USDA Scientists refusing to move/relocate to Missouri

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly educated employees like lawyers, PhDs, etc., are being paid less in the government than the private sector because they want stability. To force a change like this so quickly on a whim shows them that this trade off may not be worth it.

If you want to treat me like the private sector, pay me like the private sector. Sorry for pp who is jealous of government employees. Maybe try asking for advice on the jobs forum instead?

So go work in the private sector. Or that's right -- no more lazy summers while congress is in recess, no teleworking two days a week, no leaving by 3 to pick up your kid, no pay grade increases without productivity, no 10 or 20 year job security, no more federal daycares on site, no more pension/FERS

What?! What do feds have to do with congress? We aren't congressional staffers....

You've obviously never had to meet congressional deadlines for funding and research.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly educated employees like lawyers, PhDs, etc., are being paid less in the government than the private sector because they want stability. To force a change like this so quickly on a whim shows them that this trade off may not be worth it.

If you want to treat me like the private sector, pay me like the private sector. Sorry for pp who is jealous of government employees. Maybe try asking for advice on the jobs forum instead?

So go work in the private sector. Or that's right -- no more lazy summers while congress is in recess, no teleworking two days a week, no leaving by 3 to pick up your kid, no pay grade increases without productivity, no 10 or 20 year job security, no more federal daycares on site, no more pension/FERS

As a fed I literally get nothing you are talking about here. Have you looked at the type of pension new feds get? It is pathetic and a non-factor in my planning for the future. My friends in the private sector get MORE telework than I do. My job has nothing to do with Congress, why would I get a “lazy summer?”

[Anonymous]

Can't blame them. I'd refuse too!

[Anonymous]

I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

Their salaries are being reduced by at least 20%. Their spouses will have to find jobs. Their kids new schools. They have to sell their houses.

And for what? There's really not a concrete reason to move them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'm being pragmatic about this.

Kansas City is a lovely city with a good quality of life. It's not the wasteland some of you are imagining. I really liked Kansas City.

I do like the idea of move more government functions outside DC and spreading it around the country. I'm aware most government jobs are already outside DC (80%?) but don't see why more can't be moved either, it'll help those on government pay to live in more affordable regions. In today's age of telecommuting it's no big deal either. My office has staff who live in other states and work from home and only periodically turn up but who stay in touch all the time via conference calls.

I am aware of how frustrating it must be for the scientists to be ordered to move or lose their jobs. No one likes that. But it happens in the private sector all the time. It happened to me and I moved. Life goes on. These scientists will be replaced by equally good scientists if they don't move. The fed employees are starting to get a taste of what happens in the private sector to often and that's a good thing, too.

90%. But 9 out of 10 federal employees NOT in DC is not enough, and you want to move more, because why? Because you like Kansas City? Because telework is a thing? Because this happens to people in the private sector?

At the end of the day I don't care if these workers stay in DC or move to Kansas City. But I also know at the end of the day they, as individuals, are not important. The bosses have decided. And life goes on. Shrugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

Their salaries are being reduced by at least 20%. Their spouses will have to find jobs. Their kids new schools. They have to sell their houses.

And for what? There's really not a concrete reason to move them.

$50k to relocate is FAR MORE than any private sector firm would give you. Moreover, in the private sector, it's either sell your house and move your family, and quit. So this is nothing that doesn't happen to millions of employees all the time.

And the cost of living in KC is 40% lower than in DC, so even with the salary reduction they are actually doing better.

Cry more, Feds, now you know what it's like in the real world.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

Their salaries are being reduced by at least 20%. Their spouses will have to find jobs. Their kids new schools. They have to sell their houses.

And for what? There's really not a concrete reason to move them.

This is key- there is literally no real reason for this. Other than antagonizing the people who work for this branch.

Is the goal to have beltway bandits doing this work and costing the taxpayer more?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

By having to choose between (a) moving your family to a place with (at best) fewer opportunities for career advancement in the federal government or (b) leaving your job, all because the administration wants to retaliate against you, your colleagues, and your agency for doing research on climate change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know folks in this office. They are good people who care about what they do. As academics, they’re far more likely to be working more than 40 hours a week, not less, because they’ll do whatever needs to be done to get papers in shape for publication or to prepare to present at conferences. They are getting screwed over, pure and simple, as a political maneuver. I’m absolutely disgusted by it.

Screwed over how, though?

They're getting a $50,000 lump sum settlement.
The move was actually announced in Fall 2018.
They can now afford housing for their family if desired.
The feds are paying other relocation expenses.

What more do you want? Did the government sign a certificate promising you you could spend 50 years living in the Washington, D.C. bubble when you joined?

Their salaries are being reduced by at least 20%. Their spouses will have to find jobs. Their kids new schools. They have to sell their houses.

And for what? There's really not a concrete reason to move them.

$50k to relocate is FAR MORE than any private sector firm would give you. Moreover, in the private sector, it's either sell your house and move your family, and quit. So this is nothing that doesn't happen to millions of employees all the time.

And the cost of living in KC is 40% lower than in DC, so even with the salary reduction they are actually doing better.

Cry more, Feds, now you know what it's like in the real world.

I'm sorry you couldn't get a government job. Please go to the jobs board and ask for advice there. Your spitefulness is not good for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

At the end of the day I don't care if these workers stay in DC or move to Kansas City. But I also know at the end of the day they, as individuals, are not important. The bosses have decided. And life goes on. Shrugs.

You ought to care that the the bosses, on your dime, are trying to get scientists to quit because they don't like what the scientists said. If you don't care, then you don't care, but you ought to care.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Highly educated employees like lawyers, PhDs, etc., are being paid less in the government than the private sector because they want stability. To force a change like this so quickly on a whim shows them that this trade off may not be worth it.

If you want to treat me like the private sector, pay me like the private sector. Sorry for pp who is jealous of government employees. Maybe try asking for advice on the jobs forum instead?

So go work in the private sector. Or that's right -- no more lazy summers while congress is in recess, no teleworking two days a week, no leaving by 3 to pick up your kid, no pay grade increases without productivity, no 10 or 20 year job security, no more federal daycares on site, no more pension/FERS

As a fed I literally get nothing you are talking about here. Have you looked at the type of pension new feds get? It is pathetic and a non-factor in my planning for the future. My friends in the private sector get MORE telework than I do. My job has nothing to do with Congress, why would I get a “lazy summer?”

Many people don't seem to realize how difficult it is to hire scientific staff. Not just at fed, but private also. There's a reason Amazon chose this area, it's because being here helps with recruiting talented staff. That's also why stem staff are given perks in private sector, its to keep them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At the end of the day I don't care if these workers stay in DC or move to Kansas City. But I also know at the end of the day they, as individuals, are not important. The bosses have decided. And life goes on. Shrugs.

You ought to care that the the bosses, on your dime, are trying to get scientists to quit because they don't like what the scientists said. If you don't care, then you don't care, but you ought to care.

Scientists can not work on climate change in KC? Or that work can only be done in DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

At the end of the day I don't care if these workers stay in DC or move to Kansas City. But I also know at the end of the day they, as individuals, are not important. The bosses have decided. And life goes on. Shrugs.

You ought to care that the the bosses, on your dime, are trying to get scientists to quit because they don't like what the scientists said. If you don't care, then you don't care, but you ought to care.

Scientists can not work on climate change in KC? Or that work can only be done in DC?

So, the way that this is being done seems appropriate to you? The speed, the reasoning (there is none), this doesn't strike you as an effort to antagonize and decimate this agency?

Ok. Now I know how people fall for MLM schemes.