5 ms·

This is absolutely true. I have several members of my family who work in the gov, and I have witnessed years of inadequate inflation raises - nothing else. Th

This is absolutely true. I have several members of my family who work in the gov, and I have witnessed years of inadequate inflation raises - nothing else. The "trade" was a nicer retirement and better health benefits.

0x445442 8y ago
Non government employees have had inadequate inflation raises but without nicer retirements nor better health benefits.
ekianjo 8y ago
> "nicer" That does not even start to describe it fairly. "Extremely sweet" would be more accurate since civil servants and the like get to retire with almost their best pay ever, while the rest of us get something averaged over dozens of years. > and I have witnessed years of inadequate inflation raises So you think the private sector gets "adequate" inflation raises? Not everyone works in tech.
- mhneu 8y ago
  civil servants and the like get to retire with almost their best pay ever That system changed in 1984. Now the FERS annuity is (for most people) about half of their highest pay. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_S... (It's still a decent deal, but it's not a defined benefit plan based on your highest pay)
  - tedunangst 8y ago
    > the average annual rate of basic pay of the employee's highest-paid consecutive three years of service (commonly referred to as the "high-3" period).[3] The "high-3" period normally is, but does not have to be, the final three years of service ??
    - DoreenMichele 8y ago
      They may have changed jobs to a lower paying position for some reason, but one that still qualifies them for the government pension plan.
    - Jtsummers 8y ago
      To add to Doreen Michele’s comment. A friend of mine went from a GS-11 to a GS-7 to change career paths. This meant a reduction in pay for several years. Supposing he retires today (he has enough years to be vested for the pension but can’t collect for another 12 or so) his retirement pay would be based on those years he was a GS-11. Now the period 6-3 years in the past. He’s a GS-12 now (or soon) but the prior pay still works out to a higher average for him. Additionally, locality pay is included for the calculation. It’s not just base pay. This means if he moves to DC for a few years and then later to “rest of US” (unspecified, lowest paid parts of the country) his time in DC may be what they use to calculate his pension and not his last few years.
- humanrebar 8y ago
  > Not everyone works in tech. Even in tech, it's pretty common to have to switch specialties, fire your boss, move, etc., to ensure you're getting market rates. Honestly, if public sector employees think they're paid unfairly, they should talk to their union reps about decoupling seniority from particular districts, departments, etc.
- blitmap 8y ago
  I think it's different when you're told you will not get a raise for 5 years.

0x445442 8y ago

Non government employees have had inadequate inflation raises but without nicer retirements nor better health benefits.

ekianjo 8y ago

> "nicer" That does not even start to describe it fairly. "Extremely sweet" would be more accurate since civil servants and the like get to retire with almost their best pay ever, while the rest of us get something averaged over dozens of years. > and I have witnessed years of inadequate inflation raises So you think the private sector gets "adequate" inflation raises? Not everyone works in tech.

mhneu 8y ago
civil servants and the like get to retire with almost their best pay ever That system changed in 1984. Now the FERS annuity is (for most people) about half of their highest pay. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Employees_Retirement_S... (It's still a decent deal, but it's not a defined benefit plan based on your highest pay)
- tedunangst 8y ago
  > the average annual rate of basic pay of the employee's highest-paid consecutive three years of service (commonly referred to as the "high-3" period).[3] The "high-3" period normally is, but does not have to be, the final three years of service ??
  - DoreenMichele 8y ago
    They may have changed jobs to a lower paying position for some reason, but one that still qualifies them for the government pension plan.
  - Jtsummers 8y ago
    To add to Doreen Michele’s comment. A friend of mine went from a GS-11 to a GS-7 to change career paths. This meant a reduction in pay for several years. Supposing he retires today (he has enough years to be vested for the pension but can’t collect for another 12 or so) his retirement pay would be based on those years he was a GS-11. Now the period 6-3 years in the past. He’s a GS-12 now (or soon) but the prior pay still works out to a higher average for him. Additionally, locality pay is included for the calculation. It’s not just base pay. This means if he moves to DC for a few years and then later to “rest of US” (unspecified, lowest paid parts of the country) his time in DC may be what they use to calculate his pension and not his last few years.
humanrebar 8y ago
> Not everyone works in tech. Even in tech, it's pretty common to have to switch specialties, fire your boss, move, etc., to ensure you're getting market rates. Honestly, if public sector employees think they're paid unfairly, they should talk to their union reps about decoupling seniority from particular districts, departments, etc.
blitmap 8y ago
I think it's different when you're told you will not get a raise for 5 years.