Patterico's Pontifications

2/13/2015

What Are The Perks Of Working For The Government? It Depends On Who You Ask

Filed under: General — Dana @ 3:43 pm



[guest post by Dana]

While speaking at the Legislative Conference of the National Treasury Employees Union recently, Rep. Elijah Cumming (D-Md.) played to his audience when he told them the noble reason people choose to work for government:

“People do not seem to understand that so many people come to government knowing that they are not going to make the kind of money that they would make in the private sector but they come to government to feed their souls.*

Well, I’ll give him this: government employees are certainly “feeding” something:

Rep. Mark Meadows introduced legislation Wednesday that would prevent federal employees from viewing pornography on the taxpayer’s dime.

The Eliminating Pornography from Agencies Act aptly shares its initials with the government agency that drew attention to the problem of staff watching pornographic videos at work, the Environmental Protection Agency. An inspector general report released last year revealed an EPA official was caught with thousands of downloaded pornographic files on his government computer and had watched up to six hours of porn a day while on the job. The employee wasn’t fired.

The North Carolina Republican acknowledged existing rules prohibiting pornography at most federal agencies but noted their inability to stop officials like the unnamed EPA employee from keeping his job after being caught red-handed with the explicit material.

*Strangely not mentioned by Cummings:

A December 2014 Cato Institute report on federal and private sector worker pay finds, “In 2013 federal civilian workers had an average wage of $81,076, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. By comparison, the average wage of the nation’s 107 million private-sector workers was $55,424.”

When benefits like health care and pensions are included, “federal worker compensation averaged $115,524, or 74 percent more than the private-sector average of $66,357.”

Facts: the buzzkill of political posturing.

–Dana

56 Responses to “What Are The Perks Of Working For The Government? It Depends On Who You Ask”

  1. Hello.

    Dana (8e74ce)

  2. While I don’t doubt the dollar difference between Federal and private sector jobs, I would like to know the difference between comparable jobs. Also show the Federal retirement benefits versus Social Security including how much, if any, that the Fed employee must contribute to his retirement. For example, my employer contributed 3% if I contributed at least 6% to my 401(k).

    Dave (f5fb18)

  3. they come to government to feed their souls

    He misspoke. He meant to say “feed ON souls”.

    malclave (4f3ec1)

  4. It should be pointed out that military pay plus benefits averages about the same as civilian federal employees. The salary is less, but the benefits are much greater. It is possible that food and housing benefits are overvalued, though.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  5. Evidently LA longshoremen make $157K yearly.

    Private enterprise? I think the bifurcation inadequate.

    DNF (d29ab6)

  6. food and housing are definitely over valued, especially if you live in the barracks. field chow is at least as bad as all the jokes have hinted at over the years.

    the medical care isn’t all that great when you’re in, and afterwards you get the VA…

    unless, of course, you’re like me and the VA says you aren’t a vet at all.

    as for the pay, if you calculate it out at 24 hour w*rk days, instead of 8, it sucks too, and there is no overtime.

    so no, military pay is not comparable to what the GS slugs get, or what the average sillvillain gets either.

    redc1c4 (6d1848)

  7. Oh, he’s being a silly goose.

    Everybody knows that government employees don’t have souls.

    grumpy the grump (944707)

  8. Federal health benefits here: http://www.fepblue.org/en/benefit-plans/so-benefit-tables/

    There are choices.

    Example: for $200/month (self) or $460/month (family) you get a fairly complete $350 deductible 15% co-pay fee-for-service plan from Blue Cross/Blue Shield: http://www.fepblue.org/en/benefit-plans/so-benefit-tables/

    The premium dental plan includes payments for just about any dental service, including implants and will pay $15K annually. Most private sector plans cap out at a few thousand.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  9. Can Mr. Cummings point to a private sector job where he, personally, would be making more? I won’t talk about his constituents — they wouldn’t want a government job anymore than they’d want any other job.

    nk (dbc370)

  10. I’m looking for work and I’m considering looking for a government job because I’ve heard they now pay more than the private sector, and have better benefits too.

    What do you think?

    Tanny O'Haley (c674c7)

  11. Of course if anyone asks I’d be looking for a government job to make the world a better place.

    Tanny O'Haley (c674c7)

  12. You are a very noble and self-sacrificing person, Tanny. Giving, too.

    nk (dbc370)

  13. “Most private sector plans cap out at a few thousand.”

