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Absolute insanity on display again!!

bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
edited December 2017 in General Discussion
This is utterly outrageous pay scales for Federal workers. We need the swamp drained and the federal payroll gutted like a fish.

(C&P)
The top paychecks of federal workers are set to grow again next year to a six-figure number that rivals the $174,000 salaries of America?s 535 House and Senate members.

Under a new federal order, salaries for most bureaucrats in the General Service will rise next year when the cap on top pay hits $164,000.

And for the upper reaches of the government, senior executive service employees will be allowed to earn a maximum of $189,600.

The Washington area, where the bulk of federal workers are employed, will get the biggest pay raise under the order signed by President Trump before Christmas. There, the increase for General Service workers will be 2.29 percent.

The average federal worker in 2016 earned $86,365. With benefits, the total compensation was $123,160.

The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726, with total compensation at $69,901.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com

Comments

  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I am a blue collar fed.

    "The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726"

    I can tell you that, even with the OT I got last year, I was under this figure.

    The real waste is in the multiple layers of management and the 'spend the money or we won't get as much next year' crap that goes on.
  • dreherdreher Member Posts: 8,891 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    It makes total sense! All of us know that the best and the brightest work for the Federal government. Obviously the best deserve more pay.

    If you do not believe this is the case just ask a federal employee!! They will quickly set you straight!!
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The numbers are skewed by the simple fact that there aren't many Federal employees making minimum wage.

    What's the percentage of non-federal employees who are working low-paying service industry jobs?

    In my household, one person is a federal employee. The other is private sector employee.

    The private sector employee makes signficantly more.....but the Fed has better benefits.
  • victorj19victorj19 Member Posts: 3,642 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    After 37 years as a federal employee and 2 years without a cola increase I retired in Jan 2013. No COLA Increases since then. Looking forward to the 2% COLA increase (same as that for SS recipients). It will help to offset the health insurance increases since retiring.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Gee Bruce, I thought that you were going to tell us how outrageous it was that federal employees were paid so poorly! The maximum possible high salaries go to a fraction of 1% of federal workers; most get much less.

    Actually, federal employees are, on average, > 30% underpaid when compared to civilians with similar education, experience, & training. We've gone from 3 million federal employees 20 years ago to about 2 million employees, while the population they serve has gone from 200M people to > 320M.

    I get my Social Security check in the correct amount on time every month. Yes, they are produced by computers, but there are thousands of federal workers making the computers work.

    The next time one of my children needs treatment at the National Institutes of Health, I sure hope her doctor is earning > $57,000 a year.

    All of us get lots of good service from government workers; cut their pay, cut their retirement, & pretty soon you will find that service that you take for granted is being provided by high school dropouts & ex-offenders.

    Neal
  • wpageabcwpageabc Member Posts: 8,760 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Its not only Federal workers who seem to have a sweet wage and benefit package. Government workers in general have done quite well especially since unions have been allowed to bargain for non management positions.

    These unprecedented increases unmatched in the private sector have in turn increased wage and benefit packages for managers in all levels of government.
    "What is truth?'
  • Dads3040Dads3040 Member Posts: 13,552 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    We apparently have a number of folks who don't comprehend what "average" means, nor how one is calculated.
  • reload999reload999 Member Posts: 3,080 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I probably should just move on to the next thread, because regardless of what is said, some folks will never be convinced that any federal employee could possibly be worth his/her salary and benefits. With that said, I?ll also say that I?m proud to be a retired fed and am equally proud of the many dedicated professionals I met during my career in government service.

    Are there too many government employees? I say definitely yes, government is too big and wasteful. Are there worthless government employees? Yes again. Is it hard to remove worthless employees? yes, but it can be done because I have done it more than once. Are we overpaid? I say generally no. As already mentioned, ?average? salaries are hard to compare because the government has fewer lower, ?entry level? positions than the private sector, and the highest salaries are paid only to a tiny fraction of the government workforce. Many studies have actually concluded that government employees are underpaid compared to their civilian counterparts, at least in some fields.

    My government service spanned 37 years, including some active army time followed by civilian employment within federal government. I have held positions of considerable authority & responsibility, and I've been accountable for vast amounts of valuable government assets. I can say with pride that during my years of civilian service, the impact upon the taxpayer was an important consideration in my decision making process. I can also proudly say that I helped to save the government many, many multiples of my career salary and lifetime benefits. I had a reputation for actively exposing and fighting government waste, including the discovery of an incident of "waste, fraud and abuse" that involved an army 3-Star General.

