Pros
-Job Security (excluding furloughs and government shutdowns). -Technical, Engineer, and Specialized employees receive training annually. -Plenty of alternate work schedules and flexible telework options for workers with good performance ratings. -Plenty of commuter options: metro rail, VRE to DC, city bus, ride-shares, van pools, cars. -Excellent health insurance options and Health and Dependent Flexible Spending Accounts. -Employer matches Thrift Savings Plan Contributions up to a percentage. -Separate annual and sick leave; Voluntary and Emergency Leave Pools. -Technical, Specialized, and Engineer employees covered under Collective Bargaining Agreements.
Cons
-Job Security except during Government Shutdowns and Furloughs. -Software used to collect data and perform logistical tasks is outdated, extremely slow, and not easy to manipulate. -Analytical and Administrative employees treated inferior to Technical, Engineer, and Specialized Employees. For example, an employee with a budget background will not be considered a professional in budget, they will just be considered an Administrative employee. -Analytical and Administrative employees do not receive annual funding for training; instead their manager will decide whom in the department may receive the funds to go to training. -Training must be signed up for a year in advance, so your program may chance by the time training comes around. -More men in the Agency than women. -Some sexism still exists like men expecting women to make the coffee in the morning; or fix the copier/printer jams. -Projects upended by Congressional mandates or Agency reorganizations (I experienced five different reorganizations since 2018). -Management attempts to hire a younger workforce while ignoring the younger Agency employees already in the workforce. -Since Covid-19, speed of project output has become unmanageable. The rush that was caused hasn't declined now that covid cases have dropped. -People with invisible disabilities are invisible; there is zero resources for employees with invisible disabilities. -Administrative/Analytical employees are not covered under the Collective Bargaining Agreement/Organizations.