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May I never wear pants again
Jun. 14th, 2010 10:41 amReminder - I'm not getting emails to my yahoo acct during work hours until further notice. I do get them, only when I am at home or a friend's laptop
I've all but decided I'm not interested in the PTO's' General Attorney position.
The position technically would be a promotion. It would put me in a higher grade, but I am making between a 5 and 6 step for the grade equivalent of my current salary, and step 6 of the current grade is pennies from the step 1 of grade of the new position. Because we get substantial raises and after D&D I’m probably looking at another good performance rating this year, I would probably make more money working for USDA for years. The cool thing would be placing me in the 905 series as an attorney instead of my current 201 where I happen to be an attorney, but on some papers show up as a HR Spec.
My sources have mixed information on the atmosphere politically, from "dysfunctional" to "many recent changes."
The very positive side was that they don’t have _any_ arbitration hearings scheduled at the present time. They seem to lack major conflict in Labor, with the focus being more on providing clients with advisory opinions. However, I enjoy MSPB and EEO more than labor at present. I also talked to the only other labor attorney in OGC and didn’t feel a magical connection with him in our brief talk.
I’m waiting to see if I hear back, but looking at their style of dress, hearing their version of alternate work schedules, and noting their flexiplace policy was chorused with a strong focus on being in the office to provide face-to-face client availability - it sounds like I’m favoring the freedoms I have in FSIS above the more sterile environment in PTO. Note that they scheduled a 3pm job interview on a friday, and their dress for casual friday consisted of button-down shirts "without ties."
I also note where I am might be ... easier. I deal with HS educated and foreign born pro-se litigants, while they deal with attorneys and doctorate level educated technicians. I have an easy time "winning" my cases when the other side is half-illiterate. I have no problem playing on a lopsided playing field. Do I enjoy challenge more? Not when I want to nap.
It’s probably a better legal career move to go to PTO, but right now despite the fact both groups may have potential dysfunction in mgt, I make more money and have far more flexibility and freedom in FSIS than I would in PTO.
I work at home, whenever I want.
I work or don't work whenever I want.
I wear just about whatever I want, including skull wingtips and leopard print creepers with my non-collared polos / henleys (a t-shirt by any other name...).
I make more money at a lower grade-equivalent under the pay-for-performance system than if I was in the higher grade.
I have a free cell phone/bb which I am allowed to use for personal calls (that must save me what - $50 monthly?)
Although my job is in Beltsville, it will move to downtown DC in about a year, so the location benefit of PTO is greatly diminished. Also, my division is talking more and more about full location independence based on electronic document storage/access and communications.
I've all but decided I'm not interested in the PTO's' General Attorney position.
The position technically would be a promotion. It would put me in a higher grade, but I am making between a 5 and 6 step for the grade equivalent of my current salary, and step 6 of the current grade is pennies from the step 1 of grade of the new position. Because we get substantial raises and after D&D I’m probably looking at another good performance rating this year, I would probably make more money working for USDA for years. The cool thing would be placing me in the 905 series as an attorney instead of my current 201 where I happen to be an attorney, but on some papers show up as a HR Spec.
My sources have mixed information on the atmosphere politically, from "dysfunctional" to "many recent changes."
The very positive side was that they don’t have _any_ arbitration hearings scheduled at the present time. They seem to lack major conflict in Labor, with the focus being more on providing clients with advisory opinions. However, I enjoy MSPB and EEO more than labor at present. I also talked to the only other labor attorney in OGC and didn’t feel a magical connection with him in our brief talk.
I’m waiting to see if I hear back, but looking at their style of dress, hearing their version of alternate work schedules, and noting their flexiplace policy was chorused with a strong focus on being in the office to provide face-to-face client availability - it sounds like I’m favoring the freedoms I have in FSIS above the more sterile environment in PTO. Note that they scheduled a 3pm job interview on a friday, and their dress for casual friday consisted of button-down shirts "without ties."
I also note where I am might be ... easier. I deal with HS educated and foreign born pro-se litigants, while they deal with attorneys and doctorate level educated technicians. I have an easy time "winning" my cases when the other side is half-illiterate. I have no problem playing on a lopsided playing field. Do I enjoy challenge more? Not when I want to nap.
It’s probably a better legal career move to go to PTO, but right now despite the fact both groups may have potential dysfunction in mgt, I make more money and have far more flexibility and freedom in FSIS than I would in PTO.
I work at home, whenever I want.
I work or don't work whenever I want.
I wear just about whatever I want, including skull wingtips and leopard print creepers with my non-collared polos / henleys (a t-shirt by any other name...).
I make more money at a lower grade-equivalent under the pay-for-performance system than if I was in the higher grade.
I have a free cell phone/bb which I am allowed to use for personal calls (that must save me what - $50 monthly?)
Although my job is in Beltsville, it will move to downtown DC in about a year, so the location benefit of PTO is greatly diminished. Also, my division is talking more and more about full location independence based on electronic document storage/access and communications.
