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Government Employees work better with Nice Furniture

Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:22 am
Posted by GatorOnAnIsland
Florida
Member since Jan 2019
9344 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:22 am
Posted by Night Vision
Member since Feb 2018
19286 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:25 am to
Back in the day you had to order from UNICOR (furniture made by federal prisoners) unless you were an O6 or above.

GSA also sold furniture.


Posted by IMSA_Fan
Member since Jul 2024
570 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:27 am to
That’s only like $1500 per employee over 4 years. That doesn’t seem unreasonable
Posted by BuckeyeGoon
Member since Jan 2025
941 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:34 am to
Furniture is one of the easiest things to waste money on to "spend it so you don't lose it".
Posted by Willie Stroker
Member since Sep 2008
15676 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:34 am to
I’ve seen it.

The primary reason is the “use it or lose it” philosophy inherent in the budget cycle (spend at last year’s levels all year until we finally decide your current year budget a few months before the end of the fiscal year).
Posted by Gifman
Member since Jan 2021
17452 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 7:37 am to
Can someone say “kickbacks”
Posted by GatorOnAnIsland
Florida
Member since Jan 2019
9344 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 8:20 am to
quote:

spend it so you don't lose it".


It’s true; if an office spent 100k last year on furniture, it had to spend that much or more on furniture the current year, or else the furniture budget would be reduced the next year.
Posted by TheFonz
Somewhere in Louisiana
Member since Jul 2016
22784 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 8:32 am to
quote:

Back in the day you had to order from UNICOR (furniture made by federal prisoners)


Back when Burl Cain was running Angola, he had a contract locked in with a lot of state offices for an operation called "Prison Enterprises" to provide furniture. It was all crap and cost a lot more than if we had ordered for one of the big box suppliers.. My office used to say their motto should be "Prison Enterprises - Half the Quality for Twice the Price!"
Posted by Tigersforthee
Member since Dec 2025
121 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 8:39 am to
And if you dont think a lot of this stuff ended up at the homes of these poor overworked and underappreciated federal employees I've got a bridge to sell you.
Posted by TigerSprings
Southeast LA
Member since Jan 2019
2386 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 8:51 am to
post-Covid prices will get you every time.
Posted by tadman
Member since Jun 2020
5177 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 9:08 am to
Ever watch "The Rookie" and the police station (obv a hollywood set and not real). All the chairs in the police station are $4500 Herman Miller Time Life chairs.

WTF man...

Posted by Ozarkshillbilly
Missouri Ozarks
Member since Apr 2025
414 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 9:53 am to
Yep. Don't know how many new chairs we got in September in the many squadrons I was in...
Posted by AubieinNC2009
Mountain NC
Member since Dec 2018
7069 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 9:57 am to
quote:


That’s only like $1500 per employee over 4 years. That doesn’t seem unreasonable


When I was in the AF I was stationed at the last training base in the US (based on time zones). Our job on the last day of the fiscal year was to stay late and spend any money left over from other bases. We got new desks, chairs, TVs, supplies, equipment every year just to spend the money.
Posted by TigerAxeOK
Where I lay my head is home.
Member since Dec 2016
35516 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 9:59 am to
quote:

OPEN THE BOOKS -- Federal agencies have spent $4.6 Billion on furniture since 2021, despite most employees working from home.

My "office" in a maintenance/fab shop has a folding metal chair at a "desk" in the corner, and I work my arse off for $31/hour. Same desk and same chair in the same spot for over 20 years. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Government expenditures have killed this country.
Posted by Pfft
Member since Jul 2014
4849 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 9:59 am to
Does every person need new furniture that often? Maybe a chair, but a desk should last 20-30 years.
Posted by BuckeyeGoon
Member since Jan 2025
941 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 10:10 am to
Do you think every single federal employee works at a desk? Take away the employees who dont require office furniture at all, those who work in shared workspaces and then remote workers. How much is it per employee now?
Posted by lsusteve1
Member since Dec 2004
46398 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 10:12 am to
They’re useless

Leaches
Posted by ItTakesAThief
Scottsdale, Arizona
Member since Dec 2009
10327 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 10:12 am to
They furnished everyone’s home offices.
Posted by tadman
Member since Jun 2020
5177 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 10:27 am to
quote:

quote:

OPEN THE BOOKS -- Federal agencies have spent $4.6 Billion on furniture since 2021, despite most employees working from home.


My "office" in a maintenance/fab shop has a folding metal chair at a "desk" in the corner, and I work my arse off for $31/hour. Same desk and same chair in the same spot for over 20 years. And I wouldn't change it for the world.

Government expenditures have killed this country.


This. My home office chair is worth about $15. I went to goodwill and bought three identical chairs, put all the good parts together and used it. It works great. Meanwhile all the grubbier parts went back on the other two parts donor chairs and they went right back to good will, and are probably in someone's shoot house now. WOnder how many deer my chairs have helped bag...
Posted by Harry Boutte
Louisiana
Member since Oct 2024
3763 posts
Posted on 12/12/25 at 10:45 am to
quote:

a folding metal chair at a "desk" in the corner...Same desk and same chair in the same spot for over 20 years.

There's something really sad about that.

Bragging about sitting in a folding chair in the corner for over 20 years is just a weird sort of flex.
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