Will this have legs?

[CountryBoy]

Boy,

I wonder if the public is going to raise you know what with this news?

Federal workers may get bigger raises

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-04-03-government-pay-raises_N.htm

Outside of us Feds, I really wonder how much attention the general public has ever given our salaries, since we're always sterotyped as the low paid gov't worker. I know our bennies are starting to attract attention.

CB

 

[ChemEng]

I hope it does CB.

Right now I have a contractor that supports me full time that makes more than twice what I do as a Fed employee based on salary. (I know you can risk adjust those salary numbers and get closer to par which is an important consideration in this economy.)

But the benefits are where being a Fed really add up. The list of things Ive taken advantage of in the past year:
1. $10k of student loans repayed. It will cost me only ~$2k for that $10k benefit.
2. Matched TSP contributions capped at 5%.
3. Free continuing education. All of my PhD classes are being covered in full. I just have to pay for books. Thats paying ~$150 for $1300 worth of benefits.
4. Cheap good insurance. Even with the increase in BCBS, it was still much cheaper than what people outside the Fed have to pay. When my son was born, we got a bill for $0. Try getting that on other plans.
5. 10 'free' paid vacation days a year.

If it weren't for these and other perks, then I have a feeling that the Fed would have a hard time retaining many employees.