Why does everybody think Feds are so underpaid?

[Anonymous]

Computer Science, for one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My office doesn't allow comp time or overtime; DH's office doesn't either. A previous agency we both worked at does. It guess it varies, but it's not a standard benefit by any means.

I work much more reasonable hours, but DH puts in a lot of extra (uncompensated) time; as soon as he gets home, he turns on his computer to keep an eye on things and then works once the kids go to bed until 11pm. He does this on weekends too and it's starting to affect our marriage. The one consolation is that I know he doesn't enjoy working the extra hours so it's not like he's doing it to avoid family life.

What does he do that he has to put in so much extra time and keep an eye on things after hours?

Not PP, but for my husband it's because he's lost two people over the last couple years and is now doing their work in addition to his own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I do not believe that Feds are underpaid (or overpaid) in general. Some think they could earn more if they went to another employer but that is true for employees at every employer.

The government seems to have no trouble attracting applicants for open positions at current pay levels; the total package appears to be sufficient.

This is not universally true. It can be very difficult to find qualified people willing to accept a gov't salary in some of the more lucrative technical fields.

Which fields?

For us it's petroleum and chemical engineers. We have hiring problems and can't attract them.

[Anonymous]

Agree that the professional-level feds get paid less than private sector, whereas the jobs requiring lower levels of education get paid more than private sector. Here's a CBO report that talks about this: http://www.cbo.gov/sites/default/files/cbofiles/attachments/01-30-FedPay.pdf

Personally, I left a $260k private legal job for a $120k federal job. I did it because I am passionate about the work and wanted to contribute to society. Turns out, however, that the job is pretty demoralizing because of all of the budget cuts, sequestration, etc. I also work quite hard - more than 40 hours a week for sure, totally maxed out credit and comp hours (which are capped), and work almost every weekend. I am considering a return to private sector employment at this point, which depresses me.

[Anonymous]

Huh? My husband could be making 750 or a million, yet he makes 220 as a fed with his education. That's why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Huh? My husband could be making 750 or a million, yet he makes 220 as a fed with his education. That's why.

220? Hello, Mrs. Biden.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Huh? My husband could be making 750 or a million, yet he makes 220 as a fed with his education. That's why.

220? Hello, Mrs. Biden.

Uh, no. Try SEC, OCC, FDIC, FRB, CFPB, FHFA, FCA, NCUA.... there are plenty of fed agencies above the GS scale. Do a little research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Huh? My husband could be making 750 or a million, yet he makes 220 as a fed with his education. That's why.

220? Hello, Mrs. Biden.

Uh, no. Try SEC, OCC, FDIC, FRB, CFPB, FHFA, FCA, NCUA.... there are plenty of fed agencies above the GS scale. Do a little research.

Okay, I did some research.

http://www.fedsmith.com/2013/04/29/locating-the-salary-of-an-individual-federal-employee/

There are some feds who make 220. They mostly are bankers, some are in HR. Some VA docs make 300-400.

If PPs point was that by being paid only 220, her husband is underpaid, is not very sympathetic. If you can make 1m+ at a firm or on Wall Street, that is a reflection of the incredible (and possibly insolvable) income inequality in this country, and doesn't really have much to do with government salaries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

Can't you just make a thread called "I don't understand what Federal employees do and therefore think they are useless?"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

This may be true of SOME federal workers, but if you really think this, you probably haven't every worked for a federal agency. I've worked for a federal agency for 22 years and frankly, the majority (I'd say around 75%) of my agency, NASA, works at least as hard or harder than teachers and do so all year round rather than just 10 months of the year with 2 weeks for Christmas and Spring break off. I have a couple of teacher friends on FB and frankly they whine and bitch and moan about having to go back to work after Spring break, having to cram to do work on the last night of the two week Christmas holiday because they didn't work the first 13 days or they grouse about having to go in to work on the day after the end of school to close down their room and compare it to the people in my agency who worked all of those days that the teachers had off, that work 60 hours a week, that have vacations canceled when flight missions change schedule. While I was working on Hubble, in 1999, we all lost Christmas vacations when due to bad weather and meteor showers, the shuttle launch had to be postponed until Dec 23. I worked 11pm to 9am on Christmas Eve to Christmas Day because I was single at the time and most of my team had kids and I let them all stay home with their kids. Lest you think this is rare, these types of changes happen all the time.

While I agree that teachers are underpaid, the concept that they work so much harder than the rest of the working world is just ludicrous and only makes teachers look whiny. I know several dozen teachers very well and they do NOT work harder than the federal workers at NASA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

This may be true of SOME federal workers, but if you really think this, you probably haven't every worked for a federal agency. I've worked for a federal agency for 22 years and frankly, the majority (I'd say around 75%) of my agency, NASA, works at least as hard or harder than teachers and do so all year round rather than just 10 months of the year with 2 weeks for Christmas and Spring break off. I have a couple of teacher friends on FB and frankly they whine and bitch and moan about having to go back to work after Spring break, having to cram to do work on the last night of the two week Christmas holiday because they didn't work the first 13 days or they grouse about having to go in to work on the day after the end of school to close down their room and compare it to the people in my agency who worked all of those days that the teachers had off, that work 60 hours a week, that have vacations canceled when flight missions change schedule. While I was working on Hubble, in 1999, we all lost Christmas vacations when due to bad weather and meteor showers, the shuttle launch had to be postponed until Dec 23. I worked 11pm to 9am on Christmas Eve to Christmas Day because I was single at the time and most of my team had kids and I let them all stay home with their kids. Lest you think this is rare, these types of changes happen all the time.

