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The federal workday: Labor's love lost?

  • By John S. Monroe
  • Oct 10, 2011

Do federal workers earn their pay?

That question arises every time Congress entertains another proposal to reduce the amount of money spent on the federal workforce. The question is both practical and accusatory: If feds are not working 40 productive hours, why not freeze their compensation or shrink the workforce by 10 or even 20 percent? Maybe then they’ll learn what real work is, the reasoning goes.

Many FCW readers were frustrated to see the question arise yet again, this time when the congressional supercommittee began searching for ways to slash the federal budget. A reader named Kyle put the issue front and center by suggesting that salary cuts would not be out of line because feds do not work nearly as hard or long as their private-sector counterparts.

The response — both pro and con — was predictably heated. Here is a summary of reader comments, which have been edited for length, clarity and style.

Get real

I am a federal employee with a work schedule of four 10-hour days. I worked an additional nine hours on Friday and so far today, Saturday, I am at four hours and counting. Overtime is not allowed at my agency. I can claim comp time, but since I can't even use all my annual leave every year, what is the point? So Mr. “Only 10 Percent of Feds Work,” you better check your facts before you make such a ridiculous statement!


— Underappreciated Fed

Not the point

Here we have it again. People have to show their worth by working more hours than they are paid for. People who typically work those hours usually don't have lives, have their priorities out of place and are incompetent. Any boss who measures performance by how long a butt sits in a chair should not be a boss. The most productive people are those who deliver during their prescribed work time and then take care of the rest of their lives.


— Tom K

Whose fault is it?

I used to do payroll for an agency of 150 employees. Due to personnel cuts, I saw that several employees were working extra hours to get the job done. When I pointed this out to the director, he issued a memo stating that "all employees will punch out within 30 minutes of end of shift." They didn't care that employees were voluntarily working extra hours.


— HarleyLar, Washington state

Too true

Feds waste more than they work. It’s a given. Most of my career was in the private world, and there is nothing harder to do than transition to the feds. As a taxpayer, I am very upset. We are one office, and the waste in here is in the millions. Makes you wonder about the rest of the feds.


— Anonymous

Remove one of four employees from their jobs. I see at least that many every day doing nothing. Hire people with experience who are willing to work. All I see hired are friends and relatives who then play games on the computer.


— Anonymous

About the Author

John S. Monroe is the editor-in-chief of Federal Computer Week.

Reader comments

Fri, Oct 12, 2012

An employee who works more hours than what they are paid for is stealing someone else's job.

Fri, Sep 14, 2012 Louisville, KY

I am a Federal worker. Federal employees really have it made. Some come to work whenever they want to and leave eary--then brag about doing their 6 hour days. Don't get me started about teleworking. Telework is truly overrated. If the Government did some checking they would find that it is truly a waste. They (this office) doesn't work when they are in the office, so what make one think they will perform at home. This time is used for appointments, having things done at their house so they won't have to take leave. The Government is losing money just by having to pay for sick and annual leave which is saved by not having to use it. The Government should take a serious and careful look at teleworking; at the amount of money being spent for people not to work--but still have the option to use the work time for personal and private things--in other words they not only have the benefits of doing nothing all day--but they save on gas, child care, annual and sick leave---all done on paid teleworking time. You're right, we're all suppose to be honest, law abiding citizens--but most of us cheat--and think nothing of it. It's mostly upper level employees--of course you will find some that cheat in lower grades--they say what's good for the goose is also good for the gander--as the saying goes -- join them is you can't beat them.

Fri, Jul 6, 2012 Oldtimer Fed

I have almost 39 years with the Federal gov. I pretty much agree with much was has been said. There are people who do nothing all day long. Others that chat a lot. All of us chat a bit. That is how we know what is going on. But when the deadline comes or even with out one, I do get the work done. The only experience in the public sector was in a factory and there was no slack time there. But the gov job doubled my minimun wage salary because I became a professional/auditor. It is impossible to compare wages because of the range of salaries on both sides. It cannot be lumpted together and these writers don not want to take that time. The ones making less complain but I say get a degree and if you cannot get a job then you can gripe.

Sat, Jun 2, 2012 DJ TX

I'm a fed employee and believe me, if the corp world worked the hours most fed associates do, they'd be out of business. Someone's always off, working half days, working from home, etc. Out of five days during the week, I can't remember when everyone in the dept was there all five days. Fed workers are paid more, have better benefits and really, don't work as hard. Most agencies could operate with at least a third less people.

Wed, May 2, 2012

"What happened to Anti Deficiency Act. Don't the people who are commenting know that working for free is a violation of the Anti Deficiency Act." First, if it were not for the extra hours government employees put in, many of the most important national security work would not get done on time. Especially in today's "we have to do more with less" (SecDef, 2012) budget cut environment. Second, my experience has shown that any supervisor who makes remarks like these is usually the kind of supervisor who stands over their workers micro-managing every aspect of the day (i.e., looking at the clock as workers come in at the beginning of the day, go on their morning coffee break, go to and come back from lunch, go on their afternoon break, and leave at the end of the day) to ensure the undisciplined workers are kept in line. Repeated management research has shown that this sort of, authoritative, micro-managing supervisor costs organizations much more in lost productivity due to low moral than they ever save. Further, neither this type of supervisor nor their workers produce the highest quality work. Third, in most cases noted in this forum, workers are compensated with compensatory time. What is more, for those who say they do not get paid, if comp time is not taken within a year, it is cleared from the books by converting to pay. So, in either case, taking time off or getting an eventual pay-out, workers still realize a benefit for their efforts. Which, if compensation is earned and the worker realizes a benefit, there is no ADA violation. Last, but not least, in government, just as in the corporate world, the ones who get ahead are those who demonstrate a willingness to work hard to get the job done. Those who sit/stand around pointing to their watch and waving the ADA in everyone’s face tend to get ignored when it comes time for awards and recommendations for promotion. - And, yes, it is important to follow the rules and demonstrate high standards of ethics and morality. However, there is a big difference between being a straight shooter and being a stiff-necked, bean-counter personality. DrJEA, CDFM-A

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