Federal Government Myths
What misconceptions about the Federal Government were debunked by reading this?
By Ashley Mazerolle, Marketing —
Misconceptions About Federal Employees
When you think of a government employee, what comes to mind? For me, I envision standing in a long line at the post office waiting to ship a small package. I think of the stereotype that anything government-related requires long periods of waiting and oftentimes involves working with a worker who begrudgingly does their job or takes their sweet time.
Misconception No. 1: It’s Impossible For A Federal Worker to Be Fired From Their Job
The reality is that federal employees are fired all the time. However, it’s not as simple of a task as it seems. Federal employees have more rights than do those in the private sector. Most federal employees can file an appeal if they are terminated.
Misconception No. 2: Federal Workers Earn More Than Private-Sector Employees
We hear stories of government employees in D.C. earning a six-figure income, all the while the middle-class US taxpayer is footing the bill for their elaborate wages. We sometimes think that these government employees sit behind a desk and watch shows online, or they go to elaborate lunch meetings for fun.Truth of the matter is that salary comparison between private-sector and federal employees is useless “federal workers tend to be older, more educated, and more concentrated in professional occupations than private-sector workers” according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Misconception No. 3: Federal workforce is located mostly in Washington D.C.
There is a mistaken notion that federal employees work and live in the nation’s capital. How far from reality that idea is. The Washington Post surveyed major hubs for the federal workforce and found that “only about 1 in 6 of the 1.87 million civilian full-time federal employees live in the Washington, D.C. metro area.” That is something I was blown away by.
Federal News Network recently explained that Texas is home to a large federal work population and added that “more federal employees work in California” than Virginia, Maryland, or the District of Columbia.
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