quitting federal government -- two weeks' notice still standard?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone here who has worked in the federal government actually worked in a well-managed place that encouraged growth, with competent, non-abusive managers and coworkers, with reasonable workloads? Because both federal offices I've worked in were extremely dysfunctional, but in different ways.

Has anyone here ever actually liked working in the federal government? If so, would you mind giving some hints about where to look for a decent work experience?

Yes. The "best place to work" list for the government is fairly accurate. I moved from a miserable agency to an agency that consistently scores at the top of that list and my work life has improved dramatically, I like working, I've gotten promoted fairly, and my management actively mentors me.

Me, I would give my agency as much time as possible so they get the full benefit to be able to backfill. Why screw people over on your way out when you can just let them know the truth and everyone can move forward?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone here who has worked in the federal government actually worked in a well-managed place that encouraged growth, with competent, non-abusive managers and coworkers, with reasonable workloads? Because both federal offices I've worked in were extremely dysfunctional, but in different ways.

Has anyone here ever actually liked working in the federal government? If so, would you mind giving some hints about where to look for a decent work experience?

Yes. The "best place to work" list for the government is fairly accurate. I moved from a miserable agency to an agency that consistently scores at the top of that list and my work life has improved dramatically, I like working, I've gotten promoted fairly, and my management actively mentors me.

Me, I would give my agency as much time as possible so they get the full benefit to be able to backfill. Why screw people over on your way out when you can just let them know the truth and everyone can move forward?

My goal is to work up to one of those agencies at the top of the list. I am currently at a miserable agency that is ranked in the bottom 1% of agencies its size. Morale is extremely low, the management incompetent, no HR support even to fix their own mistakes, very little training offered, no professional development supported, takes months to hire people--yet when they do managed to get people they don't appreciate them, uncomfortable work spaces. I want to work in a professional, positive, fair environment. I would absolutely give as much notice as possible if I had the kind of work experience that you just described.

The thing is that at my current office, if I gave more than 2 weeks they would abusively pile on a massive workload, the most undesirable tasks, and travel that nobody else wants to do. If I gave more than 2 weeks, I'd get screwed over. If I was confident I wouldn't get screwed over, I'd give more notice.

When you left that miserable agency, how much notice did you give?

[Anonymous]

Does anyone have any experience with transferring vs. resigning with a short break in service?

Here's my situation. I've been working for a year at a small agency subcomponent. This subcomponent is in a shambles and has virtually no HR support. I've been here a year and they still are not crediting my prior military service for leave accrual. I should be earning 6 hours per pay period, but I'm only earning 4. Over the course of the last year, I have tried contacting HR about this several times. They ignore me and have not fixed this. My "managers" have no interest in intervening, partly because they don't care that I have less leave and partly because they know that they will also be ignored.

I have no confidence in this agency's management or HR. I know when I'm ready to leave two things will happen 1) if I try to transfer, management will screw around with me to try to hold me longer because they are so short staffed and the remotely-located HR is incredibly slow and incompetent at hiring new people, AND 2) I KNOW that this HR will not transfer my leave correctly if at all.

My research into OPM regulation suggests that breaks in service of less than 3 days result in a carrying over of all benefits and a recredit of all leave done by the new agency. I would rather have the receiving agency calculate my leave than this incredibly screwed up subcomponent I'm leaving.

Does anyone have any advice about this? I'm leaning toward a very short, 1 day break in service.

[Anonymous]

Actually if you have a break in service, even a short one, you will loose your accrued Annual Leave time. Your old agency will pay it out to you. It would actually be best to transfer for a higher GS level. If your old agency tries to keep you, remind them that if they keep you longer than 2 weeks, they have to pay you at the rate of the higher GS level.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does anyone have any experience with transferring vs. resigning with a short break in service?

Does anyone have any advice about this? I'm leaning toward a very short, 1 day break in service.

Do not do it. I repeat, do not do it. Even for one day. Listen to 18:26 on 1/2/16.

Suck it up as much as you can while your transfer is in progress. Yes, your old agency will try to screw you but don't help them by quitting before transferring.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Here's my situation. I've been working for a year at a small agency subcomponent. This subcomponent is in a shambles and has virtually no HR support. I've been here a year and they still are not crediting my prior military service for leave accrual. I should be earning 6 hours per pay period, but I'm only earning 4. Over the course of the last year, I have tried contacting HR about this several times. They ignore me and have not fixed this. My "managers" have no interest in intervening, partly because they don't care that I have less leave and partly because they know that they will also be ignored.

My HR contacted DFAS about why I wasn't getting my proper leave accruals. Can you try contacting them yourself to see if they can help?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
Here's my situation. I've been working for a year at a small agency subcomponent. This subcomponent is in a shambles and has virtually no HR support. I've been here a year and they still are not crediting my prior military service for leave accrual. I should be earning 6 hours per pay period, but I'm only earning 4. Over the course of the last year, I have tried contacting HR about this several times. They ignore me and have not fixed this. My "managers" have no interest in intervening, partly because they don't care that I have less leave and partly because they know that they will also be ignored.

My HR contacted DFAS about why I wasn't getting my proper leave accruals. Can you try contacting them yourself to see if they can help?

