Age discrimination at contractors NAS/PAX

[acommondisaster]

Glad my job is dependent upon what I know, which can only be come by through a long and varied work history

Don't count on it, if your job revolves around the DOD. I've recently watched 6 different contracts in the desks around me awarded to the low bidder, and the people with "long and varied work history" replaced by a bunch of young goof-offs who've done little more than sit around and study for certifications. As I work nights, I witness people studying cram-exams and sleeping, because what's most important to their low-bidding companies, and worse yet, most important to the customer, is how many certs a person has, rather than how well they can do their job, or how deep their knowledge is. Job performance and knowledge are no longer #1.

 

[Carole]

This persons job involves explosives & if not done right people can die. Experience is vital. There are openings for this position, & if filled by the cheapest instead of the best, like I said people can be badly injured or killed. He has worked it for about 20 years with a spotless record. Been recognized for excellent work. He had 1 infraction over a year ago. during his time there, he has seen people with the same infraction, several times & a really bad record hired back, but he is older. What else could it be?

 

[PeoplesElbow]

This persons job involves explosives & if not done right people can die. Experience is vital. There are openings for this position, & if filled by the cheapest instead of the best, like I said people can be badly injured or killed. He has worked it for about 20 years with a spotless record. Been recognized for excellent work. He had 1 infraction over a year ago. during his time there, he has seen people with the same infraction, several times & a really bad record hired back, but he is older. What else could it be?

He could have a bad attitude or be a pain in the ass. That does matter.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

That is Problem #1.

Companies that hire people at $70K a year & charge the Government (and us taxpayers) $200K a year for that person. Understand overhead and benefits, but the only one benefiting from that 'mark-up' is the company and its shareholders.

You realize that contractors only get fee as a percentage, right? And around Pax River, the average is about 5%. There is no 50% "mark up" that is going to the company as profit. Though, I really wish that were true.

 

[Chasey_Lane]

Don't count on it, if your job revolves around the DOD. I've recently watched 6 different contracts in the desks around me awarded to the low bidder, and the people with "long and varied work history" replaced by a bunch of young goof-offs who've done little more than sit around and study for certifications.

You can thank the government and their labor quals when they put a solicitation on the street.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Don't count on it, if your job revolves around the DOD. I've recently watched 6 different contracts in the desks around me awarded to the low bidder, and the people with "long and varied work history" replaced by a bunch of young goof-offs who've done little more than sit around and study for certifications. As I work nights, I witness people studying cram-exams and sleeping, because what's most important to their low-bidding companies, and worse yet, most important to the customer, is how many certs a person has, rather than how well they can do their job, or how deep their knowledge is. Job performance and knowledge are no longer #1.

Unfortunately that is the only way to measure before hand, assuming those certs are worth anything to begin with.

 

[Grumpy]

Understand overhead and benefits, but the only one benefiting from that 'mark-up' is the company and its shareholders.

Apparently you don't understand.

 

[Carole]

No, quite the opposite. He liked his job, liked his co-workers & they liked him. When he would take his vacation days, with proper notice, his co-workers fussed & complained & had quite a backlog of problems waiting for him when he got back. He would take calls for his advice even during his vacation days.

 

[Monello]

Why not eliminate the government workers that just show up for a paycheck? As a former defense contractor (I worked on the same contract with 4 different employers) I had MANY government counterparts that were way under qualified even though they were with the government for decades. 1 dude use to fall asleep in meetings and another gal sat with a co-worker and BSed all day long. And those are just 2 of the worst offenders but there were many more.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

Why not eliminate the government workers that just show up for a paycheck? As a former defense contractor (I worked on the same contract with 4 different employers) I had MANY government counterparts that were way under qualified even though they were with the government for decades. 1 dude use to fall asleep in meetings and another gal sat with a co-worker and BSed all day long. And those are just 2 of the worst offenders but there were many more.

It isn't just government employees, I know two people who work for a company whose name starts with a B and ends in a oing that sleep every single day at their desks. You can hear the snoring from the main isle in the cube farm.

