Number of federal workers earning six-figure salaries has exploded during recession

[PatekPhilippe]

When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000.

It would be a good point except for the fact that federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. In 2007, Congressmen were making $170,000 so no federal employee could make more than that. When they raised congressional pay, top federal salaries raised also

Sorry...you only have half the picture...a salary cap means that they will not see anything in their paychecks above $170,000. It doesn't mean they won't get the money. I happen to know SEVERAL GS-15's making $260k + in my area of employment. Then again we have always traditionally faired better than the average government worker thanks to the unions. The excess salary is placed in a fund and given to the employee upon retirement, resignation or being fired. The salary cap rises in conjunction with annual federal salary increases. I keep my hours and overtime to just float beneath the cap...that way they don't take away any of my salary.

 

[Big Black Dog]

I knew a bunch of federal workers once. They all worked about two hours a day.

 

[oreo]

I knew a bunch of federal workers once. They all worked about two hours a day.

Yeah government workers-- 2 sharpen pencils, & 3 hang out at the water fountain--. All paid holidays OFF--medical benefits, retirement benefits--sick day benefits, family leave benefits, & of course paid vacations up the ying-yang. Now they're all making 71K while the private sector pays for it, with their measley 40K.

Yeah--Obama--that's what you call lifting up the middle class of this country--

This country voted for it--they got it. Jimmy Carter & his liberal congress did the exact same thing during a horrible recession.

 

[PatekPhilippe]

I knew a bunch of federal workers once. They all worked about two hours a day.

Yeah government workers-- 2 sharpen pencils, & 3 hang out at the water fountain--. All paid holidays OFF--medical benefits, retirement benefits--sick day benefits, family leave benefits, & of course paid vacations up the ying-yang. Now they're all making 71K while the private sector pays for it, with their measley 40K.

Yeah--Obama--that's what you call lifting up the middle class of this country--

This country voted for it--they got it. Jimmy Carter & his liberal congress did the exact same thing during a horrible recession.

Choose your rate choose your fate.

 

[xsited1]

Great...So, we have middle manager bureaucrats making what congressweasels are making.

I'm soooo unrelieved.

These aren't middle manager bureaucrats, they are Senior Executive Series (SES) the Government equivalent of CEOs

Compare the multi-million dollar salaries of CEOs to the $170,000 an SES makes

That's a lot of Senior Executives in the government! Let's look at the OP again:

When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000.

Meanwhile in the private sector, people lose their jobs during a recession.

 

[rightwinger]

When the recession started, the Transportation Department had only one person earning a salary of $170,000 or more. Eighteen months later, 1,690 employees had salaries above $170,000.

It would be a good point except for the fact that federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. In 2007, Congressmen were making $170,000 so no federal employee could make more than that. When they raised congressional pay, top federal salaries raised also

Sorry...you only have half the picture...a salary cap means that they will not see anything in their paychecks above $170,000. It doesn't mean they won't get the money. I happen to know SEVERAL GS-15's making $260k + in my area of employment. Then again we have always traditionally faired better than the average government worker thanks to the unions. The excess salary is placed in a fund and given to the employee upon retirement, resignation or being fired. The salary cap rises in conjunction with annual federal salary increases. I keep my hours and overtime to just float beneath the cap...that way they don't take away any of my salary.

There are no provisions in the federal pay regulations to defer salary. There are also no areas in the country that pay GS-15s $260,000. The current top step in any locality for a GS 15 is slightly over $150K

 

[rightwinger]

Sorry, but most professionals could have gotten jobs with the federal government at any times in their careers they wanted. Most laughed off working for the Government because the pay and bonuses were so bad. Once the recession came and federal employees had jobs and they didn't. The whining of "not fair" started.

According to a report by the Congressional Research Service,available at: http://assets.opencrs.com/rpts/94-971_20080108.pdf "average wages for all workers in the economy have risen by 618% since 1969. Salaries for civilian federal employees have increased by 398% since 1969,and the salaries of members of Congress have increased by 298%."

 

[skookerasbil]

w0w.........great thread. Another spectacular repudiation of this stimulus fraud...........it gets better and better by the week.


PS..........as of today, the Obama approval index hit a new low..........minus sixteen ( -16)
Unfcukking beliveable.........approval down to 46%. As I predicted back in the summer.......more and more independents would be jumping off this k00k bandwagon as 2009 became 2010.

 

[amrchaos]

In defense of the "increase in six figure pay for GOV employees"


The government have hird more Doctorates and Grad level employees as admnistrators and specialists in their fields. It is necessary due to the higher demand in the private markets for expertise and the numerous threats facing our republic


Also, Jethro from the boonies may be able to build a nice hot rod, but I seriously doubt his abilities to form better encryption codes, design better military protocols, or implement diplomatic policies that will improve Afganistan-American relations. At least without the proper background and documentations to prove that he knows how.

USA today is about to go bankrupt. With stories like these, I can tell why.

