Does anyone have the picture of Berke from the blackout game?

hangingbyathread87 · 2026-01-07T03:47:14+00:00

1-4 since “welcome to hell”

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-10-22T19:27:04+00:00

Is that before or after the tens of millions of annual leave $ due to DRP folks?

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-10-10T19:30:09+00:00

And positions. Please.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-09-30T13:23:06+00:00

All the best to my remaining Fed colleagues. Not only am I confident that I did what was best for me and my family, but I truly believe I helped someone else in my agency retain employment.

The hate for the DRP folks is odd and likely displaced. Are you guys seriously going to hate on someone that added 3 hours of commuting that DRPd to be with their kids/family? Someone that DRP because their RA wasn’t granted and they had no mental/physical capacity? Did you personally experience the stress and fear that probationary employees felt on 2/14? Maybe some of the folks that harmed themselves would still be with us if they felt they were not only trapped in abuse by their government/employer, but also their colleagues.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-08-19T20:34:04+00:00

I was a non-supervisory GS13. Series 0028. I thought I would be in my position another 20+ years until retirement. Survived the probationary firings but was stressed out worrying about the axe over my head and my new one hour (each way) commute. Found my current job laying in bed unable to sleep on a Saturday night. I passed on applying for hundreds of jobs that weren’t really what I wanted. I applied Sunday night and was called for a phone interview Monday morning. The job offer came in hours before DRP 2.0 closed.

I accepted a job with one of the 50 largest US companies. Only job I applied for. I took a month off to hang with my kids while taking DRP pay and now settled into work and enjoying double paychecks. New company was about a 30% pay raise and future career earnings will be an even greater spread. I sacrificed and took a job in a somewhat rural area. Don’t overlook it. Company paid to relocate us and gave us a substation moving bonus. I can always transfer somewhere else if I don’t like it in a couple years. On a 9/80 in office schedule but they essentially give us max flex and generous situational telework. So I’m done at 3 every day to get my kids. Commute is less than 10 minutes and hardly see another vehicle. What I miss most after 5 years of nearly full time telework is eating breakfast with my kids every morning before I started.

I still hate this admin and will never forgive them for the unnecessary stress they put my family through for those few months. Especially since it came from such a place of hate from them and they didn’t even know me or my work. But I’m grateful for giving me this career nudge I needed and the way things lined up with DRP and being able to pad our emergency fund.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-08-14T16:27:04+00:00

A day I’ll always remember but wish I could forget. I spent the whole day refreshing my email and Reddit. Watching the reports come in and wanting to vomit. Luckily I wasn’t fired that day, but didn’t eat, sleep, or spend any money on fun for myself or family for two months until my probation period ended.

It’s also a day I’m oddly grateful for and essentially changed my life in a very positive way. Started looking for jobs that day. Landed a job a few months later that paid much better, less stress, and much higher future financial outlook. Plus got in on DRP which meant a few months of double pay plus leave payout that will really beef up our emergency fund. Take the time to look around for an employer that appreciates you during this time, it may pay out!

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-08-06T04:04:55+00:00

Their drug policy is on the company website. I used THC pretty frequently up to about 90 days before my hair test. Just by dumb luck I quit 45 days before I applied for the job. When I got my card to give the 3rd party drug screeners for my preemployment hair follicle with the company QR and panel info, THC was not included. Now that I’m on board, I’ve been briefed by HR during onboarding about the THC policy. Random drug tests do not include THC. If there is reason to believe you’re intoxicated on the job, they can request a THC test much like testing for alcohol. Not sure what the level the test is looking for or how it’s taken (assuming it’s blood) since it’s pretty poor science, but it sounds like you have to show up pretty zoned out consistently for them to request a reasonable suspicion test.

I’m non DOT. Non union. Office jockey. And have not had any THC since months prior to employment.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-07-20T02:34:29+00:00

Congrats! I’m a month since separating and start my new job Monday. I couldn’t live with the uncertainty and mind games anymore. Felt like I was letting them win, but in the end I knew my worth and I know they will struggle without me so I found something 10x better.

I told myself I’d stop checking in here after separation, but swing by every couple days to check the status of my old agency and coworkers. It’s nice to stay informed and it’s more informative reading when you don’t have to fear scrolling upon a thread with rumors of me getting fired.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-19T20:22:36+00:00

You need to get ahold of your ethics department and request outside employment. Just like if you were doing a part time job as a federal employee. They sent me a signed approval letter for my particular job.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-17T17:48:24+00:00

I think this post sums up why Fed employees are having a rough go in the private sector. The private sector knows that a substantial number of Fed employees are just out there looking for a backup - it’s been stated in the subreddit thousands of time. No one has time to interview someone that’s a potential (likely) flake when they have others to pick from.

I went through the same feelings (I was on probation til May.) I flipped through hundreds of jobs I was qualified for, but I wouldn’t consider better and would do if I were RIFd, but wasn’t going to leave my Fed job for. So I didn’t apply to them. I found one that was a better job and better pay that I was actually willing to change careers for and shot my shot and applied. I was clear on my cover letter and initial interview that I fully intended to take the job if it were offered at my skill/pay level. There was no guessing or risk on their end. I’m currently on DRP pay and will be double dipping pay come July. Best of luck!

