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I got a Tentative Offer with the Government mid December. Since I will be relocating cross country, I requested an additional Incentive Bonus to help offset some of those costs (they are only paying the PCS portion of the move). This request was verbally approved the first week of January. I've been waiting since then for the final "signatures" of the bonus to be approved. We haven't discussed a start date, and I haven't' been given a Final Offer yet either.
I had been expecting to start work within the first two weeks in March when the bonus was approved in January... but it seems to be dragging on, for a long time. I've checked in every 2 weeks with my HR Specialist, only to be told it still hasn't been signed yet.
The bonus is quite a bit, but the real question is, how long should I wait before asking them to forego the bonus, just so I can start working? I feel like I've put my career and family on hold. There have been 3-4 promotional opportunities where I currently work, that I could've applied for internally that I did not. I have a lot of money saved up for the move, that I could've used for my daughters birthday, eliminate debt, take a vacation, etc. etc.
Thoughts?
I'm not a veteran of the Federal Employment system, and I know it's supposed to take awhile, but 6+ weeks for 4 signatures seems a bit absurd.
I got a Tentative Offer with the Government mid December. Since I will be relocating cross country, I requested an additional Incentive Bonus to help offset some of those costs (they are only paying the PCS portion of the move). This request was verbally approved the first week of January. I've been waiting since then for the final "signatures" of the bonus to be approved. We haven't discussed a start date, and I haven't' been given a Final Offer yet either.
I had been expecting to start work within the first two weeks in March when the bonus was approved in January... but it seems to be dragging on, for a long time. I've checked in every 2 weeks with my HR Specialist, only to be told it still hasn't been signed yet.
The bonus is quite a bit, but the real question is, how long should I wait before asking them to forego the bonus, just so I can start working? I feel like I've put my career and family on hold. There have been 3-4 promotional opportunities where I currently work, that I could've applied for internally that I did not. I have a lot of money saved up for the move, that I could've used for my daughters birthday, eliminate debt, take a vacation, etc. etc.
Thoughts?
I'm not a veteran of the Federal Employment system, and I know it's supposed to take awhile, but 6+ weeks for 4 signatures seems a bit absurd.
I would definitely forgo the bonus -- you are talking like we're living in 2006 or something. I wouldn't ask for a penny in moving costs and consider yourself very fortunate to have a gov't job. Delays from a bureaucrazy such as the fed'l gov't in definitely normal.
I would definitely forgo the bonus -- you are talking like we're living in 2006 or something. I wouldn't ask for a penny in moving costs and consider yourself very fortunate to have a gov't job. Delays from a bureaucrazy such as the fed'l gov't in definitely normal.
Well, this isn't a entry-level or junior position. It's a senior level position where relocation costs and incentive bonuses are quite common.
I wouldn't take any new position without relocation being included. As a new employee to the Federal Government system, they are legally limited to the amount of relocation assistance they can provide (i.e., PCS move only, plus relocation allowance for family, etc.).
Normally you would receive house-hunting leave, but since that wasn't provided, it was inputted as the justification for the incentive, that, and the position is extremely hard to fill.
If you don't know when your start date is and you do not have a final offer, how do you know you have the position?
I was told I have the position, and was sent all of the paperwork for my PCS move. I was given the Final Offer verbally over the phone. Until the Bonus is signed (and included in the written FO) I guess I don't officially have the position.
Permanent Change of Station paperwork is not indicative of a job offer. That is merely another step in the application process.
You aren't hired signed Final Offer letter and Travel Authorization and reporting papers for where and when you are supposed to be on your first day.
Unfortunately this mistake is all too common--I know several contract specialists (the people who issue the offer paperwork, serve as messenger for negotiations, and receive your acceptance paperwork) and they have almost daily stories of applicants who misunderstand and assume that they have been offered a job when they haven't, sometimes even quitting their job and moving cross country (one even moved from another continent!), only to find that a final offer decision isn't expected for months.
And the higher up you go in the ranks, the longer the whole process takes. For senior positions it can often take six months to a year. Don't pass up any other job opportunities in the meantime.
Permanent Change of Station paperwork is not indicative of a job offer. That is merely another step in the application process.
You aren't hired signed Final Offer letter and Travel Authorization and reporting papers for where and when you are supposed to be on your first day.
Unfortunately this mistake is all too common--I know several contract specialists (the people who issue the offer paperwork, serve as messenger for negotiations, and receive your acceptance paperwork) and they have almost daily stories of applicants who misunderstand and assume that they have been offered a job when they haven't, sometimes even quitting their job and moving cross country (one even moved from another continent!), only to find that a final offer decision isn't expected for months.
And the higher up you go in the ranks, the longer the whole process takes. For senior positions it can often take six months to a year. Don't pass up any other job opportunities in the meantime.
Thank you for the info.
It's a bit irritating to say the least when the HR Specialist I've been dealing with throws terms like "Job acceptance, Salary Acceptance, PCS orders, etc." on the phone.
I would definitely forgo the bonus -- you are talking like we're living in 2006 or something. I wouldn't ask for a penny in moving costs and consider yourself very fortunate to have a gov't job. Delays from a bureaucrazy such as the fed'l gov't in definitely normal.
Here we go with the "you should just be grateful you have a job" lectures. My advice to these people: SHUT UP! If you insist on complaining about how tough the job market is, that's fine! But stay on the U/E boards and do your complaining there. The fact is the majority of Americans are still working and getting jobs. Nobody should be made to feel guilty if they choose to negotiate a job offer.
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