Lawyers do that number (#) thing as if you're stupid (dumb)

[vicarz]

Congratulations to me! Fourteen (14) years ago I began working for the gummint, 1/25/95 (today being the first workday following the actual anniversary date). I was a GS-7 hired through my career center at George Mason University, which at the time was about $24,400 (now about $41,210), through the honor scholar program (gpa >= 3.5). Before that I was making $12-12.50/hr running copy machines in a print shop (industrial / factory, not kinkos level work) with my MA degree. In the honor scholar program, I was given nearly-automatic promotions for the first few years until I was a "journeyman level" which for my first career ended at GS-11...that's to say that after my first year I'd be promoted to a GS-9 if I was performing ok, one more year to GS-11. By the time I reached the GS-11 they raised our career ladder to the GS-12, so I hit my GS-12 a year later. I meant to retire as a GS-12. At the time most agencies had automatic step increases (many still do, but some agencies are going to pay banding systems where pay is more performance-based than seniority based) and of course the pay is indexed for inflation each year.

Somewhere I got the bug and entered management; only job-hopping did I wind up at this place where they trained me from scratch and I stumbled into this career that I love now. I moved up sure, but it was more of a coincidence than some super goal-oriented conduct of my own.

Some of the main benefits of gummint I still pimp to...well anyone that will listen. It's usually only 40 hours of work a week, you have TEN (10) paid Fed holidays. Throughout your career you get sick time of 104 hours per year, accrued at a rate of 4 hours a pay period / two weeks. Similarly you get 104 hours of paid vacation/leave for your first 3 years of service. Then from years 3-14 you get 160 hours of leave. I'm excited that from years 15 on you get 208 hours of paid leave a year. So, now I get about a month off a year plus holidays plus sick time...then in a year I get a month and a half PLUS sick PLUS holidays. All that at only 40 hours a week.

Comments

[vicar.livejournal.com]

Actually no - sure numbers can be headers, but that is easily referenced and updated. Laws are meant to give stability, but the idea that law is supposed to go through the ages is counter to my experience and education in US law. The law is actually designed to be flexible and prior decisinos can be overruled...it's supposed to be hard, but it's also supposed to be possible.

So use numbers for numbers. Neener.