I rather do that more than my Fannie work. It is more important than current role where I basically work from basement 7-8 hours a day in my jeans and socks. I am often torn between need to give back and cash. To be honest if JUUL, timeshare company, reverse mortgage place or chemical plant wanted to pay a lot more I be conflicted. I have to balance need for cash with ethics. My small company my bosses goal is we all drive Ferrari’s in five years or go up in flames. Hardly deep thinking. I rather be a deep thinker and get more engrained in DC govt. |
Anonymous
| I struggled reading OP last post. Proofread damn. I wouldn’t pay you a dime due to your writing skills gesh. |
Anonymous
+1. OP's writing is terrible but distinctly recognizable as the person that posts about having three kids in college and a wife that refuses to work. |
Anonymous
So folks don’t think salary should not match skills required and work responsibilities. I applied a job when I had my prior job as was same level. I knew stuff was coming and wanted to get ahead. This is back in 2019. I got offered a 180k pay cut for same exact job. I met a nice women at an event a few months earlier who does same work I did and politely declined but offered up this women who was very happy to have it. I am a hard worker who will run through brick walls and work 24/7 if paid. At this point any job will do. But at low pay in particular govt jobs why does supervisor and boss get paid so little? I want to be super motivated. But if I am underpaid and all my staff is underpaid and salaries so low I can’t hire good people or fire poor performers it is like Dante’s inferno I mean let’s take a job like Head of HR. Can do any company. Amazon, Citi group, Microsoft, capital one at around 500k to 800k. But non profits will pay 150-175k. I mean unemployed folks will take it or folks at end of career but the good ones keep job hunting. And how do you motivated people at top who had a great job and now took a huge pay cut. I did math and take home is same I made in 2006. That is wiping out 15 years of raises No more new cars, vacations, kids taking out college loans, is ok starting out I did it 20 years at start. But do you really want folks taking low paid jobs in key positions. Will they do they’re best? I wish I could do this type job as a board member or part time. I supervised Union folk many years ago in my 20s was a headache. Although I had less stress as was hard for me to be fired |