Government jobs are commonly known for the quality of their employment benefits. Whether working for the federal government, a state government or local government, the employee is usually entitled to benefits within the compensation package. The benefits can range from medical insurance and paid sick leave to contributory retirement accounts and pension plans.
Government employees are often required to complete a period of probation to be eligible for paid sick time and vacation leave. In the case of medical insurance, municipal employees can be required to pay between 60 and 80 percent of the cost of the insurance. Dental and vision coverage may also be available as part of the medical plan.
Retirement benefits are often offered to public service employees. Employees can contribute to investment accounts such as 457 plans to supplement pension programs established and maintained by the municipal agency. Other financial benefits that may be offered to government workers include group or individual life insurance, short-term and long-term disability insurance, and financial planning services.
Inside of some municipal agencies, labor unions represent employees through collective bargaining agreements. Employees that join the labor unions typically pay union dues for the benefit of contract negotiations and other representation. Labor unions serve the primary purpose of negotiating employee contracts that determine pay, medical insurance coverage and other benefits.
Municipal jobs, especially at the local level, have the reputation of being relatively low paying. However, the employee can enjoy benefits not always found in the private sector. Those benefits can include career stability and security, ability to transfer to other agencies within the municipal, high quality health benefits, and retirement plans. Many government employees find the relatively low pay a fair trade-off for the above listed benefits.
Most government careers, with exception of contractual jobs, require that employees remain employed for a certain number of consecutive years before being eligible for full retirement benefits. The length of required employment can vary from 20 years to 35 years. However, an employee may become vested in a retirement plan after a much shorter period of time, becoming eligible for partial, limited benefits only after a few years of service. Retirement programs remain one of the most alluring aspects of working for governmental agencies as a career.
A person seeking a career in the public sector should carefully research the employment benefits that are included in the compensation packages. It may be worth applying to several different government agencies as pay and benefits may be more appealing within other departments that are geographically close by and within the same field of expertise. The challenge, however, remains the availability of positions in an environment of budget restrictions and a large pool of qualified applicants.
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