    I am not trying to blow my own horn here. I?m certain that any modest accomplishment of mine pales in comparison to many others? here. No, I simply want people to realize that there are many civil servants, the ones you?ll never see or hear of, who work tirelessly behind the scenes in support of our nation. We don?t all fit the popular stereotype.
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    Gee Bruce, I thought that you were going to tell us how outrageous it was that federal employees were paid so poorly! The maximum possible high salaries go to a fraction of 1% of federal workers; most get much less.

    Actually, federal employees are, on average, > 30% underpaid when compared to civilians with similar education, experience, & training. We've gone from 3 million federal employees 20 years ago to about 2 million employees, while the population they serve has gone from 200M people to > 320M.

    I get my Social Security check in the correct amount on time every month. Yes, they are produced by computers, but there are thousands of federal workers making the computers work.

    The next time one of my children needs treatment at the National Institutes of Health, I sure hope her doctor is earning > $57,000 a year.

    All of us get lots of good service from government workers; cut their pay, cut their retirement, & pretty soon you will find that service that you take for granted is being provided by high school dropouts & ex-offenders.

    Neal



    I guess you missed this part of the article.
    The average federal worker in 2016 earned $86,365. With benefits, the total compensation was $123,160.

    The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726, with total compensation at $69,901.
  • mlincolnmlincoln Member Posts: 5,039 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    Gee Bruce, I thought that you were going to tell us how outrageous it was that federal employees were paid so poorly! The maximum possible high salaries go to a fraction of 1% of federal workers; most get much less.

    Actually, federal employees are, on average, > 30% underpaid when compared to civilians with similar education, experience, & training. We've gone from 3 million federal employees 20 years ago to about 2 million employees, while the population they serve has gone from 200M people to > 320M.

    I get my Social Security check in the correct amount on time every month. Yes, they are produced by computers, but there are thousands of federal workers making the computers work.

    The next time one of my children needs treatment at the National Institutes of Health, I sure hope her doctor is earning > $57,000 a year.

    All of us get lots of good service from government workers; cut their pay, cut their retirement, & pretty soon you will find that service that you take for granted is being provided by high school dropouts & ex-offenders.

    Neal



    I guess you missed this part of the article.
    The average federal worker in 2016 earned $86,365. With benefits, the total compensation was $123,160.

    The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726, with total compensation at $69,901.


    SES employees max out at $190,000. Damn. Holy cow. I remember some years ago when they were saying that one of the reasons Scalia was considering stepping down from the Supreme Court is because he could make so much more money in some law firm. He had kids in school and grandkids and it was really squeezing him. They were only making about $225,000 back about 5 years ago. My buddy is a labor and employment lawyer working for some corporation, a nobody, and he makes $100,000 more than that.
  • droptopdroptop Member Posts: 8,363 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    The larger problem that should be easy to solve is excessive employees. Easy to reduce staff, don't hire new employees. Make the existing employees work a little harder.

    Employees are good for 40 years. 2 Million work in the executive branch. In 20 years it'll be 1 million.

    Seems that is exactly what Trump is doing, that is if the *'n from government employees is correct. The first "freeze" has been lifted but my guess is,, not a lot of hiring at this time.
    https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/powerpost/wp/2017/02/10/federal-managers-say-trumps-hiring-freeze-hurts-government/?utm_term=.efa09a34a77d
  • chiefrchiefr Member Posts: 14,115 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by guntech59
    I am a blue collar fed.

    "The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726"

    I can tell you that, even with the OT I got last year, I was under this figure.

    The real waste is in the multiple layers of management and the 'spend the money or we won't get as much next year' crap that goes on.





    This is exactly what is wrong with the federal government. Plus they have QC and oversight of the QC.
    That cartoon where one person is doing the work, and 5 people whose job is to watch is real.
  • spasmcreekspasmcreek Member Posts: 37,717 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    will the raise in pay twist some of the obummer elves to support the NEW administration..???..hope it slows some of the silent subterfuge
  • mogley98mogley98 Member Posts: 18,291 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Always astounded me that the tax payers provide a better package to the public servants then they get themselves.

    Government retirement, insurance, low productivity, and pay all excel over private employment.

    quote:Originally posted by bpost
    This is utterly outrageous pay scales for Federal workers. We need the swamp drained and the federal payroll gutted like a fish.

    (C&P)
    The top paychecks of federal workers are set to grow again next year to a six-figure number that rivals the $174,000 salaries of America?s 535 House and Senate members.

    Under a new federal order, salaries for most bureaucrats in the General Service will rise next year when the cap on top pay hits $164,000.

    And for the upper reaches of the government, senior executive service employees will be allowed to earn a maximum of $189,600.

    The Washington area, where the bulk of federal workers are employed, will get the biggest pay raise under the order signed by President Trump before Christmas. There, the increase for General Service workers will be 2.29 percent.

    The average federal worker in 2016 earned $86,365. With benefits, the total compensation was $123,160.

