Marvelous Time to Work for The Government

[Gaspar]

CBO is reporting that Federal employees are now compensated much higher than the private sector. 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203889904577201100548361044.html?mod=rss_opinion_main

CBO found that federal salaries were slightly higher (2%) on average, while benefits -- including health insurance, retirement and paid vacation -- are much more generous (48% higher) than what same-skilled private sector workers get.

[we vs us]

An Marvelous Awful Time To Work for the Government

"Over all — including a decline of 12,000 public sector jobs in the Labor Department report for December — government employment is down 2.6 percent over the last three years, compared to a decline of 2.2 percent in the early Reagan years. That is a record."

http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/01/06/under-obama-a-record-decline-in-government-jobs/

[TeeDub]

Don't the Postal service, military, TSA, etc. all count as "public sector" jobs?

[Hoss]

Don't the Postal service, military, TSA, etc. all count as "public sector" jobs?

Postal service, maybe.

Not the military or TSA.  Uncle Sam pays their payroll.

[JCnOwasso]

Yes, a brilliant time to work for the Government.  With buyouts on the horizon (and already moving in some organizations) and a 1 to 3 rehire possibility (for every 3 people that retire, you are allowed to rehire 1).  As for the pay and benefits.  Some people may benefit from a higher pay scale in certain areas, but I can guarantee that I and many people I work with would make far more in private sector doing our job.  I will agree that there are certain positions within the Gov that unbalance the equation, but you can't always paint a picture with one color/brush. 

Furthermore, the article talks about the difference between degreed and non-degreed.  I will freely admit that I am a non-degreed person who would fit in this bucket.  However, I had 7 years experience prior to coming to my Agency and almost 5 of those were with the military performing the job I do now.  The Gov spent the same amount of money training me as the did the officers, and civilians with a 4 yr degree... except I wasn't getting their salary.  This highlights the reason that there is a big difference between the nondegreed.  Those who receive worthwhile experience in the military are more likely to move on to civilian careers in the same arena, and generally with the Government.  Because the training and experience are already there.

another factoid that may only mean something to me... 1 in 4 people employed by the Government are veterans and approximately 1 million of the 2.1M federal workforce support the military.

[Conan71]

Yes, a brilliant time to work for the Government.  With buyouts on the horizon (and already moving in some organizations) and a 1 to 3 rehire possibility (for every 3 people that retire, you are allowed to rehire 1).  As for the pay and benefits.  Some people may benefit from a higher pay scale in certain areas, but I can guarantee that I and many people I work with would make far more in private sector doing our job.  I will agree that there are certain positions within the Gov that unbalance the equation, but you can't always paint a picture with one color/brush. 

Furthermore, the article talks about the difference between degreed and non-degreed.  I will freely admit that I am a non-degreed person who would fit in this bucket.  However, I had 7 years experience prior to coming to my Agency and almost 5 of those were with the military performing the job I do now.  The Gov spent the same amount of money training me as the did the officers, and civilians with a 4 yr degree... except I wasn't getting their salary.  This highlights the reason that there is a big difference between the nondegreed.  Those who receive worthwhile experience in the military are more likely to move on to civilian careers in the same arena, and generally with the Government.  Because the training and experience are already there.

another factoid that may only mean something to me... 1 in 4 people employed by the Government are veterans and approximately 1 million of the 2.1M federal workforce support the military.

First, thank you for your service to our country.

Secondly, the article Gaspar cited notes that pay is only about 2-3% higher on average but pensions and other benefits are roughly 48% higher than the private sector.  That's a pretty good consideration in this day and age considering the vanishing nature of insurance, PTO time, and pensions in the private sector.

I like my job and do well at it.  I also love where I work and realize I get a lot of great benefits most others don't like paid health insurance, cell phone, 401K with great matching, generous profit-sharing, and about 1000 square feet of storage/work space for personal projects I've got, etc.  It would never be a consideration to leave where I'm at now unless we decide to move to the high country to own and operate our own business at some point in the future.  If I ever did have the idea to leave where I'm at, based on my earnings and the other great extras I get, no one could even come close to matching my compensation.

[JCnOwasso]

First, thank you for your service to our country.

Secondly, the article Gaspar cited notes that pay is only about 2-3% higher on average but pensions and other benefits are roughly 48% higher than the private sector.  That's a pretty good consideration in this day and age considering the vanishing nature of insurance, PTO time, and pensions in the private sector.

Thank you Conan, but I wasn't anything more than a desk jockey.

It is a very deceiving thing and it is written to draw the fire of the reader.  If you are looking at overall salary and say 2-3%, it is not that big of deal, even though it is equal to an extra paycheck over the course of a year.  The same thing with benefits, the cost is relatively small, but when you attach a big percentage to them it means a world of difference.  I am guessing that a good chunk of that number is from the older fed's who have CSRS.  I think they are skewing the numbers.

Don't get me wrong, I am in a great job that I love.  I can count on two fingers the companies I would consider working for rather than my current.