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Reducing the Costs of Federal Worker Pay and Benefits
downsizinggovernment.org ^ | 9-20-2016 | Chris Edwards

Posted on 12/24/2016 10:29:05 AM PST by boycott

The federal government employs 2.1 million civilian workers in hundreds of agencies at offices across the nation.1 The federal workforce imposes a substantial burden on America's taxpayers. In 2016 wages and benefits for executive branch civilian workers cost $267 billion.2

Since the 1990s, federal workers have enjoyed faster compensation growth than private-sector workers. In 2015 federal workers earned 76 percent more, on average, than private-sector workers.3 Federal workers earned 42 percent more, on average, than state and local government workers.4 The federal government has become an elite island of secure and high-paid employment, separated from the ocean of average Americans competing in the economy.

Spurred by the large budget deficits of recent years, policymakers have trimmed the growth in federal wages. In particular, they imposed a partial freeze on federal wages from 2011 to 2013, which saved billions of dollars. To find further savings, policymakers should turn their attention to the generous benefit packages received by federal workers. They should also reduce the overall size of the federal workforce by terminating low-value programs.

(Excerpt) Read more at downsizinggovernment.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: benefits; costs; federal; worker
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This article is a few months old. I was actually researching something else and came across it. I found it interesting. Hopefully these charts look a lot different after Donald Trump as president.


1 posted on 12/24/2016 10:29:05 AM PST by boycott
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To: boycott

>>Spurred by the large budget deficits of recent years, policymakers have trimmed the growth in federal wages. In particular, they imposed a partial freeze on federal wages from 2011 to 2013, which saved billions of dollars. To find further savings, policymakers should turn their attention to the generous benefit packages received by federal workers. They should also reduce the overall size of the federal workforce by terminating low-value programs.<<

I was in Government. “Freezes” are a minor pain in the butt but easily sidestepped with the right forms and boilerplate.

As for terminating low-value programs, we can only hope. The only programs left would be the military and maybe the part of the FDA that monitors food and drug quality.


2 posted on 12/24/2016 10:32:43 AM PST by freedumb2003 (Merry Christmas -- God bless us, every one)
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To: boycott

I’m 63-retired. I’ll work there part time for the minimum wage to supplement my SSI. It shouldn’t be a career.


3 posted on 12/24/2016 10:33:08 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: freedumb2003

Most of the FDA funding comes from Big Pharma. So it’s the big pharmaceutical companies that control the FDA. Amazing how our current federal government works.


4 posted on 12/24/2016 10:36:12 AM PST by boycott (S)
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To: DIRTYSECRET

Freeze federal pay until they balance the budget.


5 posted on 12/24/2016 10:36:17 AM PST by Stosh
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To: DIRTYSECRET

This article-too much information. Cut the force with a blunt knife. One more year on the payroll. 2 years pay if they quit on Jan 21.


6 posted on 12/24/2016 10:37:31 AM PST by DIRTYSECRET (urope. Why do they put up with this.)
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To: boycott

Reduce number of government employees and contract employees and reduce salary and benefits of the ones left and then use the money to fix infrastructure.

This is a win-win.


7 posted on 12/24/2016 10:39:20 AM PST by Presbyterian Reporter
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To: boycott
This looks like a chart of metro DC real estate prices.

This is not a coincidence.
8 posted on 12/24/2016 10:40:20 AM PST by cgbg (Pedophiles--the siren is wailing--incoming!)
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To: boycott

Rescind Kennedy’s EO regarding federal workers unionizing and then start cutting.


9 posted on 12/24/2016 10:40:51 AM PST by RegulatorCountry
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To: DIRTYSECRET
I’m 63-retired. I’ll work there part time for the minimum wage to supplement my SSI. It shouldn’t be a career.

I too am 63 and a military retiree. I've been a contractor to a federal government agency for 26 years. The biggest bang for the buck from the governments perspective is have contractors bid every 5 years for the work. It keeps the costs down. Kept my paycheck not so great for 26 years but that's the nature of the beast.

GS-13's I work with work hard too but they get better paid, more benefits and security. Every 5 years I have to fight for my job. Every 5 years I start at the most bottom of every new company for leave accrual, etc.

10 posted on 12/24/2016 10:41:42 AM PST by USCG SimTech
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To: Presbyterian Reporter

Reduce number of government employees and contract employees and reduce salary and benefits of the ones left and then use the money to fix infrastructure.

This is a win-win.


I am with you. Win-win.


11 posted on 12/24/2016 10:42:12 AM PST by boycott (S)
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To: cgbg

No where in the USA prospered like inside the beltway under Obama.


12 posted on 12/24/2016 10:43:50 AM PST by boycott (S)
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To: boycott

Before Federal employment became an alternative to welfare, it took some brains to get a gov’t job. At least in the intelligence sector where I worked. Today, not so much.


13 posted on 12/24/2016 10:45:39 AM PST by PLMerite (Lord, let me die fighting lions. Amen.)
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To: boycott

Privatize the TSA. That’s a 100k employyes gone right there.


14 posted on 12/24/2016 10:47:26 AM PST by Vince Ferrer
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To: Stosh

Worse is most think they are under paid!


15 posted on 12/24/2016 10:48:23 AM PST by Mouton (The insurrection laws maintain the status quo now.)
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To: PLMerite

Yes, I know of families that are half welfare, half government/municipal nepotism jobs.
What a country!


16 posted on 12/24/2016 10:48:33 AM PST by GnuThere
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To: USCG SimTech

As you know, as a federal,contractor, you can make more if you check ....

Woman
Anything non-White
Native American
Veteran
Handicapped

I have no problems with anyone being able to check veteran or handicapped.


17 posted on 12/24/2016 10:51:18 AM PST by boycott (S)
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To: Stosh

“Freeze federal pay”

Except uniformed services pay.

When OMO gives raises to federal employees they raise their actual pay plus allowances.

The military only receive raises to their allowances. When military retire the retirement is calculated off of their base pay, which is never tinkered with, so the government saves money.


18 posted on 12/24/2016 10:51:53 AM PST by Clutch Martin (Hot sauce aside, every culture has its pancake, just as every culture has its egg roll.)
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To: PLMerite

30 years ago, most motivated people didn’t seek federal government jobs. I know that I didn’t. They wanted the challenges of private enterprise.

That certainly doesn’t apply to all federal government jobs because some people sought certain careers that only the government could provide — NASA, US Army Corp of Engineers, etc.


19 posted on 12/24/2016 10:55:47 AM PST by boycott (S)
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To: freedumb2003

term limits for civil servants. No more than years at the Federal trough.


20 posted on 12/24/2016 10:57:21 AM PST by spintreebob
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