 

[PatekPhilippe]

It would be a good point except for the fact that federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. In 2007, Congressmen were making $170,000 so no federal employee could make more than that. When they raised congressional pay, top federal salaries raised also

Sorry...you only have half the picture...a salary cap means that they will not see anything in their paychecks above $170,000. It doesn't mean they won't get the money. I happen to know SEVERAL GS-15's making $260k + in my area of employment. Then again we have always traditionally faired better than the average government worker thanks to the unions. The excess salary is placed in a fund and given to the employee upon retirement, resignation or being fired. The salary cap rises in conjunction with annual federal salary increases. I keep my hours and overtime to just float beneath the cap...that way they don't take away any of my salary.

There are no provisions in the federal pay regulations to defer salary. There are also no areas in the country that pay GS-15s $260,000. The current top step in any locality for a GS 15 is slightly over $150K

and you are an ill-informed civilian while I'm a GS rated government employee who makes on average $170k yearly with OVERTIME...got that? I know what people in the government make...all you have is google. Base pay for an NFAF Chief Engineer $193,340 not including automatically paid overtime for being on call 24/7/365....NOW LIKE I SAID...anything above the cap is kept in a fund and paid to the employee upon leaving federal service.
Any more questions?
Now...for the pitch...our industry is short about 30,000 licensed positions...if any of you need a well paying job I would encourage you to seek employment in the maritime industry. You will thank me should you decide to travel this path in life.

Here's some links for rightwinger since he is out of the loop and doesn't know what he's talking about. Click on 2009 West Coast Pay Charts and look at the "Chief Engineer" salary.

CIVMAR Payroll

 

[Polk]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

 

[xsited1]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

I doubt they included all the benefits associated with being a Federal employee, including retirement. Regardless, the Federal government should never pay what a private-sector employee would make since the government doesn't create wealth and is, by definition, a drain on the system.

 

[rightwinger]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

I doubt they included all the benefits associated with being a Federal employee, including retirement. Regardless, the Federal government should never pay what a private-sector employee would make since the government doesn't create wealth and is, by definition, a drain on the system.

You get what you pay for. Federal employees need to negotiate with their private counterparts and there are tax dollars at stake. Major errors in judgement will cost hundreds of times what the salary costs

 

[PatekPhilippe]

From the article in the OP



Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

I doubt they included all the benefits associated with being a Federal employee, including retirement. Regardless, the Federal government should never pay what a private-sector employee would make since the government doesn't create wealth and is, by definition, a drain on the system.

You get what you pay for. Federal employees need to negotiate with their private counterparts and there are tax dollars at stake. Major errors in judgement will cost hundreds of times what the salary costs

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.........WHAT!? The private enterprise ChEngs do actually get to keep all of their $250k salary...are you sure you want to go down that road with GOGO ship ChEngs?

and how about a comment on my link...that completely sunk your supposition about GS-15's.

 

[Polk]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

I doubt they included all the benefits associated with being a Federal employee, including retirement. Regardless, the Federal government should never pay what a private-sector employee would make since the government doesn't create wealth and is, by definition, a drain on the system.

Private sector employees working in those level jobs have just as generous benefits packages.

 

[Harry Dresden]

These aren't middle manager bureaucrats, they are Senior Executive Series (SES) the Government equivalent of CEOs

Compare the multi-million dollar salaries of CEOs to the $170,000 an SES makes

so you're claiming that one federal dept has 1690 CEO equivalents?

please. you can't be that naive.

Yes

Federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. This is currently $174,000 per year. What this means is high level government senior executives bunch up at the $174,000 level. you have five levels of SES so they all tend to rise to the cap number

RW....the post master General pulls in $286,000 i believe....so much for that theory....

 

[PatekPhilippe]

so you're claiming that one federal dept has 1690 CEO equivalents?

please. you can't be that naive.

Yes

Federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. This is currently $174,000 per year. What this means is high level government senior executives bunch up at the $174,000 level. you have five levels of SES so they all tend to rise to the cap number

RW....the post master General pulls in $286,000 i believe....so much for that theory....

Your correct Harry but I don't think he's a GS rated executive...I think he's a GM rated senior executive....which means a different limit on his payscale as compared to a GS-15

 

[oreo]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

No one on this board wants to address the average pay for all federal government workers is 71K verus 40K for the private sector. This spells a boom period for government workers while the private sector is at 10% unemployment.

 

[Polk]

From the article in the OP

Jessica Klement, government affairs director for the Federal Managers Association, says the federal workforce is highly paid because the government employs skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers. She says federal employees make 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.

Damn overpaid government employees working for less money than their private sector counterparts!

No one on this board wants to address the average pay for all federal government workers is 71K verus 40K for the private sector. This spells a boom period for government workers while the private sector is at 10% unemployment.

You act like that number is relevant. The pay in government is higher than the general population because government positions requires more education than the average job. Your question is like taking a survey of law school graduates and wondering why they make more on average that the general population.

 

[Harry Dresden]

Yes

Federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes. This is currently $174,000 per year. What this means is high level government senior executives bunch up at the $174,000 level. you have five levels of SES so they all tend to rise to the cap number

RW....the post master General pulls in $286,000 i believe....so much for that theory....

Your correct Harry but I don't think he's a GS rated executive...I think he's a GM rated senior executive....which means a different limit on his payscale as compared to a GS-15

well he was saying Federal salaries are capped at what a Congressman makes...