Furloughs: Fed Employees in the DMV area (real estate, theater)

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by vicnice

If the US can end a war due to funding constraints, they are willing to cut jobs due to the same funding constraints. If I were in DoD I would seriously be looking for stable work. Saying "its not going to happen" is not doing your family justice.

Aren't we just temporarily between wars?

[shamrock847]

I didn't understand the "end a war due to funding constraints" comment...

There are over 60k troops fighting and dying in a ground war in Afghanistan right now.

Although the OCO funds that directly pay for those operations are exempt from sequestration, anyone who thinks those troops won't be adversely impacted by huge indiscriminate cuts across DoD is extremely naive. Let's not forget about that when discussing the regrettable impacts on people in this area.

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by shamrock847

I didn't understand the "end a war due to funding constraints" comment...

There are over 60k troops fighting and dying in a ground war in Afghanistan right now.

Although the OCO funds that directly pay for those operations are exempt from sequestration, anyone who thinks those troops won't be adversely impacted by huge indiscriminate cuts across DoD is extremely naive. Let's not forget about that when discussing the regrettable impacts on people in this area.

Iraq.

[vicnice]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Aren't we just temporarily between wars?

And some will be temporarily between jobs.

I dont know what everyone elses opinion is, but if I were government, I would absolutely be looking for work.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by vicnice

And some will be temporarily between jobs.

I dont know what everyone elses opinion is, but if I were government, I would absolutely be looking for work.

Why? Even with this situation, it's still a lot more stable than much of the rest of the economy right now. For one thing you're not competing with a bunch of foreign nationals unable to get clearances. A lot of folks would likely think twice before throwing that away over something that may not happen at all or if it does will likely be temporary.

[Jon_In_NOVA]

Originally Posted by ChristineVA

3. While I haven't had a raise in three years and I work my butt off (in a job I love), the people who work for our agency as contractors have all had 4-8% raises during that time period. Yet, they are paid out of the same budget as we are all paid from.

Granted, there are some contractors that are suffering with budget cuts.

Dang which agency do you work for?
The one I work for outside the beltway; no one on the contractor side has seen 4-8% at all. The big prime contracts at best - the last two years saw 0-2%. This include worker bee and SETA types and everyone in between. Specifically I have seen NG, BAH, GDAIS, LM and a few others straight up cut their middle to upper management folks (or expensive SETAs) on contract while picking up the cheapest talent they can legally to fill holes on an aging contract.

I can't speak for small 8As or independents as they have barely any overhead. 4-8% in my agency in the IC has been totally unrealistic.

The reality is anyone working for a big company in which said company is the prime has seen their pay or benefits reduced significantly. Things like healthcare costs sky rocketing, deductibles increase 50%+ PTO and floating hours cut etc etc.

The companies that are backed by shareholders are just trying to balance a sinking ship, reducing where they can without starting internal turmoil.

Fed and contractors alike are both sweating bullets right now because the reality is we are watching our counterparts and benefits get cut like a loaf of bread.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Jon_In_NOVA

Dang which agency do you work for?
The one I work for outside the beltway; no one on the contractor side has seen 4-8% at all. The big prime contracts at best - the last two years saw 0-2%. This include worker bee and SETA types and everyone in between. Specifically I have seen NG, BAH, GDAIS, LM and a few others straight up cut their middle to upper management folks (or expensive SETAs) on contract while picking up the cheapest talent they can legally to fill holes on an aging contract.

It sometimes can depend on your performance. Don't forget contractors get bonuses and sometimes stock. Their increases are also variable based on job rating so can be above normal COL. Also there could be promotion increases.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by Jon_In_NOVA

Dang which agency do you work for?
The one I work for outside the beltway; no one on the contractor side has seen 4-8% at all. The big prime contracts at best - the last two years saw 0-2%. This include worker bee and SETA types and everyone in between. Specifically I have seen NG, BAH, GDAIS, LM and a few others straight up cut their middle to upper management folks (or expensive SETAs) on contract while picking up the cheapest talent they can legally to fill holes on an aging contract.

I can't speak for small 8As or independents as they have barely any overhead. 4-8% in my agency in the IC has been totally unrealistic.

The reality is anyone working for a big company in which said company is the prime has seen their pay or benefits reduced significantly. Things like healthcare costs sky rocketing, deductibles increase 50%+ PTO and floating hours cut etc etc.

The companies that are backed by shareholders are just trying to balance a sinking ship, reducing where they can without starting internal turmoil.

Fed and contractors alike are both sweating bullets right now because the reality is we are watching our counterparts and benefits get cut like a loaf of bread.

I work for DoD and the contractors, specifically, that I have this information are from NG, Alion, LM, and SAIC. These are service type contracts for DoD. That said, I am not trying to claim this is across the board. This is in a specific type of work for the DoD. If I were to go back to being a contractor, it would be back into that type of work.

I just hired two contractors from two different companies (listed above) and I had to sacrifice experience to get them into a range that it would be a lateral move for them. I took one person in as a mid-level GS-13 (it was a lateral for him) and he did not have the years of experience that I would have hoped for. No, those are making at the GS-14 and GS-15 level.

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Aren't we just temporarily between wars?

You're bring flip, but actually there's some truth to this. Defense is ultimately more stable than many other industries. So yes, it's a temporary situation. Of course the problem with temporary situations is that when you're in them they seem to go on forever.

Can't hurt to see what else is out there, but I suspect most of us will find the best option is to stay put.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Caladium

You're bring flip, but actually there's some truth to this. Defense is ultimately more stable than many other industries. So yes, it's a temporary situation. Of course the problem with temporary situations is that when you're in them they seem to go on forever.

Can't hurt to see what else is out there, but I suspect most of us will find the best option is to stay put.

Yes, there was a serious point behind my remark. I'm sure big defense cuts were seen as a really great idea to a lot of people on September 10, 2001. It only took a few guys flying some planes into buildings to change the picture. How about an Iranian attack on Israel (or the other way round), a Chinese move on Taiwan, or the obliteration of Seoul? This isn't the first time we've been lulled into a false sense of peacetime security and likely won't be the last.