 

[DoWhat]

Why not eliminate the government workers that just show up for a paycheck? As a former defense contractor (I worked on the same contract with 4 different employers) I had MANY government counterparts that were way under qualified even though they were with the government for decades. 1 dude use to fall asleep in meetings and another gal sat with a co-worker and BSed all day long. And those are just 2 of the worst offenders but there were many more.

It isn't just government employees, I know two people who work for a company whose name starts with a B and ends in a oing that sleep every single day at their desks. You can hear the snoring from the main isle in the cube farm.

It is called a siesta.
I take mine everyday. It is why I am so very productive.

 

[PeoplesElbow]

It is called a siesta.
I take mine everyday. It is why I am so very productive.

Heh, ever fall out of your chair and have half the cubicle collapse on you?

 

[kwillia]

This persons job involves explosives & if not done right people can die. Experience is vital. There are openings for this position, & if filled by the cheapest instead of the best, like I said people can be badly injured or killed. He has worked it for about 20 years with a spotless record. Been recognized for excellent work. He had 1 infraction over a year ago. during his time there, he has seen people with the same infraction, several times & a really bad record hired back, but he is older. What else could it be?

I don't think anyone is disagreeing with your assumption but rather pointing out that it does happen and companies have many ways they can find a legal way to get rid of someone that they think is costing them too much. You'd have to be able to prove it was specifically age discrimination and just how does one go about proving that?

 

[kwillia]

It is called a siesta.
I take mine everyday. It is why I am so very productive.

Yeah, it's why you told me not to visit your building during certain hours because I don't have "an indoor voice"...

 

[Misfit]

Why not eliminate the government workers that just show up for a paycheck?

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I see a lot of younger employed persons costing money (lost revenue). For example, they are usually the ones to call out for a sniffle, a headache, a stubbed toe, etc. They have children and doctor's appts and such. Many have to take LWOP. Whereas the older generation just wants to work.

 

[getbent]

This happened to the contractor I used to work for, they lost a big contract they had for over 20 years. The new company that took over the contract offered the subject matter experts that have been with the contract since the beginning a job at a 30% pay cut. I think it is kind of crappy, these people have done everything right, got an education, stayed out of trouble, and worked their way to the top only to be penalized for making a fair salary for the knowledge they have. Its funny, all these massive cuts to military spending all the while people on welfare have seen any ware from 25% to 32% increase (different sites have different figures) in the money and free services they get in the last 10 years. Most of the people I know, myself included, haven't seen any real raise in over 4 years. Seems to me it is backwards and the wrong people are getting rewarded. This is why I save everything I can now because who knows when the bottom will drop out.

If the government really wants to save money on military spending they should stop penalizing contractors for not using all the money in their materials contracts. People that work for a government contractor probably know what I am taking about. If they would reward them for coming in under budget instead of penalizing them the savings would probably be in the billions.

Sorry for the long rant, its Friday, I have had a long week, and I am in a bad mood. Things will be better tomorrow.

Try 8 years, but I'm not gov't or a contractor

 

[Hodr]

I've heard the "f" word before - even used it Never heard anyone use it 50 plus times in a five minute conversation with the supervisor who also used it every bit as much.

Just going to put it out there that if you work for the Navy, there's a good chance you are going to hear some bad words. While it isn't WWII anymore, cursing like a sailor is still a thing.

 

[Hodr]

This persons job involves explosives & if not done right people can die. Experience is vital. There are openings for this position, & if filled by the cheapest instead of the best, like I said people can be badly injured or killed.

Not to make light of potential loss of life, but this sounds like a self-correcting problem. Either they are qualified, or they will be quickly replaced by someone who is. And I doubt too many unqualified individuals are jumping at the prospect of doing EOD work.

 

[glhs837]

Not to make light of potential loss of life, but this sounds like a self-correcting problem. Either they are qualified, or they will be quickly replaced by someone who is. And I doubt too many unqualified individuals are jumping at the prospect of doing EOD work.

Thought I would leave this here.......