Government Pensions and FIRE

[maddythebeagle]

I think the public perception about gov pensions is a direct result of the people they've had to deal with.  I know we've all met them sitting behind a counter, just counting the days till they can retire while taking out their frustrations on the poor person that happned to show up and ask a simple question or need a problem solved.  

Dont forget their beady little eyes. I think this is part of the problem (people want services but they dont want to pay for them). They could solve this by charging more user fees (you come in and ask a stupid question that is answered in factsheet in the lobby), you get charged 5 bucks.    

 

[Spanky]

And that perception is wrong. I have represented the government in a lot of hearings that resulted in the termination of employees. However, I agree, that is the public perception. Interestingly enough, some of my private sector counterparts tell me it is harder in the private sector to get rid of someone. Also, there tend to be a lot of "buyouts" to settle private sector dismissals. You don't see those as much in the government workforce and you sure don't see big bucks, even when you do see them.

setab

Good luck in convincing that it's easier to terminate a government employee than a public sector employee. The "buyouts" are for top management. A regular employee would get a serverance package, such as one-week pay for each year of service.

 

[setab]

There are no such "severence packages" in the federal sector. We take their badges and get an address for the last check.

setab

 

[Spanky]

There are no such "severence packages" in the federal sector. We take their badges and get an address for the last check.

setab

That's also true in small companies.

 

[setab]

Spanky,

It's not that I totally disagree with the perception. We ought to terminate a lot more people than we do, but unfortunately, most of those who deserive it the most are elected and so our hands are tied.

setab

 

[Nords]

They could solve this by charging more user fees (you come in and ask a stupid question that is answered in factsheet in the lobby), you get charged 5 bucks.    

Thanks, Maddy, I've been trying to work up a pithy essay on "The Stupidity Tax" and your example is a lot better than anything I've come up with!

 

[setab]

I'd collect that tax for a fairly small percentage of the take! Of course, I'd also want absolute immunity from its application to me.

setab

 

[Nords]

I'd collect that tax for a fairly small percentage of the take!  Of course, I'd also want absolute immunity from its application to me.

Well, the idea is that if you have to put up with these types of people and perhaps even clean up after them, then you should at least get a share of the money they waste.

If you recognize the concept, then you already have immunity. Years ago a comedy show had a stand-up who proposed that stupid people have the word tatooed on their foreheads. They'd ask you a stupid question and you'd respond "Who in the world would ask... oh, I see, you're stupid!"

In our case it was the unfortunate situation of a shipmate who makes a really great impression-- because he's a really great guy. In fact he's such a great guy that it took us several different social occasions to realize that his wife is a complete lunatic, and regrettably that's killed the friendship. But she's a poster child for the concept of the "Stupidity Tax". I just have to boil the concept down into deathless prose, and Maddy got me a lot further down that trail!

 

[HFWR]

"Life is hard, but life is harder when you're dumb..."

Austin Lounge Lizards

 

[Martha]

OK, I got all confused reading this thread because setab is using the avatar that SteveR was using that CFB used to use. Stop it!

 

[grumpy]

I just wanted to point out that the vast majority of federal employees have little or no public contact as part of their jobs. It is unfortunate that many citizens base their impression of ALL federal employees on their contacts with the minority who handle their public contact jobs poorly. I can tell you that at an agency like NASA there were very few slackers and most employees I dealt with were bright and highly motivated. These folks don't come to the public's attention very often and then only when a space mission has a failure.

To correct another point: postal service employees are not covered by the civil service pension system.

Grumpy

 

[setab]

Grumpy,

Here, here!

Martha,

Hey the avitar was available and it comes from one of my favorite movies. Sorry to cause the the confusion...no I'm not...yes, I am...no, I'm not.

setab

 

[Sheryl]

OK, I got all confused reading this thread because setab is using the avatar that SteveR was using that CFB used to use.  Stop it!   

If you're a visually oriented person it can be confusing, I always look at the avatar before the words to see who's posting. I even confused myself when my blue scuba photo looked like Martha's blue iris for a while.

 

[Dreamer]

I have dealt with the public as a gov employee for more that 30 years. I can not tell you the number of times that at the end of the interview, the person has said that they can't believe how easy it was or what a pleasant experience that it was for them. They have commented that they were prepared for the worst! Again that is the public perception for some reason. This has been stated to many of the employees in our office, not just to me. Customer courtesy has always been a big deal, as it should be everywhere. I always try to treat people as I would want my own relatives treated, if they were on the other side of the desk!

I agree with Grumpy, that the vast majority of people that I have worked with have been good employees. Unfortunately, there have been a few that were not that great and it seems like they make the greatest impact.

Dreamer

 

[Martha]

If you're a visually oriented person it can be confusing, I always look at the avatar before the words to see who's posting. I even confused myself when my blue scuba photo looked like Martha's blue iris for a while.

Me too. Like the rainbow.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

OK, I got all confused reading this thread because setab is using the avatar that SteveR was using that CFB used to use. Stop it!

Replete with the same signature, which sort of goes with the picture...

 

[setab]

If I weren't amost a total computer illiterate, I would find a new avitar and transfer it. I almost used a different subscript but I didn't think I'd been around long enough to say "I fart in your general direction." Thought it might create a stink!

setab

 

[maddythebeagle]

To make it even more confusing, Steve changed his avatar to a rat and cube rat changed her's to some lesbian (but had the busty babe) which is now CFB's

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Scarily, cube rats avatar is of a heterosexual woman.

I could add "not that it matters", but thats somewhat obvious.

 

[Nords]

Scarily, cube rats avatar is of a heterosexual woman.

Like the man said in the original Dirty Harry movie, "I gots to know."

So let me ask the question-- how did you determine her sexual preference?

 

[setab]

Nords,

I can't wait to find that out myself.

setab

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

Thats easy. She appeared on one of the "wife swap" reality tv shows. She freaked out on her "new family" for being godless heathens, hence the 'god warrior' name.

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm presuming if she's married and has kids, theres a whiff of heterosexuality involved, but I immediately realize that may be completely false, not to mention she was on a reality tv show, so perhaps theres a second shoe to be dropped?

 

[Martha]

Re: Message to Cube-rat

Cube, I think it is time to change your avatar. That poor woman has been picked on enough.

 

[cute fuzzy bunny]

I'll change mine if you change yours...

 

[Nords]

Thats easy.  She appeared on one of the "wife swap" reality tv shows.  She freaked out on her "new family" for being godless heathens, hence the 'god warrior' name.

Sorry, my mistake. I was actually referring to the avatar that you're using, which I remember that you got from cube_rat.

At least for the first guy in the Dirty Harry movie, the hammer landed on an empty chamber!