Gynecologists ask for your period history including how heavy it is. It’s helpful for them to know when you plan on starting or switch birth control methods. They always ask for the last date/length of your period. I’m lucky if I remembered what I had for lunch much less when I last needed a tampon.
I am excited to hear USDS is piloting a project with DOI! I hope it's a success and fellow agencies see the benefits of changing the current hiring system. USAJOBS/the federal hiring system is so broken!
The Heritage link is in reference to the Office of Inspector General. The Office of Inspector General is independent of the Agency it oversees with a budget that Congress appropriates separately and it’s leadership is independent. Inspector Generals are political appointments and most are senate confirmed positions. Unlike most political appointments, the Inspector Generals stay on throughout Administrations and are only asked to leave if there are performance issues. The mission of the Office of Inspector General is to root out fraud, waste, and abuse. Office of Inspector Generals or OIGs perform financial audits, performance audits (program evaluations), inspections, and criminal investigations. Generally most reports are publicly available and posted on each OIGs website. OIGs are referenced in the media as the “internal watchdog.” Congress can request (and frequently does) OIGs to perform audits, evaluations, or inspections for oversight purposes. Each OIG has an anonymous hotline where employees, contractors, or the general public can report fraud, waste, and abuse. There are 73 OIGs in the Federal government with CIA being the first established by Congress. https://www.ignet.gov/
Regulations have worked too well that people have forgotten just how bad the US was. The GOP’s anti-regulation campaign has been successful in getting the public to go against their own self-interest.
I’ve been on both sides of the coin so to speak (contractor and Fed). I felt when I was working on site as a contractor, I was walking a delicate tight rope balancing allegiances between my contract company who paid me and the agency I actually did the work for. I only met my contract company supervisor twice for the entire year I supported that contract (1. Interview; 2. Dropping me off at my office) and technically Feds can’t fill that role so I was essentially my own boss. This sounds great but I didn’t have any support or advocate to help me progress in my career. As a Fed, I have opportunities to push my organization’s boundaries in ways I wouldn’t be able to do as a contractor because I can be frank and outspoken about issues. I am also not tied to a statement of work so I can pursue interests outside my daily tasks/assignments. The contract company I worked for was very stingy on training, but in my current position the government offers me a lot of training opportunities in my field. For me, being a Fed is a better fit at least for now.
Yes, we actually can get yearly bonuses though they are minimal and tied to the performance rating process and tenure to the agency (at least at my agency). For those that are interested, I’d check out the General Schedule pay scales on the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) website. OPM is the agency responsible for providing guidance to federal agencies on all matters related to HR. OPM’s pay scales: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/salaries...
However, some agencies have gotten special permission from Congress to use another pay scale which was designed to allow agencies to pay for performance rather than guaranteed raises over time. Though I’ve heard that it doesn’t always work the way it was intended. I was actually initially offered a lot lower salary at another agency that used the pay for performance than my current agency that uses the General Schedule scale.
For general reference: GS-7: B.A./B.S. and GS-9: Master’s.
For all intelligence positions, you are required to pass and maintain a Top Secret/Special Compartmented Information clearance which takes about a year these days due to backlog. This hinders the agencies ability to recruit top talent. I recommend checking out the SF-86 Questionnaire for National Security Positions if you want to see what all is asked.
Right now, I could switch to the private sector and make a lot more than I am making now. But I stay because I believe in the mission and work of my agency. I get to do things that I would never get to do in the private sector. Maybe one day I will switch but for right now I am staying.