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Feeling the Impact of Inflation: 6.2% COLA (So Far) for 2009

Federal Pay

HR Specialist
IRS
Wed Aug 20, 2008 1:33 PM

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Federal employees are already grossly overpaid and constitute a parasite class on the backs of taxpayers.

Re: Federal Pay

Analyst
DOD
Thu Aug 21, 2008 10:56 AM
Grossly overpaid? Some yes some no as for a parasite class on the backs of taxpayers. I didn't realize Federal employees didn't have to pay taxes. The real parasite is the IRS. Talk about blood suckers...

Re: Federal Pay

Molecular Biologist
N/A
Sun Aug 24, 2008 10:58 AM
I concede that some federal employees are getting paid way too much for their skill levels. However, I personally take exception to being called a "parasite on the backs of tax payers". Although I am considered superior in my career field, I went into the government side of the industry taking over a 20% pay cut. I don't get stock options or any industry related benefits and I have looked at my expected retirement from the government and it is not all that impressive. Don't categorize everyone under your rants, some workers are very deserving of their pay.

Re: Federal Pay

Accountant, retired GS 14
Dept of Energy
Sun Aug 31, 2008 11:24 AM
i worked for IRS. They treat you bad and pay beans. Thats why they have a 25%+ turnover. DONT WORK AT IRS

Re: Federal Pay

Associate Director
Air Force
Wed Sep 3, 2008 10:14 AM
This person may claim to be from IRS, but don't believe everything you read. If he worked at IRS, he would know how underpaid many Federal workers are. I bet this person is simply a deceptive libertarian at work.

cola adjustment

Former Finance Manager/Controller
Us Postal Service/Now Retired
Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:58 PM

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It amazes me when I read the comments from federal workers as it relates to their compensation. Very few if any people in private industry have pensions that provide them with cost of living increases. I do retirement seminars for federal employees and there is a lack of knowledge by federal workers about what people in the private sector get in retirement benefits. Federal employees need to learn more about the real world and quit complaining about their benefits.

Re: cola adjustment

Retiree
FAA
Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:44 PM
Who's griping? I hear employees wanting a bigger pay raise, but I don't hear retirees complaining about the COLA. As for myself, I gave up a "big bucks, instant gratification" private-sector job for the long-term federal job security and good retirement bennies. That was a legal, ethical and morally legitimate career choice. I fulfilled my part of the deal, and now I don't want anything I didn't earn.

Re: cola adjustment

Associate Director
Air Force
Wed Sep 3, 2008 10:23 AM
Can you name any big company that doesn't? Maybe a lot of small and potentially midsize companies don't. but all big (Fortune 500) companies I am aware of give COLAs for any pension provide in addition to better thrift type accounts. They get different things, but you are suggesting the Feds is gold plated. By what standard? I will take my wife or Kids retirement plans over mine. I think you are comparing unskilled labor, non professional jobs to Fed jobs that include many professionals.

Re: cola adjustment

Retired Revenue Agent
IRS
Thu Sep 4, 2008 10:59 AM
I agree with you. I retired 12 years ago and have received COLA's each year. My husband retired from
At&T 23 years ago. He has received only 2 COLA's and the last one was about 19 years ago. My pension is better than his and so is my hewalth insurance.

FERS COLA Adjustment

Retired
Dept of Energy
Wed Aug 20, 2008 2:59 PM

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This is in response to Retired USPS: I agree. As usual, anything written by the government seems difficult to interpret. Here’s how I interpret how the COLA is calculated for those of us who are FERS retirees, assuming we don’t have a disability annuity or a CSRS component:

1) Our COLA adjustment is equal to the CPI increase, but only if that increase is 2 percent or less.

2) If that CPI increase is more than 3 percent, our adjustment is 1 percent less than the CPI increase.
The new amount is rounded down to the next whole dollar.

3) If we’ve been retired less than a year, the increase is prorated.

If I’m mistaken here, I hope someone will correct me.

FERS COLA

Retired Carrier
USPS
Wed Aug 20, 2008 4:03 PM

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To Retired DOE:
FERS retirees don't receive any COLA until they are 62 .

Baby Boomer Retirement Tsunami

LMER SPEC
DA
Thu Aug 21, 2008 9:53 AM

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So is this a trick to provoke the long predicted wave of CSRS retirements? Many of us stay on the job past the point of eligibility in hopes of building our retirement income. I call us volunteers. Looks to me using the most simplistic figuring that it's going to start costing money to keep working. That 2% per year plus the General Pay Increase of 3.9 isn't going to equal 6.2 let alone 7 and then consider not contributing to retirement anymore, the tanking TSP, commuting costs, and reduced taxes. Why would a DoD employee with no guarantees under NSPS out in RUS pay locality stay? Devotion to duty, loyalty to our employer. They're not loyal to us. Isn't the whole point of NSPS to turn us into sychophantic, showboating, money grubbing greed heads or turn us out? Maybe it's going to finally work.

Feeling the Impact of Inflation: 6.2% COLA (So Far

PROGRAM SPECIALIST
USDA
Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:02 PM

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Thanks for the infos. It's sad but factual that we have been underpaid for decades and our political leaders just do not give damm about it. They wait for catastrophic event to occur before they think about acting on it. They should revamp congress and get rid of those fat cats.

Taxes

Administrator
VA
Thu Aug 21, 2008 2:10 PM

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I can't speak for all federal employees, but federal taxes, social security, etc take a bug chunk out of my paycheck!

Total Comments: 46
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