Shut Up Everybody Who Yells Shut Up!

There are three sounds guaranteed to drive most people crazy. They are:

1. Fingernails on a blackboard.
2. Ostriches mating.
3. The whine of our fellow humans.

With those in mind, take this simple test:

Question: What’s the number one job-related complaint of federal civil servants?

Answer: Federal civil servants who complain about their job!

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Over the past week we’ve been flooded (thank you, thank you!) with e-mails from feds who are fed up with the complaints of some of their colleagues. It started when a couple of readers suggested it was time for retirement-age workers, under the old Civil Service Retirement System, to get out and create promotion possibilities for younger colleagues. Besides, they said, the young people (under the new FERS retirement system) are envious of the older-timers who are under the more generous CSRS formula.

If there is anything we in the media like more than provoking a fight, then standing back and reporting on same, I don’t know what it is.

So what about all this talk about age envy in the office?

Here are some thoughts:

Well, let’s see. I’m 70 and working for IRS. Do I plan to retire this year – no! Do I plan to retire next year – No! As long as I have my health, the job gives me a good reason to get up in the early morning and take on the day, and my manager lets me do my job, I have little reason to retire. To those who envy those of us under the old CSRS retirement system, get over it! People who grew up in The Depression with its hard times should be upset at people today who didn’t have to experience that? Suck it up people. Because I’m 70 and you are 40 is a reason for me to be envious? What a wasted emotion if you are! Fed Up With Fed Up Feds!

Age 55 with 35 years and a pension of 75 – 80%, and the writer can’t afford to retire? Oh, please. I’m stunned by the suggestion of an “expensive buy-out.” Having left the federal government in the early 1980’s, I returned 5 years ago so I could retire with health insurance. I did not realize how generous the retirement plan would be under the CSRS Offset System. Not to mention the help with the health insurance premiums when I do retire. And working with younger people is good for everyone — it helps us learn about some of the differences among the generations. So I say look around, we have a sweet deal. My biggest complaint? Complaining feds. Please sign me 61 and thankful

I’m out the door to purchase my Ray-Bans. Paula Wolff

… am not whining but seems to me that if I leave early (take the buyout) offered by the Postal Service, they should allow me some extra benefit. They should share. That is how it works in private industry and seems fair. GM is offering people with 35 years of service up to $100,000 and a new car to retire early for the good of the company. Otherwise I have no choice but to work longer to get closer to a living California retirement wage. GM’s union is better than ours I guess! The younger people in the office have been trying to get me to commit to leave but I think it has more to do with my seniority on the “Vacation Board” than anything else. They do get angry when I call in ill, although until recently I had missed less than an average of one sick day a year. Mark

I think all this talk of leaving early is great for some, yet I know already of people in IRS that have retired and were hired back as “teachers” or trainers. I believe IRS is one organization that needs bodies and can’t hire them fast enough. They can’t afford to let us go or push us out. In my position (Revenue Officer) it takes more than just a year of training to actually be considered productive, since no amount of training can ever prepare you for being out there with all kinds of taxpayers. Besides, let’s say you are an employee making $80,000 right now with 5-7 yrs to go and if the government average raise is 3% per year, for the rest of those years and including in-grades raise by the time you’re 60-62 yrs old you should be making $100,000 or more. I know I’m first eligible at 60 and have been thinking I could stay until 62, retire and collect reduced Social Security. Tony in Michigan

Nearly Useless Factoid

Ford’s come up with a car that gets 61 miles per gallon of diesel fuel. Why this factoid is nearly useless: don’t look for it in the U.S. until some time in 2010.

To reach me: mcausey@federalnewsradio.com

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