My aunt works in social services. She's pasty white and thin as a rail... also one of the nicest people I've ever met.

 

Dude, if the MOT workers were protecting us, we'd be doomed, likewise if you were renewing my sticker, I wouldn't have cause to bitch

 

In 2003 when I was in the NAVY as a deisel mechanic. We were deployed to Iraq and was making about $3000 dollars a month. The civilian contractor who I met and was working along side us makes $90,000 dollars a year and thats 90k take home because were not taxed over there. Some make more and well into six figures depending on what there job is. Sure the civilians dont carry firearms but the Marines, Army and Navy were always providing security. We are doing the same tasks that they were doing as a construction battalion and civil engineers. Well needless to say im a civilian now. They can have that drama. Hows that for unfair wages by the government?

 

I need to correct a few things for you... First, it's not 20-30 yrs for the 50k, try more like ~10yrs. $50k is plenty for one person to live in the metro area, sure they won't be driving s2ks and living in a townhouse in Manhattan, but they WILL be able to comfortably afford a decent second hand car or new economy car, a decent apartment in NJ and have money left over for fun. I know, I see it every day.

Everyone has an option of where they want to work. No one holds a gun to your head saying you have to work here. PLus, that 50k salary can come in quite handy to pursue a degree to move on.

 

Actually, the pay scale is even better than you think. Here is the 2005 General Schedule of salaries:

U.S. Government General Schedule Salary Table

GRADE STEP 1 STEP 2 STEP 3 STEP 4 STEP 5 STEP 6 STEP 7 STEP 8 STEP 9 STEP 10 WITHIN-GRADE
AMOUNTS
GS-1 $ 16,016 $ 16,550 $ 17,083 $ 17,613 $ 18,146 $ 18,459 $ 18,984 $ 19,515 $ 19,537 $ 20,036 VARIES
GS-2 18,007 18,435 19,031 19,537 19,755 20,336 20,917 21,498 22,079 22,660 VARIES
GS-3 19,647 20,302 20,957 21,612 22,267 22,922 23,577 24,232 24,887 25,542 655
GS-4 22,056 22,791 23,526 24,261 24,996 25,731 26,466 27,201 27,936 28,671 735
GS-5 24,677 25,500 26,323 27,146 27,969 28,792 29,615 30,438 31,261 32,084 823
GS-6 27,507 28,424 29,341 30,258 31,175 32,092 33,009 33,926 34,843 35,760 917
GS-7 30,567 31,586 32,605 33,624 34,643 35,662 36,681 37,700 38,719 39,738 1,019
GS-8 33,852 34,980 36,108 37,236 38,364 39,492 40,620 41,748 42,876 44,004 1,128
GS-9 37,390 38,636 39,882 41,128 42,374 43,620 44,866 46,112 47,358 48,604 1,246
GS-10 41,175 42,548 43,921 45,294 46,667 48,040 49,413 50,786 52,159 53,532 1,373
GS-11 45,239 46,747 48,255 49,763 51,271 52,779 54,287 55,795 57,303 58,811 1,508
GS-12 54,221 56,028 57,835 59,642 61,449 63,256 65,063 66,870 68,677 70,484 1,807
GS-13 64,478 66,627 68,776 70,925 73,074 75,223 77,372 79,521 81,670 83,819 2,149
GS-14 76,193 78,733 81,273 83,813 86,353 88,893 91,433 93,973 96,513 99,053 2,540
GS-15 89,625 92,613 95,601 98,589 101,577 104,565 107,553 110,541 113,529 116,517 2,988

Recent college grads usually start out as GS-9s. Non-degree people can be promoted to as far as GS-11 or GS-12, I think. I have never seen a GS-1 or GS-2 level job, so I'm not convinced that those steps and grades of jobs even exist.

This is the "base" pay scale. It is adjusted for location, so those living in metropolitan areas are paid more money. There is also a guaranteed 2.5% pay increase every January (to account for inflation) PLUS the normal promotion/pay raise.

Not bad considering what kind of effort is required of the typical government employee. Factoring in pension/benefits, vacation time, flex time, and everything else that comes along with the job (like utter lack of responsibility, or job security), its a pretty sweet deal. Good work if you can get it.

"Good enough for government work!"

 

I'm a city of la worker and i seriously can't complain.
Off every other friday, off every major and tiny holiday off (caesar chavez day even!), plenty of sick time, plenty of vacation time, decent pay, opportunities for advancement, job ends at 5pm everyday, play basketball at lunchtime 3x a week, great job security, great pension, and plenty of cuties at work.

 

I have found my calling in life.

 

Instead of saying "minority", couldn't you just specifically say African-Americans? Most Asians are not overweight and lazy; quite the opposite actually.

 

just the Asians with cats in their avatar??

 

Hey, I do try to run continuously for 2 miles each day, but only able to achieve about 1.5 each time.