[PhiKapMom]

You are so right! I worked there in the days where the cost of health insurance raise was more than the pay raise which meant you made less after the pay raise.

Seven years ago a GS-13, Step 10, made around $64,000 -- now a GS-12, Step 10 makes over $70,000! The Clinton years saw a huge increase in pay for GS employees.

[meyer]

Seven years ago a GS-13, Step 10, made around $64,000 -- now a GS-12, Step 10 makes over $70,000! The Clinton years saw a huge increase in pay for GS employees.

I'm not civil service so its hard to make a relationship between these pay grades and other jobs outside of the civil service protection. Do you know of a web site or somewhere where the general qualifications are listed for specific grades?

[EdoTerglav]

I'm a federal employee working for the VA. I'm not going to complain about a 3.1% pay increase. But the facts are that last years pay increase was almost entirely negated by the increase in my contribution for health insurance. My contribution went up 35% in 2002. For 2003 my contribution is going up 20%. These big increases + inflation mean my actual salary is quite stagnant. The only thing keeping me from the private sector is the excellent time off I value.

[terilyn]

"You are so right! I worked there in the days where the cost of health insurance raise was more than the pay raise which meant you made less after the pay raise."

Hmmm...sounds like you used to work where I work LOL!

My health insurance costs have increased each year for the past three years while the last time we got a pay increase was March of 2001.

I know, I am happy to be employed. But reading the spin on the horror of only receiving a 3.1 increase leaves me less than sympathetic ;)

[willyone]

And in the same time frame a average house in most of Calif. went from $150,000 to over $300,000. Most Feds are low pay GS-5 and 6 Secretaries. The examples of outsourcing I have seen have ended up costing more than keeping the original workforce. I will agree that most of the management in the Federal area is pathetic.