Working for the government has become very lucrative. In fact, some federal workers are inching very close to the same pay enjoyed by United States senators. Is this the way it was supposed to be?
Paul Bedard reports at the Washington Examiner:
Federal workers poised to overtake salaries of senators, DC gets highest pay raiseThe top paychecks of federal workers are set to grow again next year to a six-figure number that rivals the $174,000 salaries of America’s 535 House and Senate members.Under a new federal order, salaries for most bureaucrats in the General Service will rise next year when the cap on top pay hits $164,000.And for the upper reaches of the government, senior executive service employees will be allowed to earn a maximum of $189,600.The Washington area, where the bulk of federal workers are employed, will get the biggest pay raise under the order signed by President Trump before Christmas. There, the increase for General Service workers will be 2.29 percent.
This situation creates two very obvious problems. The first is the cost. The second is that this community of workers, most of whom live in the Washington area, are unlikely to ever vote for smaller government. This is their industry and they won’t vote against their own best interests.
Katie Pavlich talked about this on FOX News last night:
How is job satisfaction in this sector? Positive and rising. Is there any wonder why?
Megan R. Wilson writes at The Hill:
Survey: Satisfaction of federal workers risingEmployee satisfaction across the government improved by an average of 2.1 points in 2017 in the months after President Trump took office, compared to the same time last year, according to a new survey of federal workers.Federal government agencies, large and small, reported an average score of 61.5 points in employee engagement on the 100-point scale, an increase from 2016, according to data compiled by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).“The three-year increase in employee engagement follows a concerted effort by agencies across government to improve how employees view their leaders and their jobs. Building on this momentum will require a strong commitment from the Trump administration to continue improving the employee experience — from training and developing leaders to ensuring employees have a positive work environment and the resources they need,” said the analysis of OPM data by the nonprofit Partnership for Public Service and the audit and consulting firm Deloitte, the groups which conducted the survey.
I’m delighted to hear that federal workers are happier since Trump took office. There is however, something unsettling about the idea of bureaucrats earning nearly as much as senators.
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