    If that…

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  14. How many jobs are out there that pay top scale, allow one to accrue sick days, are virtually impossible to be fired from and have no actual job performance measurements?

    Let’s face it. Working in the public sector is as close to working in “the rackets” as one can get and still remain on the legal side of the line.

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  15. They trot out that same old nonsense around here every once in a while regarding teachers. “We are so lucky to have them. They could all leave tomorrow and become rocket surgeons. Bla, bla, bla.” Yet, they never do. For the chillen…

    Gazzer (964803)

  16. Did you notice the initials of the bill title are the same as the accursed, porn-watching EPA?

    Nice.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  17. In the professions this is probably true. A government lawyer will not make what they might in the private sector. OTOH, they may not have to work the same kinds of hours. A government doctor certainly will not make the kind of money they could command in the outside world.

    A government clerk/typist probably gets a pretty great deal, considering that benefits are such a large, untaxed, portion of their compensation. So, it depends.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  18. This whole thing about legislation blocking that crap from government computers is bogus.

    I am one of your hated government employees…the blocking software has been on the computers for years, at least in DoD.

    Virtual Insanity (1fcfe5)

  19. In fairness to government workers and their average pay, 50 % of them are lawyers so that comes into consideration.

    Mike K (90dfdc)

  20. Free porn for all.

    The Emperor (788f00)

  21. the blocking software has been on the computers for years, at least in DoD.

    I am reasonably sure that the software load on government PCs is staggeringly restrictive. Especially in the security branches like DoD. The EPA, however, may have looser rules and this could have been a management type who had fewer restrictions than the grunts. Hard to say — privacy, you know.

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  22. Don’t forget that government workers receive more holiday time than just about any other schlub in the private sector.

    Current trends suggest the US is headed in the direction of France, where surveys indicate a sizable percentage of younger people say their goal in life is to work for the government, because the benefits and job security are so much better when employed by France’s equivalent of Uncle Sam than what’s found in the greedy capitalistic corporate (or non-governmental) world.

    And with big, rapacious, power-hungry federal agencies like the IRS forcing everyone to pay for its “goods and services” — and workers too — like it or not, come hell or high water, it does make sense for more and more people to quit their day jobs and go work for the public sector.

    Mark (c160ec)

  23. At least someone is being fed; the porn companies. Isn’t that the American dream? 🙂

    The Emperor (788f00)

  24. What about local government? In the Mayor’s office do they have a standardized pay schedule that crosses county and state lines?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  25. The porn watchers are in the public sector to feed their dark souls, the rest of them are just there to feather their nests before the rest of us run out of feathers

    steveg (794291)

  26. Right, SteveG. There’s no other possible reason one would work for, say, the US Army as a government employee.

    None whatsoever.

    Virtual Insanity (1fcfe5)

  27. At least someone is being fed; the porn companies. Isn’t that the American dream? 🙂

    The Emperor (788f00) — 2/13/2015 @ 7:05 pm

    Wait a minute. People pay for internet porn?

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  28. Why would they do that? 🙂

    papertiger (c2d6da)

  29. More perks from team rino
    http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/02/13/report-16-gop-fundraisers-to-push-amnesty-with-grover-norquist-bloomberg-group/
    Warren\Stewart 2016 will win because of traitorous rinos

    mg (31009b)

  30. Mr. mg if you’re not seeing the upside of letting bushfilth molest America for another 4-8 years

    you’re just not looking very hard

    happyfeet (831175)

  31. Boehner care- the death of team rino, I hope

    http://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2015/02/speaker_boehner_and_the_frustrated_conservatives.html
    Warren\Stewart 2016 will ensure my ability to hide everything.

    mg (31009b)

  32. happyfeet-my vision is tattered. I will never doubt my common sense, but I will doubt anyone with a diploma.

    mg (31009b)

  33. Jeb didn’t really actually *earn* a diploma he was too busy dealing drugs and smoking up the profits

    trashy lil picklehead he’s a Bush he never had a chance

    happyfeet (831175)

  34. And diplopia. Never let anyone with diplopia drive your car.

    nk (dbc370)

  35. it’ll end up in da ditch!

    happyfeet (831175)

  36. If jeb is driving I would check the trunk for something illegal. Live bodies, no doubt.

    mg (31009b)

  37. Rinos are sorta like re-gifting nincompoops, pass it on, the middle class will wipe our azz.

    mg (31009b)