While I agree that teachers are underpaid, the concept that they work so much harder than the rest of the working world is just ludicrous and only makes teachers look whiny. I know several dozen teachers very well and they do NOT work harder than the federal workers at NASA.

Really? You're judging teachers based on a few FB posts. That's smart! SMH

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

This may be true of SOME federal workers, but if you really think this, you probably haven't every worked for a federal agency. I've worked for a federal agency for 22 years and frankly, the majority (I'd say around 75%) of my agency, NASA, works at least as hard or harder than teachers and do so all year round rather than just 10 months of the year with 2 weeks for Christmas and Spring break off. I have a couple of teacher friends on FB and frankly they whine and bitch and moan about having to go back to work after Spring break, having to cram to do work on the last night of the two week Christmas holiday because they didn't work the first 13 days or they grouse about having to go in to work on the day after the end of school to close down their room and compare it to the people in my agency who worked all of those days that the teachers had off, that work 60 hours a week, that have vacations canceled when flight missions change schedule. While I was working on Hubble, in 1999, we all lost Christmas vacations when due to bad weather and meteor showers, the shuttle launch had to be postponed until Dec 23. I worked 11pm to 9am on Christmas Eve to Christmas Day because I was single at the time and most of my team had kids and I let them all stay home with their kids. Lest you think this is rare, these types of changes happen all the time.

While I agree that teachers are underpaid, the concept that they work so much harder than the rest of the working world is just ludicrous and only makes teachers look whiny. I know several dozen teachers very well and they do NOT work harder than the federal workers at NASA.

Really? You're judging teachers based on a few FB posts. That's smart! SMH

I also included the bolded part. I belong to a club which includes several dozen teachers (plus knowing more through social groups) and I often spend time outside of work with them. I have a good feeling for what their work level is like compared to those who I know through work. I also hear their comments in person, not just those few on FB. Unless the teachers I know who work for AA, PG, Howard, Montgomery, Baltimore and Harford Counties are significantly different than their counterparts who are not involved in our club, they do not work harder than most NASA employees. But they do complain a lot more.

[Anonymous]

I agree. Some teachers constantly whine. I mean, sorry, you went to college just like I did, you flaunt your master's degree in my face, frankly. You could have chosen a more lucrative career, but you didn't. If you took so much pride in contributing to society you wouldn't bitch so much. Many have never worked in an office but the believe based on nothing that their job is harder and if you try to say ANYTHING about your job they are personally offended. Then they say things like "do you really want to go there?" and the only answer is "no, because you will never understand and there is no point". Nevermind that they're directly insulting your job for no reason

I agree not every teacher does this, but I know the type to which the PP is referring.

and, btw, all jobs contribute to society and that's why they exist. Cops and volunteer firefighters don't bitch like some teachers!

where's the "I love my teaching job" poster? I love her.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Compared to teachers, social workers, even nurses, you're making a mint. Why so much whining about the salary?

Teachers don't work the same hours as feds. They have summers and winter breaks.

Nurses are paid pretty well. My mom is a nurse and at part time she makes 80k.

Yes.

Teachers and nurses work far more hours and put in far more work than most feds. They do far more valuable work for the community at large than do most feds.

Did you really just go there?

This may be true of SOME federal workers, but if you really think this, you probably haven't every worked for a federal agency. I've worked for a federal agency for 22 years and frankly, the majority (I'd say around 75%) of my agency, NASA, works at least as hard or harder than teachers and do so all year round rather than just 10 months of the year with 2 weeks for Christmas and Spring break off. I have a couple of teacher friends on FB and frankly they whine and bitch and moan about having to go back to work after Spring break, having to cram to do work on the last night of the two week Christmas holiday because they didn't work the first 13 days or they grouse about having to go in to work on the day after the end of school to close down their room and compare it to the people in my agency who worked all of those days that the teachers had off, that work 60 hours a week, that have vacations canceled when flight missions change schedule. While I was working on Hubble, in 1999, we all lost Christmas vacations when due to bad weather and meteor showers, the shuttle launch had to be postponed until Dec 23. I worked 11pm to 9am on Christmas Eve to Christmas Day because I was single at the time and most of my team had kids and I let them all stay home with their kids. Lest you think this is rare, these types of changes happen all the time.

While I agree that teachers are underpaid, the concept that they work so much harder than the rest of the working world is just ludicrous and only makes teachers look whiny. I know several dozen teachers very well and they do NOT work harder than the federal workers at NASA.

Really? You're judging teachers based on a few FB posts. That's smart! SMH

I also included the bolded part. I belong to a club which includes several dozen teachers (plus knowing more through social groups) and I often spend time outside of work with them. I have a good feeling for what their work level is like compared to those who I know through work. I also hear their comments in person, not just those few on FB. Unless the teachers I know who work for AA, PG, Howard, Montgomery, Baltimore and Harford Counties are significantly different than their counterparts who are not involved in our club, they do not work harder than most NASA employees. But they do complain a lot more.

Still a very small sample