Fed employees and work ethic

[Anonymous]

I am on my third federal job, and this is the first one that hasn't yet burned me out. The first two had me routinely working 60-80 hour workweeks.

I'm finally working only 40-hour weeks, with occasional periods that are busier. I certainly don't have time to be goofing around, as I'd need to work nights or weekends if I did.

Truthfully, if I had to do it all over again knowing what I now know, I would have stayed in the private sector (where I was before I joined the government). I thought the government would have better work (which it has) and better work-life balance (not true until my current role). I do now like my current role, but if this doesn't work out, I will definitely move back to the private sector. Thankfully, my skills are transferable and I get lots of headhunter inquiries.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

Are they even allowed to stay? Serious question. At my agency we aren't allowed to travel outside of working hours except for special circumstances. It's dumb but not worth fighting over most of the time, especially for an industry conference.

[Anonymous]

It's okay to be jealous, OP.

Let us know how you feel when you properly value drops because of all the fired feds moving which will also impact the schools and local businesses, or your quality of life decreases because a fed who was working on a new drug or keeping your food and water safe has been cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

It's possible that if they work or travel hours beyond their schedule that they would need to be paid overtime or comp hours. They are saving the tax payers by leaving early.

[Anonymous]

I agree with you OP. While I know some hardworking Feds, I know many more who view it as a retirement zone.

Wheat should be separated from chaff, and chaff should be removed. It will be difficult (maybe possible) because a lot of people managers are chaff too, which makes it hard to identify the underlings.

[Anonymous]

^ I am referring to general paper-pusher Feds. I don’t know many Fed attorneys or scientists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^ I am referring to general paper-pusher Feds. I don’t know many Fed attorneys or scientists.

You know "many" Feds, but they're all in paper-pusher jobs? Interesting. FWIW, most of the Feds I know are scientists, engineers, attorneys, or have non telework-eligible positions, and I've never had a reason to question their work ethic. My neighbor who can't telework often has 12 hour days including the commute.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

It's possible that if they work or travel hours beyond their schedule that they would need to be paid overtime or comp hours. They are saving the tax payers by leaving early.

Correct. I am not allowed to travel on weekends without getting budget approval for the time worked.

The OP posting here has no idea what they’re talking about. If you paid me 100k more a year, and let me have some flexibility instead of micromanaging my every move, sure, I’d travel weekends. As it is, we have to account for every minute of the work week and it’s only getting worse.

[Anonymous]

Fun fact DOJ and FBI attorneys are prohibited from earning overtime. We certainly work more than 40 hours but Congress prohibited overtime many years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP. While I know some hardworking Feds, I know many more who view it as a retirement zone.

Wheat should be separated from chaff, and chaff should be removed. It will be difficult (maybe possible) because a lot of people managers are chaff too, which makes it hard to identify the underlings.

I work at an agency full of hard working people. Yes, there are underperformers, but they are typically able to contribute something that helps move things along. I am working my ass off every day and regularly work 10 hours plus. There aren’t a lot of people that work that hard, and I am picking up the slack for the folks that can’t keep up. It’s exhausting? But I don’t see this administration helping any—they’ll just fire the underperformers without replacing them and I’ll have even more work to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you OP. While I know some hardworking Feds, I know many more who view it as a retirement zone.

Wheat should be separated from chaff, and chaff should be removed. It will be difficult (maybe possible) because a lot of people managers are chaff too, which makes it hard to identify the underlings.

People who speak like this give themselves away as low- to average-intelligence business school losers who have never done a day of meaningful work in their lives…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

It's possible that if they work or travel hours beyond their schedule that they would need to be paid overtime or comp hours. They are saving the tax payers by leaving early.

I'M a Fed whose wife works in private industry. She says that as a salaried worker, there is no such thing as overtime. She routinely works 50-60 hour workweeks and doesn't understand how we can be limited to 40.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

It's possible that if they work or travel hours beyond their schedule that they would need to be paid overtime or comp hours. They are saving the tax payers by leaving early.

I'M a Fed whose wife works in private industry. She says that as a salaried worker, there is no such thing as overtime. She routinely works 50-60 hour workweeks and doesn't understand how we can be limited to 40.

See: The Anti-Deficiency Act

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I attend industry conferences that have a focus on recruiting in various fields, depending on the conference. Some of these conferences run through Saturday. The recruiters for fed agencies always pack up their table and fly back on Friday since no way they are going to work outside of their standard hours. The private sector people all stay the final day (and get more recruits because of it).

We just have a laugh about it. It's more than one agency, but they all seem to do it. I don't doubt plenty of Feds do work hard, but no one if private industry would get away with leaving a conference a day early like that.

It's possible that if they work or travel hours beyond their schedule that they would need to be paid overtime or comp hours. They are saving the tax payers by leaving early.

I'M a Fed whose wife works in private industry. She says that as a salaried worker, there is no such thing as overtime. She routinely works 50-60 hour workweeks and doesn't understand how we can be limited to 40.

Take it up with Congress. Many of us work 50 - 50 hour weeks and don’t bill for it. But when you travel, every penny is accounted for—the travel dates have to be approved. If you’re traveling on a weekend, someone has to document that, and it means it’s compensated time (you earn comp time off, but it has to be approved).

Fact is, we are really underpaid so we take what we can get in terms of work/life balance.

If you want to lobby for a longer work week, go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Go to any pickleball courts in the DMV and you will find A LOT of remote Fed workers playing pickleball during normal work hours. There are also A LOT of remote Fed workers at public golf courses during normal work hours. I have played with so many of them for the past five years. They book the golf tee times under their spouse's names, so that it can not be traced back to them.

Please like Feds have the money for even regular play on a public course.

They definitely do, especially those GS-14/15 with specialized pay. I know several GS-14 people at DHS making over 212K/yr. Public golf courses in Fairfax County are very affordable. It costs $39 for an 18-hole round of golf. When a Fed works remotely, he/she saves money on lunch & transportation, and use that money for golf. It's not that hard to understand.

Do tell where your friends are earning $212k a year as GS14s. I am a 14 in the DC area and the pay scale tops out at $181k. Despite my Ph.D. from a top 5 program I earn considerably less than that even after multiple years with the government. Looking at the locality table it tops out at $187k for New York. I call BS. I suspect the rest of your post is just as accurate.

​For someone with a Ph.D., it is unbelievable that you don't even know this, and you're a Fed. Your Ph.D. should be revoked. LOL....

The DHS Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has special pay for people who are specialized in cybersecurity. I joined CISA in 2021 as a GS-14 step 6. After one year, my salary was increased by 25%, and I also received about 8K in bonuses. In 2024, I am at GS-14 step 7 ($167,276 x 1.25 = $208.75K + $8K bonus = 216K). FWIW, I only have a BS degree in Computer Engineering from UVA.

NP but this is a dumb take.

Also, great job with letting the Russian bots and trolls destroy our democracy! Your BS should be revoked…

How is it a dumb take? CISA does pay a GS-14 more than 212K/year.