  38. one of chelsea’s favorite perks of having worked for the government are the free hormones she gets for so she won’t turn back into a boy

    chelsea is very happy

    happyfeet (831175)

  39. 37. A trunkload of cash from the Sheikh of Kuwait and a majority interest in the Texas Rangers baseball team.

    nk (dbc370)

  40. “i love my boobies thank you government thank you thank you thank you” burbles chelsea happily

    happyfeet (831175)

  41. How dare you disrespect our servicemen err servicewomen err servicemembers err servicememberless, happyfeet? Don’t you appreciate their sacrifice? Don’t you understand that they’re all that stands between us and radical Islam?

    nk (dbc370)

  42. i am chastened

    happyfeet (831175)

  43. I did not mean to sound cross, but if our heroes in uniform cannot chop off their peckers and grow boobs then the terrorists have won.

    nk (dbc370)

  44. amen to that brother

    happyfeet (831175)

  45. 40- The elitism of team rino will end in 2016. When conservatives write in a losing Patriot.
    Warren\Stewart 2016 because team rino is far to educated for the common loser.

    mg (31009b)

  46. Hmm. And since this is a government jobs post. Rahm Emanuel made Bruce Rauner, a Republican, governor of Illinois. And besides the elebenteen million dollars Rauner had sent his way, I figured out the other reason. Rauner looks like he’s going to go after the public employees unions and state pensions tooth and nail. Something that needs to be done and no Democrat would dare do visibly.

    nk (dbc370)

  47. What’s my point, you ask? How about that the Combine is not just an Illinois thing but a national one. The ricos needed wetbacks and Dick Cheney needed to make an honest woman out of Mary, but the bitter clingers would not stand for it. So they put Obama in to do it for them. Now it’s time to do some warring and cut a little government, but the granolas won’t stand for that. So they’re going to put in a Republican to do it for them. Watch this brief, 13-second, safe for work video for your enlightenment and edification. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7E9SS-X4YY

    nk (dbc370)

  48. nk-
    good won?
    good one.

    mg (31009b)

  49. Roughly 95% of what the central government does is unconstitutional and unnecessary.

    Probably 75% of what is done is counterproductive if not flat-out harmful to the nation and economy.

    Once we accept that fact, cutting “waste” should be relatively easy. If the VichyGOP had any intention of actually reading and obeying the US Constitution.

    It is time to “Restore the Republic!”™

    WarEagle82 (b18ccf)

  50. No real public pension reform will happen until judges allow it, and that day is a long way off. The public will have to be dragged through bankruptcy after bankruptcy, huge property tax assessments and bond defaults before they will even consider electing people who will deal with the judge-made “law” that makes these pensions beyond reach of reform.

    Currently, a worker who has been on the public payroll for one day in CA has an absolute right to never have his prospective pension diminished. All reform must fall on new workers, with the benefits awaiting their eventual retirement, assuming no liberal undoes it (bumps up are OK, just no cuts).

    Kevin M (25bbee)

  51. Mandate porn watching for the apparatchiks, they’ll write fewer new regs.

    Hal Dall (5963f7)

  52. The time they had a strike I read that the secretaries make about $80,000/year. FWIW. Ridiculous.

    Patricia (5fc097)

  53. public pension Hell
    I save for my retirement
    I’m augmenting, Jack

    Colonel Haiku (2601c0)

  54. Perhaps instead of pushing for a “livable wage” in places like SanFran, Seattle, etc., the SJW’s should be advocating that the Federal Civil Service be reduced to a livable wage…..
    one the taxpayers can live with?

    askeptic (efcf22)

  55. It really depends on what you are doing for the government, whether you are making more than you would in the private sector. It also depends on if there is even a private sector equivalent to compare to. There are jobs that only exist in government.

    When I worked for a university there were “classified” and “unclassified” employees. Faculty and other teaching and administrative staff were “unclassified”. Janitors and such were “classified”. Classified staff got the full panoply of civil service protections. It was very much more worth getting a classified position than a private sector equivalent.

    But unclassified positions would typically make more in the private sector, I certainly do. However, I no longer have gold-plated benefits, a defined-benefit retirement package, or four months off. I was never tenured, but I was on contracts, and that was another advantage over the private sector.

    For the government jobs that “pay less” there are generally better benefits, more security, and more time off. So it really depends on what you prefer to get paid in.

    Gabriel Hanna (aa6d3d)


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