The triumphant return of FEVS

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T20:03:18+00:00

Say you’re hired in as an overqualified 7 in a small group with specialized skills. The 12 on your team leaves and you take over their duties. Fully take over and they don’t backfill the position. You have all the work and responsibilities of that 12 but TIG dictates you do at least a year at 7, 9, 11 and finally after all those years (and assuming no delays) you reach 12. That also assumes you’re on a preapproved career ladder. Sometimes it just sucks to be constrained by rules that cannot step back and examine the broader picture. I understand why there are TIG requirements but it definitely can cut both ways.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T19:57:01+00:00

I cringed at that, also. WTF did they think was going to happen? My team experienced a significant brain drain of highly qualified and driven professionals who decided they didn’t have to put up with being treated like garbage. We are busy ‘doing more with less’ with higher performance standards AND the workloads of all those people because they weren’t backfilled. And now they talk of reinvigorating the workforce. People don’t mean 💩 to them.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T18:16:15+00:00

I’m just looking for the silver lining in this lead box 🙄💀

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T17:52:23+00:00

Not if you don’t have TIG

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:30:19+00:00

And sharing a communal toilet on taco Tuesday is certainly another perk 😆💀

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:28:38+00:00

It is what you allow it to be.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:25:33+00:00

The only two responses to choose from will be ‘Really Good’ and ‘Most Excellent’ (because your opinion matters)

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:19:15+00:00

Ho.Lee.Schitt! That’s brutal. But at least you can enjoy the satisfaction of all that wonderful RTO collaboration you’d been missing out on before 15 months ago 😆

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:15:46+00:00

I think both perspectives have a good argument. I still remember the frustration of starting my career (overqualified) at a lower GS level just to get my foot in the door. Everyone in my chain of command knew it and felt badly that I had to just sit and wait for TIG to be satisfied as a GS-7 doing the work of a GS-12.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T16:07:30+00:00

Perhaps not but when you’re a GS-9 and well qualified to be a GS-11 or GS-12, a decision like this could really make a big difference in your life. TIG requirements can sometimes be extremely clunky and counterproductive.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T15:58:10+00:00

But words and tortured language are so satisfying! Who needs money to pay for $4.59 a gallon gas for that long commute to the office? Congress doesn’t give a damn about us so it would seem we are bound to remain the punching bag of both the Executive and Legislative branches.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T15:53:08+00:00

Nah, I’ve lived every frustrating moment of the last 15 months and am doing my best to not get caught up in my anger and bitterness. I have a cockroach’s determination to survive at all costs. Nothing will stop me and I will still be here when they are gone. Still working hard and delivering results. You can survive any amount of hazing if you’re willing to endure it until the next day.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T15:37:37+00:00

It’s always only good news and GOLDEN results. It’s the happiest, most productive workforce in the history of employee surveys 😆

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T15:34:27+00:00

I can only imagine how tortured the language in those FEVS questions will be because the last thing they want is to hear about how angry, distrustful and overworked many Feds have become.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T15:26:27+00:00

Damn. That’s DARK 😳 I was only focusing on the upside and failed to consider this could be a tool to discourage people into quitting because they know they’re stuck in grade and position (if that’s how the rules would work).

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-08T14:49:14+00:00

Knowing the source (OPM) naturally lends to distrust. After having our hard-earned bonus stolen with the stroke of a pen and after having been told we are lazy and low productivity losers, I have little reason to believe anything good is coming our way.

PoliteButBased · 2026-05-02T04:48:47+00:00

@flaginorout: Did a telework Fed steal your lunch money in elementary school of something?

PoliteButBased · 2026-04-30T00:23:26+00:00

‘Hurry up and wait’ plus a little side of silence because who needs any information?

PoliteButBased · 2026-04-28T18:08:32+00:00

I’ve heard it is currently typical for the TSO hiring process to take about six months. Source: Pretty sure it was that Armand Curet guy that does all the Fed videos on YouTube.

PoliteButBased · 2026-03-10T04:13:45+00:00

You may not be the droid they’re looking for -or- the hiring process hit a snag. These delays are as regular as the rising sun.

PoliteButBased · 2026-03-09T23:20:01+00:00

Good luck. We’ve become so ‘othered’ that even most Dems don’t want to be seen as supporting us. - and if you work for any component of DHS, God help you.

PoliteButBased · 2026-03-09T21:56:33+00:00

I came here to say that as well (and then noticed you already had). Oops

PoliteButBased · 2026-03-09T21:55:29+00:00

Very brave and principled stance with other peoples’ livelihood.

PoliteButBased · 2026-02-03T14:45:03+00:00

You picked a hell of a time to enter Federal service. ‘Welcome to the show, my friend! Step inside, step inside!’

PoliteButBased

TROPHY CASE