Freaking out - 2 kids in daycare and a PAY FREEZE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, you are lucky it's just a pay freeze--the year the Feds got a 5% increase, I got a 5% pay cut, with no reduction in work. That stuck for 2 years. Many of us have been dealing with pay cuts, RIFs, benefit cuts etc. for the past 2 years.

So? Misery loves company? If you were on the receiving end of such digs, you would not appreciate it. Nor do I.
Feds work hard (contrary to the ignorant perceptions on this board). Our salaries are not responsible for the deficit or budget issues.

While the pay freeze was not surprising and, though I don't like it I understand it to an extent, comments like yours are unwarranted. I'm sorry you've had a rough time. But, to then wish it on others (which is essentially what you're doing) is pretty appalling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, you are probably not still reading this after getting totally slammed, but I just want to say that I feel for you. I am not a federal employee but I didn't get a raise last year and it sucked. I'm hopeful to get one this year. But if someone told me my salary would be frozen for 2 years I would get a little panicky, despite the fact that I am grateful to have a job.

I also appreciate that many federal workers give up the higher salaries and bonuses they could get in the private sector for the stability of a fed position, but part of that stability is gradual salary increases rather than big payouts when the economy is good.

Anyway, in case you peek back at this post, just wanted you to know that not everyone thinks you are selfish jerk

I'm not the OP, but thank you. This was well said.

Totally. Thank you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Meh - depends on the private sector. My hubby is in the private sector and he gets an average 7% COLA every year, in addition to major bonuses. That isn't likely to change this next year.

I'll give you that many in the private sector have it worse, but don't act like the Feds are the last remaining group to be unscathed.

Where on earth does your husband work? In this economy 7% every year sounds HUGE plus he gets bonuses. He's in paradise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:11:14, when do you see your husband? 90 hour weeks is 13 hours a day every day. WTF job requires this type of commitment? And if you work 60 hour weeks, what do your kids do? How do you afford all the childcare you must need?

I'm 11:14 -- Yup, it pretty much sucks! My husband goes to work at a normal hour (arrives by 9), works at the office until 10pm, comes home, eats and chills for an hour, then often goes back on remotely and works half the night. Night before Thanksgiving he slept at the office for 4 hours -- didn't come home until 10am Thanksgiving Day. It's not always like that, but has been like that for him for most of this year. We're trial lawyers, so if there's litigation, you're in it pretty much every waking hour of the day (and some that should not be waking hours). He sees our daughter between 6-730am most weekdays, and on the weekends. We hate it.
I don't work 50-60 hours anymore (since we had our daughter, who's 1.5 years old). I worked 50-60 hours/week most of the time when I was supposedly 40 hours/week. Now I'm "part time" which is in theory 32 hours per week (so i get paid 4/5 of the total salary i used to get). In reality, I work more like 40 hours/week now. That's pretty standard for "part time" lawyers, I think.
This is why we will probably advise our kids (I'm pg with another) not to be lawyers.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and I meant to say -- we have a nanny 3 days/week. My mom travels to watch our kiddo the one other day/week I work. Then I work some in the evenings after kiddo goes to bed. How can we afford it? We can't.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a small TH and daycare prices went up at least 5% this year and seem to go up at least that every year. Don't pass judgment unless you walk in someone else's shoes.

Full-time day care is time limited - 5 years per child in less you are continuing to have kids and want to have 3-6 kids and in that case, you clearly can afford it or you wouldn't have multiple kids. And, it may increase, but day care rates change as the staff to child ratio changes with ages and usually goes down.

Yep, this.

And what does living in a small townhouse have to do with anything?

We live in an overpriced 900 square foot shack... really want to compare - BIG deal. Nice, is the new roof - the siding blows off with wind gusts. It's half finished as we DIY and a big money pit. BUT, it is home and that's what things cost now. Take it or move to a lower cost area with lower salary's where it is harder to find jobs. My husband gets no pension, his holiday party sucks (I lost my job when we had my son - they were oh so nasty), benefits are a joke, no tuition reimbursement, no nothing. You work, you get paid, therefore we eat and this is a professional job and they pay him reasonably well and treat him well so he stays. NO holiday bonus either. NO COLA's, NO GRADES, NO STEP, etc. Its just nice one of us has a job to pay our mortgage.

You can choose to move further out and get a larger townhouse or home. Or you may be living in a small very fancy townhouse close in which is a personal choice. YOU may be paying $500 a week at a fancy day care as we were looking at as that is our priority over our home - our child - his child care and his college fund - a smaller house is nice - he runs so fast so with a small house we can chase him easier and less to clean.

You make your lifestyle choices - mad the Fed's don't pay more - go to private contracting. Mad the private isn't working well - get a job with the feds... problem solved. Don't like any of it... well, tuff... there's always a nice cardboard box Costco will give you for free to live in when your money runs out if your relatives will not take you in.

