Do they get more time off for tomorrow?

Anonymous wrote:I've been on DCUM for a few years now, and every year that I've been reading, someone has posed this same question.

Op here, well that's odd, because it is not every Christmas Eve this applies to, only when the 24th is sandwiched in between a weekend and a Christmas Tuesday, i.e. on a Monday. I don't have any idea why this would have been posed in recent years.

I've been on DCUM for a few years now, and every year that I've been reading, someone has posed this same question.

Anonymous wrote:

Yup, theoretically we do, but lucky for me, given the overwhelming volume of work that I have and understaffing problems, I get to work them without getting paid. And my agency has no credit hours or comp time (other than travel), so I won't be getting the time back on another day.

You have described my situation exactly.

The Fed Govt and the private sector both have overachievers and underachievers. I have a friend who works for the VA and works insane hours. I have a friend who works for GSA and works extremely hard and feels Fed employees are a convenient target in this political climate. However... when I read the WOH/WAH debate threads, there are SO MANY posters who say they have a fed job and they don't work overtime ever and the job isn't difficult and this is not one or two posters, this is a pervasive theme on those threads.

I work in the private sector. We have an admin who, I swear to god, plays monopoly all day long. Sometimes I see Words with Friends on his computer, just for a little variety. There are a lot of employees out there who are undermotivated and not putting themselves out. The difference unfortunately is that taxes pay the salaries of the public servants. Those taxes feel like a burden to those of us in private sector. The idea that those taxes are paying for "waste" is a very sour feeling. It may be realistic that the Fed has a lower percentage of slackers than the private sector, but as a taxpayer, I'm going to feel unhappy to be paying any slackers salary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Always nice to see the non-fed workers don't know how to spell "perks." This is why you didn't make the cut, asshole.

+1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Employee_benefit

Read and educate yourself before making yourself the ignorant moron(s) of the thread.

NP here. Also did not know it was spelled with a "q".

It's short for "perquisites." PP has managed to confirm the stereotype of the stereotype of the government worker: simultaneously ignorant, arrogant and rude.

I'm going to bet early dismissal - that's it.

As a fed who has previously worked for contractors and the public sector, no job is perfect. It all has its pros and cons. However, not knowing what kind of funding you have - for several months EVERY YEAR - is getting pretty stressful. Will my projects get slashed? Do I have a travel budget? How can we do what we need to do with such limited resources?

However, in the private sector, there is far more flexibility. It is easier to move up, move departments, get yourself a bonus with good performance. Our bonuses are laughable - the most I've gotten is $1200 for exemplary performance. In a corporation, you can easily get a $10k bonus for doing a fantastic job. There is no such option in the government, EVER.

Why I stay: work-life balance. Right now, I am fine making less money in exchange for 40-hr work weeks. However, the ambitious part of me might tire of that someday. When that day comes, I'll get the industry equivalent of my job - oh heck, maybe I'll take a step DOWN - and I'll increase my salary by 50%, easily. It's kind of all about the tortoise and the hare, right? We're all trying to make it to retirement. Many feds are tortoises, slow and steady but minimizing risk and forgoing potential salary increases. Industry is the hare, full of ups and downs but taking risks that can lead to great rewards.

Anonymous wrote:With the fiscal problems facing the country, it would be a galactically stupid thing to do. Even if tinyamount we do not need to add to the national debt.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:After two days off fro Sandy, I think there's no way this happens. Oh well, that's what leave is for.

Only DC area agencies got time off for Sandy and less than 20% of the federal workforce are in those areas.

That is true, but in DC, perception is reality. I would be extremely surprised if federal workers got this gift.

With the fiscal problems facing the country, it would be a galactically stupid thing to do. Even if tinyamount we do not need to add to the national debt.

Come on, 11:47. No one is saying they don't value government services and the folks who provide them. You are being way over dramatic and doesn't help the case you're trying to prove. I posted earlier and will reiterate that I think Federal employees, even in the four hour per pay period leave category, are provided generous leave throughout the year....especially considering the additional sick leave and all the Federal holidays.

To the poster who has had a gun pointed at them and faced other severe hardships, thank you for your service. I would imagine you are provided some sort of additional compensation (pay, leave, etc) for that type of "above and beyond" work?

Signed,
Federal Employee in Executive Branch

Anonymous wrote:Gosh 11:47, I don't know how the whole country didn't go down the crapper in the time you spent writing that manifesto instead of doing your SUPER IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT JOB.

Looks like she wrote it on an early lunch hours. Chillax.

Gosh 11:47, I don't know how the whole country didn't go down the crapper in the time you spent writing that manifesto instead of doing your SUPER IMPORTANT GOVERNMENT JOB.

I'Ve been with Feds for 18 years-- usually get 2 hour early dismissal on Xmas Eve and Wed before Thanksgiving. If you are out on leave you don't get to substitute leave for personal leave and have to work at least 4 hours.

Bush did give us Xmas Eve off and it happens occasionally. When it does--it is greatly appreciated!

11:47, I love you.

Correction:

"In response to federal bashing: Federal employees do NOT get Christmas Eve or the day after Thanksgiving as holidays, like many people."


I work in the Third Branch. My office is closed on the above days and New Year's Eve this year, many of my friends in the Executive Branch also are off on these days.

http://www.ca2.uscourts.gov/