Booz Allen/SAIC/L3/WarPigs Versus Gov't Intel Agency Career...Your Opinions (Herndon: layoffs, taxes)

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by GeorgiaTransplant

The generalizations here are *slightly* off. But only very slightly-example, yes you can, indeed get fired from the Federal government-but it's very, very rare.

The last sentence:
"The biggest difference is that you can make more money with contractors but you will have less job security and less leave"

is absolutely correct and a solid summation.

One thing in this thread that is a little off: I see the word "guvie" or some variation used a lot, pejoratively-like you hear conservative use "lib" or liberal use "right-winger." (don't turn this into politics, I'm just talking language here).

People who are private industry fans aren't going to insult a Federal worker by making up some odd term to describe them.

The Fed generally knows exactly what they're doing: trading money for job security and reasonable working conditions. It doesn't inherently make them bad, lazy, or unproductive-although some are. Some are solid, hard-working, productive workers that like influencing projects DIRECTLY.

The contractor also knows exactly what they're doing: trading job security and occasionally unreasonable working conditions for a chance to make much better money. That doesn't inherently make them virtuous, hard-working bastions of capitalism-although some are. Some are lazy, shiftless, back-stabbing fools that think they are some corporate climber playing a political game to get promoted to CEO.

It's just a matter of temperament whether you prefer the chance at money to security and lifestyle. Generalizing ALL Federal or ALL contractors worker's personality and willingness to work based on this life choice is foolish and reveals a lot about whether an individual is truly thoughtful or simply trying to incite discontent.

Good post.

[Denton56]

Am I understanding this correctly? In the federal government, sick leave and annual leave are two different pots of leave? Does that mean that they aren't interchangeable? Sick leave is not personal leave, but rather to be used when one is sick? Is that true in all agencies? Or is sick leave considered personal leave, to be used for anything, any reason, in some agencies?

[guyincognito]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Am I understanding this correctly? In the federal government, sick leave and annual leave are two different pots of leave? Does that mean that they aren't interchangeable? Sick leave is not personal leave, but rather to be used when one is sick? Is that true in all agencies? Or is sick leave considered personal leave, to be used for anything, any reason, in some agencies?

Sick leave can only be used for illness, medical appointments, or illness of immediate family. You cannot use sick leave for vacation. The two pots are completely separate. Using sick leave for vacation is time and attendance fraud.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by guyincognito

Sick leave can only be used for illness, medical appointments, or illness of immediate family. You cannot use sick leave for vacation. The two pots are completely separate. Using sick leave for vacation is time and attendance fraud.

Can sick leave be used like personal leave? Can it be used because you need to pick up someone at the airport, because you are waiting for a maintenance person, or because you feel like visiting the country that day? Do some agencies allow sick leave to used for things like that? I am asking because some government workers insist that sick leave is personal leave and can be used for anything, like the above examples. But you are saying it is only for medical appointments and illness, which had always been my assumption.

Thanks!

[still_waiting]

Also explained in the benefits section of my offer was something called the Sick Leave Bank...where another member of our agency who has sick leave can "donate" sick leave hours to you if you happened to run out of sick leave. I think that is great and to be honest I would donate readily if I had a coworker really in need.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by still_waiting

Also explained in the benefits section of my offer was something called the Sick Leave Bank...where another member of our agency who has sick leave can "donate" sick leave hours to you if you happened to run out of sick leave. I think that is great and to be honest I would donate readily if I had a coworker really in need.

You might think so now. It sounds nice until you find out who is asking to have your sick leave. Most often they are people who use sick leave for the reasons that I previously stated. They use sick leave the second they get it, for all kinds of goofy reasons. They have a headache, they feel sad, they ''need'' to go shopping, the weather forecast is iffy, they have to pick up someone at the airport, a thousand silly reasons. They've worked for the government for years and years and never saved ANY leave. It has never occurred to them that they might someday need sick leave. Then they need surgery, or are injured in a car accident, and they've saved NO leave. So some nice people who haven't used every bit of leave, and have thought ahead, give them their leave. After that, they go right back to using all their sick leave, just as they've always done.

[still_waiting]

Originally Posted by Denton56

You might think so now. It sounds nice until you find out who is asking to have your sick leave. Most often they are people who use sick leave for the reasons that I previously stated. They use sick leave the second they get it, for all kinds of goofy reasons. They have a headache, they feel sad, they ''need'' to go shopping, the weather forecast is iffy, they have to pick up someone at the airport, a thousand silly reasons. They've worked for the government for years and years and never saved ANY leave. It has never occurred to them that they might someday need sick leave. Then they need surgery, or are injured in a car accident, and they've saved NO leave. So some nice people who haven't used every bit of leave, and have thought ahead, give them their leave. After that, they go right back to using all their sick leave, just as they've always done.

Yes I can see how some could totally use it in a somewhat nefarious manner.

[Nemesis16]

I'm lolin' at the people that are not listing what "agency" they supposedly work at. Everyone isn't Jason Bourne.

Wait, it's probably just cooler to state one works for "one of the agencies" or "one of the ABC agencies" than to be upfront unless they are indeed in some covert, clandestine position

[still_waiting]

Originally Posted by Nemesis16

I'm lolin' at the people that are not listing what "agency" they supposedly work at. Everyone isn't Jason Bourne.

Wait, it's probably just cooler to state one works for "one of the agencies" or "one of the ABC agencies" than to be upfront unless they are indeed in some covert, clandestine position

It's not about a coolness factor, it's about practicing discretion which is NEVER a bad thing in this industry. I know all I had to go through for my TS and I still have to take a Poly for my SCI caveat and I don't want to do anything, not even by mistake or unintentionally to jeopardize that, because it could ruin my career, but more importantly it could possibly (and I stress the word possibly) lead to intel being gleaned and the person not even know it is happening.

At my last position our CI guy let us in on how social networking sites AND internet message boards can be used by foreign intel agencies to attempt to get info and access to people.

In this industry it's better to take the the better safe than sorry approach...this is NOT Hollywood where the storyline gets wrapped up in a few hours and the star always prevails, this is real life and EVERYBODY who works with ANY of the intel agencies or sensitive gov't positions (DOE, Homeland Security, DEA, ICE, etc.) in ANY capacity or position has a RESPONSIBILITY to help maintain the bubble of security as much as they possibly can.

Jason Bourne, ha.

[ChristineVA]

Originally Posted by still_waiting

You are right. I can only assume, plus either way it will neither be "confirmed nor denied" . I love that game.

I'd confirm it in a DM--it's really no big secret.