re: Why is it so hard to fire federal employees?

quote:

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I mean that just isn't true. There are a few quick and easy ways for GS employees to get fired.

Sexual harassment (just happened where I am)
Discriminatory practices
DUI
Just to name a few

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Well, I should have prefaced this with the fact that I'm in law enforcement so I'm in a bit of a different situation. In addition to it being difficult to fire a federal employee, it's even tougher here. I'll take your list in order.

Sexual harassment

Sexual harassment part is much different than the rest of the federal government. What people would strictly define as "sexual harassment" is part of the culture here. It's a 99% male workplace and making dick jokes, calling each other "phags" and "queers", making crude sexual references, etc. happens on a daily (hourly?) basis. I mean, the guys aren't raping women in the hallways but what they do on a daily basis would be construed as a violation of sexual harassment policies.

Discriminatory practices

This is true somewhat but those practices have to be over the top. You'd have to have a supervisor be like, "Hey, everyone- I have an announcement! Chang has to work this weekend because he's Asian and we all know Asians are worthless and don't enjoy the weekends like us white people!" In my decade plus of government service, I think I've seen one guy fired for discriminatory practices. If anything, they'll get reprimanded and or relocated (sometimes with a promotion).

DUI

Yes, this is growing to be a big taboo, I'll grant you this. If you're a probationary agent at the beginning, you're likely getting fired. But if you're fully vested and no longer "career conditional" you can survive a DUI pretty easily. I've seen guys keep there jobs after two DUIs. Hell, I have seen an agent get banned from a county in New Mexico after a crime spree that involved a DUI, hit and run, foot pursuit and battery, and STILL keep his job.

Edited to add:

If you want to get fired from the government, here's the best way to do it:

1) Commit a serious crime that results in your conviction.
2) Steal the government's money or assets. I don't care if it's pennies. Use that government credit card to fill up your gas tank, even if you pay it back, you're toast. You may get a second chance if you can prove it was an accident but that's it. The G does not play when it comes to money.
3) Fail a drug test. Zero tolerance there.