[Anonymous]

I think the zero-inflation poster is really Econchallenged Poster from the other thread. She doesn't understand basic rules of economics and tries to repeat baseless statements as if they are fact.

Let's try it again, Econchallenged!

0% inflation, you say?

Please list for me the monthly expenses you have had that did not go up last year and will not go up next year. Will your daycare cost go up year on year? Will your grocery bill go up year on year? Will your health care premiums go up year on year? Will gas prices go up year on year? Will college tuition go up year on year?

The answer to all of these things is YES. These are average monthly expenses that are increasing in the DC area. This means if you can afford all these things on $100 a month this year, next year, these same items will cost maybe $120. That means the same $100 you earn right now will not cover the same living expenses next year as this year.

[Anonymous]

WHY does everyone keep talking about inflation - there has been no real inflation this year or last - if anything, we are in danger of deflation (see stagnant wages...)

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/13/2010-a-year-of-falling-prices/

Thanks for posting! I'm going to print this out and bring it to my son's college, to let him know they must have accidently published the wrong rates for next year's tuition. They meant to keep it the same! And the same to United Health Care . . . those silly fools thought they were going to INCREASE my premiums! Let me just send them this article and clear everything up.

[Anonymous]

"We live in an overpriced 900 square foot shack... really want to compare - BIG deal. Nice, is the new roof - the siding blows off with wind gusts. It's half finished as we DIY and a big money pit. BUT, it is home and that's what things cost now. Take it or move to a lower cost area with lower salary's where it is harder to find jobs. My husband gets no pension, his holiday party sucks (I lost my job when we had my son - they were oh so nasty), benefits are a joke, no tuition reimbursement, no nothing. You work, you get paid, therefore we eat and this is a professional job and they pay him reasonably well and treat him well so he stays. NO holiday bonus either. NO COLA's, NO GRADES, NO STEP, etc. Its just nice one of us has a job to pay our mortgage.

You can choose to move further out and get a larger townhouse or home. Or you may be living in a small very fancy townhouse close in which is a personal choice. YOU may be paying $500 a week at a fancy day care as we were looking at as that is our priority over our home - our child - his child care and his college fund - a smaller house is nice - he runs so fast so with a small house we can chase him easier and less to clean.

You make your lifestyle choices - mad the Fed's don't pay more - go to private contracting. Mad the private isn't working well - get a job with the feds... problem solved. Don't like any of it... well, tuff... there's always a nice cardboard box Costco will give you for free to live in when your money runs out if your relatives will not take you in"

Wow!

Crappy, crappy writing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Oh, and I meant to say -- we have a nanny 3 days/week. My mom travels to watch our kiddo the one other day/week I work. Then I work some in the evenings after kiddo goes to bed. How can we afford it? We can't.

Your husband should go to a firm, seriously.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, thank you! I'm a Fed, and I think it was ridiculous how we got increases in COLA the past few years (I knew this was coming, anyways - it happens with new administrations) so I'm ok with staying put. Plus my kids will both be turning a year older in the new year so daycare will get cheaper (hooray!). But private sector folks, you get a lot of perks that we don't when the economy is good. Like, no ridiculous travel hoops to jump through (crappy ticket class, only economy airport parking, price limit on hotels, etc.), no holiday parties or company retreats, no big bonuses, no coffee in the office (seriously! we have to buy our own coffee machines and dish soap!), no paid maternity leave or short term disability, no stock options, etc. Let's just not forget that there are pros and cons for working in the govt and the private sector.

I'm not a fed, but have lots of friends who are, and I think they get paid pathetic salaries and have the worst benefits I know. They have to pay for bottled water, for god's sake. No paid maternity leave! I work at a mid-size non-profit and earn a better salary with WAY better benefits and a much better working environment. I can only imagine that the private sector is even better. Yes, having a fed job is better than no job, but that's a pretty low bar. I think it stinks that Obama froze fed salaries - it's a PR move that just hurts working families. I can think of dozens of better ways to lower the deficit.

I'm with you OP. I would totally freak if I knew I wasn't getting a raise for two more years. I went without one a couple years ago, but at least got 2% last year (plus a small bonus). As PPs have said, all other costs are increasing -- daycare, parking, gas, health care, utilities, etc. Maybe food and clothing haven't changed (I don't really know), but most fixed costs go up every year regardless of my raise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, you are lucky it's just a pay freeze--the year the Feds got a 5% increase, I got a 5% pay cut, with no reduction in work. That stuck for 2 years. Many of us have been dealing with pay cuts, RIFs, benefit cuts etc. for the past 2 years.

So? Misery loves company? If you were on the receiving end of such digs, you would not appreciate it. Nor do I.
Feds work hard (contrary to the ignorant perceptions on this board). Our salaries are not responsible for the deficit or budget issues.

While the pay freeze was not surprising and, though I don't like it I understand it to an extent, comments like yours are unwarranted. I'm sorry you've had a rough time. But, to then wish it on others (which is essentially what you're doing) is pretty appalling.