The problem isn't with DFAS. I've worked for the civilian federal service (left that job several years ago), and that agency had my Service Computation Date and leave accrual correct. The problem is with this agency screwing up my SCD and dragging their knuckles on fixing their own mistake. I work for a subcompent agency in a field office. We rely on the mainline agency's HR office in DC to handle all our personnel needs and they are the most incompetent, rude, stupid, unprofessional people I have ever dealt with. It's embarrassing. This agency and the people in it are really making me rethink a federal career. Maybe I need to focus on state/local government or the private sector because this job/agency are really ticking me off.

[Anonymous]

2 weeks is the minimum you're supposed to give according to OPM regulation, if you ever want to work for the federal gov. ever again. Personally, I would not give less than 2 weeks even if I thought I'd never want to work for the feds ever again. Why burn the bridge? That said, anything over 2 weeks is a favor to your office--if you are leaving federal service or transferring out for a promotion. If you are doing a lateral transfer for the same GS level, then I believe they may be able to hold you for as long as 30 days.
It just depends on your situation. I've never given more than 2 or 3 weeks as I've moved around the federal gov. There's just no advantage and lots of potential personal pitfalls if you give your office more notice than that in my opinion.

[Anonymous]

I have a vacation planned for July 26-Aug 3. It's been approved by my manager for months now.

I already have a verbal job offer from a company and am expecting the formal offer letter today or tomorrow. I told them "sometime in mid-to-late August as the earliest I would be able to start, due to processing out of a federal job and my long-planned vacation, and they understand that, although they're obviously trying to push me to state a particular date (and I told them that would have to be determined based on when the offer letter came in).

Anyway, do I wait until after I get back from my vacation to give my notice? Or should I give notice before vacation? Can I take annual leave while on vacation?

If I gave 2 weeks' notice tomorrow, the end of that period comes up while I'm on vacation, so obviously that doesn't work. Should I give notice tomorrow of 3 weeks notice (and then be out of the office for 2 of that)? I would still be in the office for nearly 2 full weeks to tie up any loose ends, clean out my office, and do the processing out. Does it really take that long?

Or could I give notice tomorrow of 1 week, and be out of there before my vacation starts? How long does it take to process out from a federal job?

[Anonymous]

I think of 2 weeks as a minimum. It is what I would give if I have a specific reason to think giving more notice would adversely impact me, like it I were in private practice and they might ask me to just go ahead and leave earlier or I have a bonus coming up or something.

Its really hard to imagine how, in most government jobs, giving more than 2 weeks notice could harm you, so I'd be inclined to give as much notice as I am able, so as to best preserve my professional relationships with my soon-to-be-former colleagues.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone here who has worked in the federal government actually worked in a well-managed place that encouraged growth, with competent, non-abusive managers and coworkers, with reasonable workloads? Because both federal offices I've worked in were extremely dysfunctional, but in different ways.

Has anyone here ever actually liked working in the federal government? If so, would you mind giving some hints about where to look for a decent work experience?

Yes. The "best place to work" list for the government is fairly accurate. I moved from a miserable agency to an agency that consistently scores at the top of that list and my work life has improved dramatically, I like working, I've gotten promoted fairly, and my management actively mentors me.

Me, I would give my agency as much time as possible so they get the full benefit to be able to backfill. Why screw people over on your way out when you can just let them know the truth and everyone can move forward?

I worked at an agency component that was #1 on that list for years and years and the ranking was probably accurate for administrative staff and not at all accurate for professionals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a vacation planned for July 26-Aug 3. It's been approved by my manager for months now.

I already have a verbal job offer from a company and am expecting the formal offer letter today or tomorrow. I told them "sometime in mid-to-late August as the earliest I would be able to start, due to processing out of a federal job and my long-planned vacation, and they understand that, although they're obviously trying to push me to state a particular date (and I told them that would have to be determined based on when the offer letter came in).

Anyway, do I wait until after I get back from my vacation to give my notice? Or should I give notice before vacation? Can I take annual leave while on vacation?

If I gave 2 weeks' notice tomorrow, the end of that period comes up while I'm on vacation, so obviously that doesn't work. Should I give notice tomorrow of 3 weeks notice (and then be out of the office for 2 of that)? I would still be in the office for nearly 2 full weeks to tie up any loose ends, clean out my office, and do the processing out. Does it really take that long?

Or could I give notice tomorrow of 1 week, and be out of there before my vacation starts? How long does it take to process out from a federal job?

if memory serves they will want your last day to be at the end of a pay period. The actual processing out of a federal job is quick but I found that where I worked people rarely left gov't so managers weren't used to 2 weeks notice and were shocked when I suggested that. if I were you, i'd plan it so that you are back for a week after your vacation to tie things up, assuming that aligns to the pay periods. I ended up staying for 3.5 weeks and it was super awkward and I really wished it had just been two weeks!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I know someone who retired on 1 day's notice, left the office on Weds. saying he was taking annual leave Thurs. and Friday and retiring effective Sunday.

OMG, whoever this is, I love it

Will remember this when I have to retire in 30+ years.

I knew soneone like this too, in state government. He was our hero, still friends with him When environments are not good, your coworkers may end up being more jealous than anything else.

[Anonymous]

Someone in my old Fed office just disappeared over the weekend, cleaned out her office and was gone. She'd worked there for years! Just bitter I guess.

Sometimes work sucks but I'm not that bitter...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Someone in my old Fed office just disappeared over the weekend, cleaned out her office and was gone. She'd worked there for years! Just bitter I guess.

Sometimes work sucks but I'm not that bitter...

An ex-coworker did that when she didn't get the promotion she applied for.