Comments (13)

1. 

   Community Member

   Bonuses, even small, do help morale, especially when you're working late hours, not receiving overtime, to accomplish an event or goal. If we're trying to be identical to the private sector, well they're bonuses are much higher.

   2 years ago

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2. 

   Community Member Idea Submitter

   Our bonus is that we get to serve society. We are civil servants.

   2 years ago

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3. 

   Community Member

   We just switched to DCIPS, which limits the number of people who get bonuses each year. And let me tell you, it DOES affect morale throughout the building (and not in a good way).

   Furthermore, if you are working in a department where workers don't deserve bonuses, then you need to get a new job and your department should probably cease to exist. And if you don't know of any workers who need the bonus money, then you must work with people at an incredibly high GS level and have never known those of us who lives paycheck to paycheck.

   2 years ago

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4. 

   Community Member

   Kudos. Bonuses are a morale booster. Our office does give bonuses and I'm really glad for this. We are not a pro bono office. Hence, public service does not equal pro bono.

   2 years ago

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5. 

   Community Member

   I'm happy just having a Federal job. But getting an award to recognize extra effort would be nice. Just a "thank you" type award is needed. Maybe allow "time off awards".

   I've seen abuse of the monetary awards way too often. Only staff with connections get the cash. It is unfair. We are trying to save money to keep from having layoffs/ unfilled positions. I'd rather give up the cash awards so that we can hire adequate numbers of staff.

   2 years ago

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6. 

   Community Member Idea Submitter

   I agree with the above comment. We aren't working "pro bono." We get paid. Fairly. Your "bonus" for extra hard work is advancement. The opportunities are almost limitless (to a point). And, you get a pat on the back for doing a good job; that's about all I need. I appreciate my job and they -including the real bosses - the taxpayers, appreciate what I do and we all get paid, enough to make a decent life for you and your family. That's all some people want or need..

   2 years ago

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7. 

   Community Member Idea Submitter

   "Ask not what your country can do fo ryou... but what you can do for your country...."

   , it's called "sacrifice"; kinda like what our troops have been doing for the pastdecade +. But the whole thing is subsidized with debt because well,...ya couldn't ask anyone to "sacrifice" durin a time of war. So the kids fighting the wars can come back and pay for them too. Sad. But, yeah I guess bonuses are important too.

   2 years ago

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8. 

   Community Member

   Recently a news story came out stating that Federal Employees are overpaid. This statement is VERY misleading. Federal Employees in professions such as Engineering, Medical, Legal are underpaid when compared to the private sector. Federal Employees in jobs that do not require a degree such as Administrators, Clerks, Logisticians, Management Specialists, and Quality Assurance Specialists are paid more (much more) in the Government than they would make in the private sector.

   Most Federal Employees don't recieve bonuses and if they do they are small. I've worked in the Federal Government and Private sector. I recieved more and larger bonuses in the Private sector than I've ever gotten in the Federal sector.

   2 years ago

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9. 

   Community Member Idea Submitter

   That's kinda the point, the bonuses are so small that they are really inconsequential when it comes to performance. Might as well get rid of them and save millions. Kinda like the Social Security "Death Benefit" of $255. What's the point?

   2 years ago

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10. 

    Community Member

    Only pay a bonus when it makes sense. same as private industry. In SSA, I'd say offer an voluntary option to DMS, they take a lower base salary and receive high commission on money recovered from debtors if the SSA employee is a debt specialist (DS) DS can elect to skip commission and keep current grade system if they want but don't complain if their peers receive more money. Private industry bill collectors typically receive base salary and high commission compared to peers in the office. Issue might be SSA has severe limitations on offering settlements. Makes no sense to me why we'll allow repayment rate that does not even cover the price of administering the repayment + interest lost on the money when we can offer and sometimes get a settlement. As a former bill collector, I can tell you you'd be surprised how quickly someone can come up with $25000.00 if you offer them a savings on a debt. Beats collecting it back at $25.00 or $50.00 per month (or even $10.00 per month) on a $30000.00 debt. That $25.00 per month barely covers the cost of interest and admin cost of collecting the monthly debt.

    2 years ago

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11. 

    Community Member Idea Submitter

    Awesome idea contained in the comment above. Allow IRS and SSA and other "collectors" a portion of the funds collected; thus providing incentive to the employee and making the debtors, in essence, actually pay a portion of the collector's salary.

    2 years ago

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12. 

    Community Member

    Does the open market provide bonuses to those employees that add benefit to the company? Yes. Look at USAA. Eighteen percent bounus for the past two years.

    2 years ago

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13. 

    Community Member

    Are we not working for the govt who is looking for ideas to cut spending? Yes.

    We are all being asked to reduce spending. Can we not sacrifice alittle when the economy is bad?

    2 years ago

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