Federally employed nurses- Leaving service?

[magris]

I've been federally employed at an MTF for two years. There are pros and cons working at an MTF. With each new change in leadership we're reinventing the wheel. My husband is a naval officer, in about a year, he reports to a seven month school. If I was not federally employed, I would go with him and pick up a job at a civilian hospital. However, if I stay federally employed, I have to stay at our current duty station while he goes to school, and when he gets orders to his new station- hope I can transfer to a facility there.

I'm torn. In my current area I make about the same as a nurse in the civilian realm, but work more. In a two week period we do six 12 hours shift, 1 eight hour shift, and an on-call day. The major benefit of federal service being retirement pay (after 30 years). I know in other areas, federal nursing pays better.

I'm torn between leaving federal service and staying. I want the flexibility of accompanying my husband to his school, but at the same time, I don't know if I'm overlooking the benefits of being a federal employee.

Can anyone advise?

[PG2018]

How much are you vested in the retirement system? There are other retirement options out there.

[magris]

I started as a contract, was hired in federally a little over a year ago. I'm not vested at this time.

[PG2018]

I started as a contract, was hired in federally a little over a year ago. I'm not vested at this time.

Oh then jet.

[magris]

You don't think the federal benefits are worth it?

[PG2018]

You don't think the federal benefits are worth it?

No especially of you're making a substantially higher salary in the private sector or youre working less with ample free time on your hands to work a side hustle.

Invest in your employer's 401k, set up your own IRA, likely a Roth for you, automate your contributions so that you don't miss them. Shop around for Insurances such as health, life, disability, etc. Work it long enough and you'll get a good deal particularly if young and in good health. For investing, I recommend index funds, Vanguard, or something like Charles Swab Intelligent Portfolio, etc. Stay away from investment advisors paid by commission. I have found Metlife to be secure enough for my comfort and reasonably affordable for life and (longterm) disability insurance (which I carry on my own).

Unless your federal TSP is making greater than 10% per year, the benefits aren't that great. Thirty years isn't that big of a deal either. Some states have 25 (or less). That's a long time to work one employer especially if you're Generation X or Millennial. These generations tend to switch every few years, and if your husband is big navy you'll switch every few years as well. Limiting yourself to a federal position is rather limiting and definitely too inefficient to land. It takes too much and too long to get them. I'm sure civilian hospitals near military bases have women moving in and out frequently with service connected husbands.

The "benefits" are the only selling point for Federal work, and if your salary is competitive outside the reservation then you can easily offset that.

[catsmeow1972, BSN, RN]

I worked at a VA for not quite 2 years, as a federal civilian employee. Yeah, retirement benefits were great, if you could last the 30 years. The set of benefits for current employees were about average in comparison to the outside world (yes, federal is a totally different planet. We did get COLAs but I think one year, there was'nt one. I actually took a pay cut from the University Teaching Hospital that I came from (happened to be across the street). My rationale was I thought I needed something a little less stressful. Yeah, no, it wasn't.

Probably the only immediate advantage was if you wanted/needed to transfer to another state, presuming you stayed in the federal system, you did not need to deal with interstate licensing. For VA jobs, you can work anywhere in the system with one state license.

My department was okay, but I ran into issues on the floor like a nurse refusing to let me take a hip fracture patient down on the bed (like seriously? She wanted me to move an 88 year old man with a hip fracture to a stretcher. Ummm. No.) Can we say clueless. That kind of stuff drove me back out into the civilian world.

[magris]

I work in an MTF. The hospital as its quirks. They won't train civilians to work in higher levels of care so I'm stuck where I'm at. I'm thinking about going back to the civilian realm for more training and flexibility. Everyone I talk to says not to leave federal employment, but I feel myself slowly inching out the door.

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I'm not federally employed (I saw this post's link on one of the sidebars), but I would go with your husband. 1) That is a long time to be voluntarily separated. Besides I'm guessing this won't be his last far-off assignment. How will that be on the marriage if you choose to stay put every time he has to relocate for the next 30 years? Again I'm talking voluntarily, not for something like deployments where you wouldn't be going. 2) My dad still had to work full time after 20 years in the Air Force. His retirement pay was not sufficient. 3) You're not even vested, there are other savings options available, and 4) the service and its facilities aren't going anywhere. You can always find federal employment later.

[KCMnurse, BSN, MSN, RN]

Move on up and out is my advice. My hubby was in the military for 21 years and I moved when he did. Never had a problem with employment and have a nice 401K/retirement plan. You haven't been there long enough to even think about not leaving because of the retirement benefit. If your hubby is military I assume you are covered by the military for health insurance? Your horizon is wide open don't get boxed in so early in the game.