How is telling you that many other people have been dealing with this, or worse - total unemployment - translate into wishing it on you? That's just stupid. The fact of the matter is that many people have been dealing with underemployment, unemployment, RIFs, forced time off, etc. since the recession (heard of it?!) started. Just because you work for the government doesn't mean you're untouchable. Be glad you have a job and face the reductions in spending like the rest of us mere mortals have had to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think the zero-inflation poster is really Econchallenged Poster from the other thread. She doesn't understand basic rules of economics and tries to repeat baseless statements as if they are fact.

Let's try it again, Econchallenged!

0% inflation, you say?

Please list for me the monthly expenses you have had that did not go up last year and will not go up next year. Will your daycare cost go up year on year? Will your grocery bill go up year on year? Will your health care premiums go up year on year? Will gas prices go up year on year? Will college tuition go up year on year?

The answer to all of these things is YES. These are average monthly expenses that are increasing in the DC area. This means if you can afford all these things on $100 a month this year, next year, these same items will cost maybe $120. That means the same $100 you earn right now will not cover the same living expenses next year as this year.

Are you the same poster who keeps insisting that a salary freeze is the same thing as a pay cut? Good grief, woman, you’re like a dog with a bone – and you’re wrong, to boot. I’ll spell it out for you:

A salary freeze keeps your salary the same. If you made $50,000 this year, you’ll make $50,000 next year.

A pay cut means your employer gives you less money next year than it did this year. For example, if you made $50,000 this year, and your employer imposed a 10% pay cut, you would make $45,000 next year.

And before you start, I understand economics, inflation, the rising costs of consumer goods and services, and the relating buying power of the dollar from year to year. But I also understand English, and the meanings of the terms “freeze” and “cut.” You can argue that a salary freeze has the same effect (albeit less pronounced) as a pay cut. But to claim – vehemently – that a freeze is the same thing as a cut just makes you look silly.

As for inflation, there is at least room to disagree. After all, social security recipients are not getting a COLA adjustment because according to the formula adopted by the government in the 1970s, there is no inflation. But rather than politely discuss this topic, you appear intent on calling people names, apparently proceeding on the theory that if you are the most frequent and irritating poster, you will eventually cause others to throw up their hands in disgust and move on, leading you to the incorrect conclusion that you were right and no one can possibly stand up to your rapier wit and superior intellect. If so, congratulations – this is my last attempt to reason with you.

‘Kay?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Yes, thank you! I'm a Fed, and I think it was ridiculous how we got increases in COLA the past few years (I knew this was coming, anyways - it happens with new administrations) so I'm ok with staying put. Plus my kids will both be turning a year older in the new year so daycare will get cheaper (hooray!). But private sector folks, you get a lot of perks that we don't when the economy is good. Like, no ridiculous travel hoops to jump through (crappy ticket class, only economy airport parking, price limit on hotels, etc.), no holiday parties or company retreats, no big bonuses, no coffee in the office (seriously! we have to buy our own coffee machines and dish soap!), no paid maternity leave or short term disability, no stock options, etc. Let's just not forget that there are pros and cons for working in the govt and the private sector.

I'm not a fed, but have lots of friends who are, and I think they get paid pathetic salaries and have the worst benefits I know. They have to pay for bottled water, for god's sake. No paid maternity leave! I work at a mid-size non-profit and earn a better salary with WAY better benefits and a much better working environment. I can only imagine that the private sector is even better. Yes, having a fed job is better than no job, but that's a pretty low bar. I think it stinks that Obama froze fed salaries - it's a PR move that just hurts working families. I can think of dozens of better ways to lower the deficit.

I'm with you OP. I would totally freak if I knew I wasn't getting a raise for two more years. I went without one a couple years ago, but at least got 2% last year (plus a small bonus). As PPs have said, all other costs are increasing -- daycare, parking, gas, health care, utilities, etc. Maybe food and clothing haven't changed (I don't really know), but most fixed costs go up every year regardless of my raise.

Hey honey? Just so you know, my mid-level private sector job doesn't offer bottled water (which, IMO, I don't expect my employer to provide anyway) nor does it provide paid maternity leave. In addition to astronomical insurance premiums (think over $1K/mo) and terrible benefits, I'd be thrilled to have a "low bar" fed job. Also, my private sector job hasn't had a raise in 4 years.

[Anonymous]

OP, I'm with you. Just got back to work from my maternity leave, which I received NO pay for...zip, zero, zilch, and no short term disability benefits to help defray that hit. And now, I'm finding out I will not get a Cost of Living increase in two years?!?!? I'm pissed...also now have two in daycare to the tune of $2400 a month. Sure, others may have it worse off, but part of the reason I took a HUGE paycut to work for the fed was in part because I knew it was less risky, and I would get a gradual increase each year for cost of living....COLA is certainly NOT going down around this area, and our daycare expenses among other expenses are only going up up and up! Very frustrating. Booooo Obama!