FTC employees and their families have access to a comprehensive benefits package, including generous vacation and leave, health and life insurance, student loan repayment, on-site daycare, retirement benefits, and more.
Salary
For the most current information, please check the latest salary tables on the OPM website. Pay levels are listed on the USAjobs.gov posting (e.g., GS-09 or GS-11). If a vacancy has multiple levels available, there will also be a description of the requirements and qualifications required for each.
Health & Wellness
We support the total health of our employees through a balanced, effective combination of wellness programs and insurance benefits. A more comprehensive guide to these benefits is available through OPM.
Insurance
As part of the FTC, you may be eligible for health benefits through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. These benefits may be extended to eligible family members on a subsidized basis. You may also have the option of participating in the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and the federal Flexible Spending Account (FSA). These benefits may be extended to eligible family members and retirees on an enrollee-pay-all basis. Premiums for these benefits are withheld from your salary on a pre-tax basis.
Life insurance is available through Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI). The program consists of basic coverage (equal to your salary rounded up to the next even thousand, plus two thousand dollars) and three additional options. The federal government pays a third of the cost of your basic life insurance. You pay 100 percent of the cost of any optional insurance coverage.
Long-term care insurance is provided by the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP). This insurance may be extended to eligible family members. You pay 100 percent of the cost of this insurance. This benefit can follow you into your retirement and help lessen the costs of assisted living or other long-term care activities.
Flexible Spending Accounts
A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows you to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses for you and your family by using pre-tax dollars. Think of it as a savings account that helps you pay for items that typically are not covered by other health insurance. FSAFEDS also offers a flexible spending account for families with childcare or elder care expenses—the Dependent Care FSA.
Leave
Vacation days for full-time employees accrue according to the number of years the employee has been in federal service:
- Up to 3 years of service: 13 days per year
- 3 to 15 years of service: 20 days per year
- 15 years or more of service: 26 days per year
Regardless of your length of service, employees earn 13 days of sick leave a year. The amount of sick leave that may be accumulated is not limited.
The number of vacation days and sick leave days a part-time employee earns is prorated according to their work schedule.
For information about vacation accrual and rollover, please check the OPM website.
The FTC has a Voluntary Leave Transfer Program that permits employees to donate annual leave to others who have exhausted their own leave and are facing a serious illness/injury or event. The Agency also has a Voluntary Leave Bank Program for medical emergencies, permitting employees to contribute annual leave to a central bank of leave for Leave Bank Members to draw upon in time of need.
Retirement
Eligible federal employees are automatically covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The system is three-tiered, including a basic FERS benefit, Social Security benefits, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
The TSP is a tax-deferred investment and savings plan similar to 401(k) plans offered in the private sector. You can contribute up to the IRS annual limit. The agency contributes to your TSP in two ways when you become eligible:
- Even if you do not contribute, the FTC will automatically deposit an amount equal to one percent of your basic pay each pay period. You become vested in the plan after either two or three years, depending on your position.
- For the first three percent that you contribute, the FTC will match dollar-for-dollar. For the next two percent that you contribute, the FTC will match 50 cents on the dollar. You are immediately vested in these matching contributions.
Other Benefits
In addition to the benefits above, there are additional advantages to working at the FTC such as our Student Loan Repayment Program. Many new employees are eligible for this program when they sign an employment service agreement to remain at the FTC for three years.
The FTC provides additional benefits to promote employee health and wellness. Depending on your office location, some of the below amenities are available.
- On-site Health Unit with access to emergency medical care, treatment for allergies or minor illnesses, maintenance exams, free preventative health screening, flu shots, and more
- On-site Daycare Facilities
- On-site Exercise Classes
- On-site Locker Rooms
- Discounted Gym Membership
- On-site Healthcare Seminars and Employee-Provider Fairs, which are broadcast to employees who may choose to participate from their Regional Offices, where practical.
- Professional Development. FTC employees have access to a variety of opportunities for professional growth.
- Core training programs in four mission-critical areas: law, leadership, administrative support, and information technology
- On-site courses and lectures on special topics
- Certain job-related courses may be paid for by the FTC
- Transportation Subsidies. The FTC subsidizes the cost of commuting to work by public transportation, including Metro trains and buses. (Please see the Department of Transportation’s FAQ for more information.)
- Convenient Location. Most FTC offices are walking distance from public transit stations and bus stops.
- Employee Assistance Program. Confidential, short-term counseling to employees and their families is available 24 hours a day.
- WorkLife4You. Comprehensive work and life services that provide valuable and timely information and referrals to manage your daily life – from prenatal information to adult care; from summer camps to child care services; from pet care to health and wellness; and much more.
- Many FTC offices sponsor periodic, free museum tours during lunch hours.