I have nothing against people who work for the IRS or any government agency. I am sure they are as hard working as anyone in the private sector, but does that mean they are entitled to a total compensation package that puts the vast majority of private employers to shame ? and with a good measure of job security to boot?
According to what we see here, you are providing government employees with ?one of the best retirement systems in the world.? Lets not forget their pension also includes an annual COLA. I hope that gives you a sense of satisfaction as you consider your own ?retirement system.?
Take a look at this description of employee benefits from the IRS website; not bad huh? There was never a time in America when the majority of Americans enjoyed such benefits. Today only a few of the largest employers can equal this package.
Benefits
Make Your Career Work for You, Wherever You Go
If you?d like to capitalize on your expertise, the IRS is the place to do it. We offer federal benefits that go beyond those in the private-sector, plus you get the career benefits you?re looking for ? from a fulfilling and stable career to a flexible work schedule, to a being part of an inclusive work environment that?s focused on serving America.
Use Our Benefits to Your Benefit
Here are the basics on what you?ll receive as an IRS employee:
Health Insurance
Choose from several health insurance options, including supplemental dental and vision.
Health Insurance: FEHB provides health insurance plans to fit you and your family?s needs and budget. The IRS pays approximately 2/3 of your health insurance premium. You may be eligible to carry your health insurance coverage into retirement.
Supplemental Dental and Vision Insurance: Federal Employee Dental and Vision provides insurance to federal employees. You must be eligible for the FEHB program to be eligible to enroll.
Long Term Care
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) lets you plan for healthcare coverage you may need in the future, as well as comprehensive coverage if you become unable to care for yourself. So you?ll have help paying for nursing home, assisted living facility, home health, hospice, respite, and other long-term care services.
Flexible Spending Accounts
Save more of your money by applying it to a tax-lowering Flexible Spending Account that enables you to set aside money for certain health care and dependent care expenses each year.
Federal Retirement
Although retirement may be in your distant future, you know you?ll need it someday. So launch your career with one of the best retirement systems in the world. The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is comprised of three components: a basic benefit (annuity), a Social Security benefit, and the Thrift Savings Plan (like a 401(k) plan). In short, FERS:
Allows you to take the Social Security and Thrift Savings Plan components to your next place of employment, even if you leave federal employment.
Provides benefits for retirement, disability and survivors.
The Thrift Savings Plan
Often called the TSP, this plan is similar to the 401(k) savings and tax benefits plans available in the private sector. Here?s how you can build your ?nest egg?:
We?ll set up and automatically contribute 1% of your basic pay toward your Thrift Savings Plan account, whether you contribute to it or not.
If you do contribute to the TSP, we?ll match your contributions dollar for dollar up to 3%, and 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2%.
All of your contributions will be made from pre-tax dollars, and your investments and earnings will be tax deferred until you withdraw them.
Five Thrift Savings Plan investment funds are available for you to choose from.
You may transfer money from other eligible retirement savings plans into your Thrift Savings Plan account.
In some cases, you can borrow against your Thrift Savings Plan. If you change federal employment, your Thrift Savings Plan will go with you.
Life Insurance
At the IRS, not only do we pay for 1/3 of your basic premium, but basic coverage allows you to elect and pay for optional coverage for yourself or certain family members. You can choose from a wide variety of life insurance coverage through the Federal Employees? Group Life Insurance.
Flexible Work Life Programs
We?re committed to helping you balance your work and family life through these great programs:
Flexible Hours: Pursue your work opportunities on a schedule that works for you.
Telework: Your job and work assignments may allow you to work from home or other work sites.
Transportation Subsidy: We?ll help you pay for your monthly commuting costs to and from work. These benefits are not taxable and are not included on Form W-2.
Health Care Unit: Flu vaccines, allergy shots, smoking cessation programs and health risk assessments are just a sampling of the health services you can participate in.
Fitness Centers: Stay in shape at our fitness centers, collocated in more than 25 IRS facilities across the country. There is no membership fee.
Credit Unions: We help make banking convenient for you. Many of our facilities have a credit union on premises.
Cafeterias: Hungry? Grab a bite to eat at our on-location cafeterias that serve breakfast and lunch.
Employee Assistance and Work/Life Referral Services: If you need help overcoming stressful issues or personal concerns, our Employee Assistance Program is here for you and your immediate family members. Services are confidential and free, around the clock.
Child Care: GSA manages in 31 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. We work with them to provide on-site child care at 10 of our IRS facilities.
Leave Share Program: Help others, help yourself. This program allows our full- and part-time employees to donate their leave time. Then, if someone?s regular leave share is exhausted and they need to handle a medical emergency, the leave bank can provide them with more time off.
Employee Suggestion Program: Some of the best ideas for improving our work efficiency and environment have come from people like you. And you could receive up to 25% of the tangible first-year savings that result from your suggestion if it?s adopted.
Training and Development
You want to improve your skills, grow professionally and attain your career goals. Our goal is to give you all the tools and opportunities to do that. So we?ll encourage you to establish a Career Learning Plan to identify your general, specialty or technical training needs. Then you can take advantage of our wide variety of professional development and training resources.
In the event you think this is only half the story, let?s consider pay. Take a look at this from the Washington Post:
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