    The average nonfederal pay in the nation was $58,726, with total compensation at $69,901.

    Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com
    Why don't we go to school and work on the weekends and take the week off!
  • US Military GuyUS Military Guy Member Posts: 3,645 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by spasmcreek
    will the raise in pay twist some of the obummer elves to support the NEW administration..???..hope it slows some of the silent subterfuge


    I hope they get mad, quit, and go home - but I know they won't.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "Total compensation" includes the employer contribution to the Thrift Savings Plan & FICA (Social Security). Since both of these are, technically, insolvent, they are about as valuable as a certificate for a free ACA doctor's visit signed by Obama.

    The Draft Dodger & Members of Congress would rather we squabble about federal employee compensation, as opposed to shining light on the real problem: there are now 8.5 MILLION contract employees doing much of the work of the federal government. Who did you think was buying the sky boxes at all the sports venues? There are no limits on contract employee salaries, health plans, or retirement plans. Managers often get paid > $1M a year. Since they are privately owned, their records are not open to FOIA.

    Let's not fight over the crumbs.

    Neal

    "There are 3 kinds of lies: lies, damn lies, & statistics." ----Unk
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    "Total compensation" includes the employer contribution to the Thrift Savings Plan & FICA (Social Security). Since both of these are, technically, insolvent, they are about as valuable as a certificate for a free ACA doctor's visit signed by Obama.


    Nmyers, this is the first time I have ever heard anyone say that TSP is "insolvent". A quick Google search resulted in no hits. Could you please elaborate on this point?
  • mjrfd99mjrfd99 Member Posts: 4,553 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Small town PD and FD along with school administrators make over $200k
    in NJ. Yep almost to a 1-- political ball suckers. Oh and while there's 1 getting fat 2-3 chiefs from the same town are on a $140k pension.
    $200k to manage 50-75 employees
    $25k more than the governor makes ruining the whole state of anarchy.
    Yep mostly in demonrat ruined broke * crapholes.

    And they just elected another demonrat to fix it. LLLLLLLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLL
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The Thrift Savings Plan is supposedly invested in the investment plan of your choice. Maybe it is, maybe it is not. I've never seen a brokerage statement showing that the money is really being invested. But, skeptic that I am, your money may just exist on paper, like the statements sent out by Madoff. After all, your SS contributions were "invested", but where's the money? Show me the brokerage statement, & I'll take the government's word for it.

    Great health system? Maybe. But, my out of pocket medical expenses are close to $10k/year for self + one, if we stay healthy. Not exactly a "Cadillac" health plan.

    For those who believe that the federal retirement plan is so great, you should know that new hires after 1/1/87 have only been allowed to participate in the "FERS" system (similar to a 401K system plus SS); the Civil Service Retirement System is closed to new hires, & will soon die out.

    Neal
  • sammashsammash Member Posts: 617
    edited November -1
    I retired with 34 years fed-state service with 41,000.....mine sure wasn't that
  • guntech59guntech59 Member Posts: 23,188 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    The Thrift Savings Plan is supposedly invested in the investment plan of your choice. Maybe it is, maybe it is not. I've never seen a brokerage statement showing that the money is really being invested. But, skeptic that I am, your money may just exist on paper, like the statements sent out by Madoff. After all, your SS contributions were "invested", but where's the money? Show me the brokerage statement, & I'll take the government's word for it.

    Great health system? Maybe. But, my out of pocket medical expenses are close to $10k/year for self + one, if we stay healthy. Not exactly a "Cadillac" health plan.

    For those who believe that the federal retirement plan is so great, you should know that new hires after 1/1/87 have only been allowed to participate in the "FERS" system (similar to a 401K system plus SS); the Civil Service Retirement System is closed to new hires, & will soon die out.

    Neal




    Just to be clear....there is FERS...which is a way smaller amount than the CSRS plan would get you.

    Then, there is TSP, which employees contribute to and is matched, up to 5% (or 6) plus 1% (that the fed gives you even if you do not participate).

    The FERS/TSP seems to be an excellent deal, but not near as the CSRS was.

    I am retired Army, so I do not participate in any of the health insurance programs offered.

    As I said before....too many redundant management levels and way too much waste.
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by nmyers
    The Thrift Savings Plan is supposedly invested in the investment plan of your choice. Maybe it is, maybe it is not. I've never seen a brokerage statement showing that the money is really being invested. But, skeptic that I am, your money may just exist on paper, like the statements sent out by Madoff. After all, your SS contributions were "invested", but where's the money? Show me the brokerage statement, & I'll take the government's word for it.


    If you've ever been in the TSP, you get a statement every quarter showing gains (or losses)

    You can borrow funds out of TSP, and if you leave Federal Service you can cash out your TSP or roll it over into a standard brokerage account.
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