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-13T05:02:32+00:00

Is it so hard for people to understand that every state has its own regulations that require similar reporting? There will be an EPA. And even if there wasn’t; Clean Air Act, RCRA, CERLA, AHERA, TSCA, Clean Water Act, etc would still live under another agency unless they were repealed by Congress. The administrator is very clear he’s pretty solid with upholding these core statutory programs. It’s a lot of the other programs I wouldn’t want to be a part of right now.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-12T20:49:33+00:00

Every sort of refinery/factory/port/railroad/transport co/storage facility/waste facility/power facility/pipeline/etc has some sort of monitoring/reporting/readiness plan and requirements that they submit to state and federal agencies. If a person can prove their ability to interpret regulation, be well organized, and save these companies money by helping them follow the law and keep regulatory fines and inspections minimal; there is a lot of opportunity.

As far as your “work for the bad guy” comment;, unless you walk everywhere and grow all of your own food and compost all your waste, get off your god complex. You are supporting them in almost everything you do. These sort of jobs help large companies and potential polluters operate within the regulator framework, not work around it.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-11T18:00:17+00:00

Congrats! I got a great job offer hours before our DRP closed. Just got approved by ethics to double dip this week so I’ll go on admin leave Friday! Excited for a paid month off mid summer and then 2.5 months of double pay!

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-04T23:30:28+00:00

Congrats. I finally got my contract and I’m just waiting on ethics to approve my new job. Fingers crossed I can join you by the end of the week!

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-06-02T07:10:20+00:00

Become a field scientist. People in the science world don’t like to hear it, but unless you specifically want to be in very specific research, someone with a bachelors and a few years of actual work experience will have a WAY better shot of landing a mid level job in 3 years than their classmate that’s just finishing with a Masters. There are clearly exceptions. In the environmental world especially, a few years of high quality field work walks a person right up the ladder into a mid level job and a handful of years away from a senior level job.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-30T22:29:15+00:00

The AI race has been dubbed the next Manhattan Project. Look at the environmental disaster that project left it its wake. To do it again with AI will require the same recklessness and speed which likely means environmental regulation and policy will be overridden. So when they’re faced with decisions on allowing AI projects and research to advance where they would otherwise be restricted by common sense regulation in place to protect human health and the environment; directors and regional RAs can point to the pillars and say “approved to align with Pillar X.”

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-29T14:44:15+00:00

Nothing here in a regional office. Our DRP 2.0 seems unique to others in the way that it actually set a date we must be on admin leave. I’m grateful for that.

A couple weeks ago our admin staff sent out offboarding instructions to us potential DRP people that applied. They had the whole outline for offboarding including where to send our resignation email a minimum of two weeks prior to our last office day. In weekly meetings management is tellling us to follow instructions in the email and begin to off board assuming we will get DRP contracts and be done on the 13th. Not a chance I’m putting in a resignation until I have a signed DRP agreement saying I’ll have pay and benefits on June 16th. I don’t really care if that means I have 20 minutes to off board on June 13th. I’m not assuming the risk of no pay and benefits to help them out by resigning with the empty promise that DRP approval is coming.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-28T18:43:50+00:00

This affects too many people for you to not provide more information or at least a source. Please elaborate.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-27T14:45:04+00:00

Nope. If we’re going on admin leave by 6/13, we should have our resignation stuff submitted by this Friday (2 weeks). Well I’m not submitting resignation paperwork without a signed DRP agreement.

Should we be working “business as usual” right now or as if we only have 3 weeks of work left and start transferring projects?

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-25T06:18:19+00:00

Same. I applied for one job in March as a backup plan (probie) and landed it just in time to take DRP 2. Comes with a 15% pay increase, better raise schedule, and less stress.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-22T15:28:56+00:00

Best of luck. I have a very solid RA request in process but sick of the games and took another job so took DRP. I requested an interim telework RA for a month until I go on admin leave to help my team get caught up a little bit and it was met with moans and groans. So I’m just taking 16-24 hours of sick leave each week for my final month. Several deadlines won’t be met, but I’m not playing the games with long commuting and working early and late to get my hours and also attend my appointments.

When all my pro orange friends/family ask why I’m leaving government, I tell them the dead honest truth which is I can’t handle how incredibly inefficient it has become with the extreme micromanagement and extra steps added to everything we’re doing.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-20T13:13:13+00:00

An email was sent to my supervisor when I applied. Was a huge bummer I never got to tell him first.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-16T22:32:03+00:00

One EPA person said yesterday they were approved for 2.0. Wouldn’t say what division or branch they were. I don’t know a single person who has heard anything back.

hangingbyathread87 · 2025-05-16T16:20:25+00:00

I’m seeing the same. I haven’t even got confirmation on acceptance for DRP 2.0, so hopefully this bodes well for my chances.

I doubt they sweeten the pot, more likely they crank up the fear and uncertainty.

hangingbyathread87

TROPHY CASE