Being a Federal Employee...or Working For The Man

Thro

Actinguy1 wrote: »

Just a quick update...I got the job offer! Accepted of course, I start in two weeks. Thanks again!

So fast!
Grats man, and good luck.

. . .start a new thread when hilarious government hijinks ensue. We'll all come back to post in it!

GnomeTank

SammyF wrote: »

I think it probably makes a difference by position and location -- most everyone I know works on budgets, and they're required to be informed about basically every aspect of every project they fund since they have to field questions about how they're spending other people's money from Congressional staffs, CBO, and OMB whenever anyone sits down to write a budget that will never get passed. Most budget meetings are therefore consequential and informative to at least a few participants for that reason.

I can't say I have any idea what it's like out in Portland for a DOE coder. I guess I could imagine most of your meetings being more on the pointless end of the spectrum.

I also work at an agency that takes no Congressional appropriation (we generate all our money), but still is run like it does.

Actinguy1

Thanks again for all the great info, and the congratulations!

Next question: How does pay work? Is it the 15th and last day of the month...and if that falls on a weekend, it's the Friday before?

I'm sure this will all be covered when I start next week of course, but I'm trying to plan and budget since we'll be paying for two apartment leases for two months. Just hoping to avoid surprises. Thanks!

Dunadan019

Actinguy1 wrote: »

Thanks again for all the great info, and the congratulations!

Next question: How does pay work? Is it the 15th and last day of the month...and if that falls on a weekend, it's the Friday before?

I'm sure this will all be covered when I start next week of course, but I'm trying to plan and budget since we'll be paying for two apartment leases for two months. Just hoping to avoid surprises. Thanks!

next federal payday is on the 3rd of may. payday is every 2 weeks. you won't be paid until the second pay period you worked. so if you had started on the 23rd, you wouldn't get paid until the 17th. if you started on the 7th it wouldn't be until the 31st.

it may vary slightly from agency to agency. note, if you have direct deposit into certain banks you will actually see your pay get deposited on the wednesday before 'payday'

Actinguy1

Yikes! My official hire date is May 6, although I obviously don't start until Monday, May 7. So I won't get a dollar until May 30th (with direct deposit)? That's good to know, thanks for telling me!

Dunadan019

I believe the federal gov't no longer issues checks. its all direct deposit.

generally federal credit unions and certain large banks get it early. I'm not sure which ones but I remember hearing that bank of america used to be one of them.

Natas_Xnoybis

Actinguy1 wrote: »

Just a quick update...I got the job offer! Accepted of course, I start in two weeks. Thanks again!

Wonderful man, Congratulations!!!!

Carpy

Dunadan019 wrote: »

I believe the federal gov't no longer issues checks. its all direct deposit.

generally federal credit unions and certain large banks get it early. I'm not sure which ones but I remember hearing that bank of america used to be one of them.

BoA didn't get paid early when I was in the military, USAA did. Although probably different disbursing authorities so I don't know if that would carry over.

zepherin

GnomeTank wrote: »

SammyF wrote: »

I think it probably makes a difference by position and location -- most everyone I know works on budgets, and they're required to be informed about basically every aspect of every project they fund since they have to field questions about how they're spending other people's money from Congressional staffs, CBO, and OMB whenever anyone sits down to write a budget that will never get passed. Most budget meetings are therefore consequential and informative to at least a few participants for that reason.

I can't say I have any idea what it's like out in Portland for a DOE coder. I guess I could imagine most of your meetings being more on the pointless end of the spectrum.

I also work at an agency that takes no Congressional appropriation (we generate all our money), but still is run like it does.

Yeah me too. Luckily the agency I work for is pretty much ignored by everyone. So we get to do really whatever we want within the scope of our mission.

GnomeTank

zepherin wrote: »

GnomeTank wrote: »

SammyF wrote: »

I think it probably makes a difference by position and location -- most everyone I know works on budgets, and they're required to be informed about basically every aspect of every project they fund since they have to field questions about how they're spending other people's money from Congressional staffs, CBO, and OMB whenever anyone sits down to write a budget that will never get passed. Most budget meetings are therefore consequential and informative to at least a few participants for that reason.

I can't say I have any idea what it's like out in Portland for a DOE coder. I guess I could imagine most of your meetings being more on the pointless end of the spectrum.

I also work at an agency that takes no Congressional appropriation (we generate all our money), but still is run like it does.

Yeah me too. Luckily the agency I work for is pretty much ignored by everyone. So we get to do really whatever we want within the scope of our mission.

We're mostly unnoticed, except when the suits at the DoE in D.C. start to wonder what those crazy hippies in the Pacific NW are doing with the power grid. All up ins with our hydro and wind energy. Renewable and stuff. The DoE people think we are all crunchy granola.

Gork

Hey fellow new fed! I'm starting at FERC, also on the 7th. Congrats!

Thro

Actinguy1 wrote: »

Yikes! My official hire date is May 6, although I obviously don't start until Monday, May 7. So I won't get a dollar until May 30th (with direct deposit)? That's good to know, thanks for telling me!

Oh yeah, show up on your first day with a blank check (you can write void all over it if you want). You'll either need it to fill out the routing numbers and stuff, or possibly turn it in to someone to set it up direct deposit for you.
Also bring ID. All of them.

And yes, we're paid every two weeks. All the really good parties are durring the 3 pay-period months.

Oricalm

Dunadan019 wrote: »

Actinguy1 wrote: »

Thanks again for all the great info, and the congratulations!

Next question: How does pay work? Is it the 15th and last day of the month...and if that falls on a weekend, it's the Friday before?

I'm sure this will all be covered when I start next week of course, but I'm trying to plan and budget since we'll be paying for two apartment leases for two months. Just hoping to avoid surprises. Thanks!

next federal payday is on the 3rd of may. payday is every 2 weeks. you won't be paid until the second pay period you worked. so if you had started on the 23rd, you wouldn't get paid until the 17th. if you started on the 7th it wouldn't be until the 31st.

it may vary slightly from agency to agency. note, if you have direct deposit into certain banks you will actually see your pay get deposited on the wednesday before 'payday'

Either SSA has opposite weeks than you or maybe you were looking at August instead of May? I have it as the pay period closes on May 5th and pay day is the 10th/11th.

Also, Howdy to my fellow fed's, and congrats on the job ActingGuy