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.

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

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is a first. Scientists are deserting the USDA and refusing to move to the Kansas City Area.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/17/742519999/future-of-key-farming-research-uncertain-as-2-3-of-usda-staff-say-they-wont-move

The idea that there is a "breadwinner" and a "little wifey who doesn't have a job who is ready to follow hubby wherever" is archaic. Is every USDA employee's wife or husband supposed to give up their medical practice, law practice, teaching career, own government job? I don't know anyone who can afford to only have one job per family! Moving a job to a different location effectively equates to a fifty percent paycut for most families.

Statistics on stay at home parents have actually been fairly consistent for decades. Roughly one in five two-parent households have a stay at home parent.

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?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of thoughts about this (my agency is planning something similar- BLM)

-Currently there's a lot of job hopping by federal employees and this increases the talent. For instance scientists might hop between USDA divisions, or over to NIH. BLM often moves between USGS/BIA/BSEE/BOEM.

-I believe DC should be a government town and we can pool resources. A lot of feds have 100% fed jobs that aren't available outside of the federal workforce. If they move to Kansas City, their job prospects will be limited.

-The government is saving exactly ZERO dollars by doing this. If you think they are, I've got a bridge to sell you. COL isn't THAT much lower in other cities (Denver has the same cost of living as DC), but moving feds is $$$.

-Most feds are dual income households due to our middle class salaries. I would NOT move if my DH wasn't moving as well. I would just get another job in DC.

-"Get closer to stakeholders" is BS. We have plenty of data calls with stakeholders and that's no problem whatsoever. What you'd be missing out on is inter agency or inter Department knowledge that's currently gained by putting agencies together in DC.

-This is a purely political move. A congressman getting jobs for his district.

The cost of living in Kansas City vs. DC is 50-60% lower. It's a LOT lower.

But I still wouldn't want to live there.

Anonymous wrote:I have lots of thoughts about this (my agency is planning something similar- BLM)

-Currently there's a lot of job hopping by federal employees and this increases the talent. For instance scientists might hop between USDA divisions, or over to NIH. BLM often moves between USGS/BIA/BSEE/BOEM.

-I believe DC should be a government town and we can pool resources. A lot of feds have 100% fed jobs that aren't available outside of the federal workforce. If they move to Kansas City, their job prospects will be limited.

-The government is saving exactly ZERO dollars by doing this. If you think they are, I've got a bridge to sell you. COL isn't THAT much lower in other cities (Denver has the same cost of living as DC), but moving feds is $$$.

-Most feds are dual income households due to our middle class salaries. I would NOT move if my DH wasn't moving as well. I would just get another job in DC.

-"Get closer to stakeholders" is BS. We have plenty of data calls with stakeholders and that's no problem whatsoever. What you'd be missing out on is inter agency or inter Department knowledge that's currently gained by putting agencies together in DC.

-This is a purely political move. A congressman getting jobs for his district.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is a first. Scientists are deserting the USDA and refusing to move to the Kansas City Area.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/17/742519999/future-of-key-farming-research-uncertain-as-2-3-of-usda-staff-say-they-wont-move

The idea that there is a "breadwinner" and a "little wifey who doesn't have a job who is ready to follow hubby wherever" is archaic. Is every USDA employee's wife or husband supposed to give up their medical practice, law practice, teaching career, own government job? I don't know anyone who can afford to only have one job per family! Moving a job to a different location effectively equates to a fifty percent paycut for most families.

Anonymous wrote:I bet if you moved this office to NYC, Chicago, LA, etc, plenty of people would still complain because they don’t want to leave friends, family, schools, spouse’s job is DC.

Also, if a bunch of your USDA colleagues move to KC with you, you’d create a critical mass of your preferred people. It’s not like you’re moving on your own to live with the supposed hicks in KC. (Which is actually a really cool city...)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, this is a first. Scientists are deserting the USDA and refusing to move to the Kansas City Area.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/07/17/742519999/future-of-key-farming-research-uncertain-as-2-3-of-usda-staff-say-they-wont-move

The idea that there is a "breadwinner" and a "little wifey who doesn't have a job who is ready to follow hubby wherever" is archaic. Is every USDA employee's wife or husband supposed to give up their medical practice, law practice, teaching career, own government job? I don't know anyone who can afford to only have one job per family! Moving a job to a different location effectively equates to a fifty percent paycut for most families.