While trying to catch up on my reading, I ran across a USA Today article published a couple weeks ago about how the pay of federal employees has skyrocketed during the recession. I don't think anyone locally has blogged on the subject
According to the article, the number of federal employees making $100,000 or more jumped from 14% to 19% during the first 18 months of the recession. That figure does not even include overtime pay or bonuses. The average pay of federal workers is now $71,206 compared to $40,331 in the private sector.
Probably the most interesting statistic had to do with the federal transportation department. At the start of the recession 18 months ago, only one employee had a salary of $170,000 or more. Now 1,690 employees in the transportation department have salaries in excess of $170,000.
The article notes that the trend to six-figure salaries is occurring throughout the federal government, in agencies big and small, high-tech and low-tech.
Jessica Klement, government affairs director for Federal Managers Association, defended the higher pay saying that government employs "skilled people such as scientists, physicians and lawyers" and that federal employees earn 26% less than private workers for comparable jobs.
Sure they do, Jessica. Sure they do.
1 comment:
The best part about being a federal employee is that the odds of losing your job are minuscule. Only one person in five thousand (in a non-defense job)is fired annually.
Caito Institute;
http://www.cato.org/pubs/tbb/tbb-0211-10.pdf
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