Employee Benefits
Health, Dental, & Vision Insurance
Health
Federal employees are eligible for health benefits through the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program. Employee contributions are paid with pre-tax dollars. No physical examination is required.
Dental and Vision
The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) is available to eligible federal employees, their eligible family members and retirees on an enrollee-pay-all basis. Premiums for enrolled employees are withheld from their salary on a pre-tax basis.
Learn more about Federal Employees Benefits...
Flexible Spending Account
The Flexible Spending Account (FSA) allows employees to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars, thereby increasing your disposable income.
Life Insurance
The Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) covers over 4 million Federal employees, retirees, and their family members. The FEGLI 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 one-third of the cost of your Basic life insurance. You pay 100% of the cost of optional insurance coverage. FEGLI coverage may be elected upon entering Federal employment.
Long Term Care Health Care
The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) provides an important benefit which can follow employees into their retirement. The program helps to defray the cost of assistance for daily living activities in your home, nursing home or assisted living facility.
Salary Table
View the Salary Tables on the website of the Office of Personnel Management.
Leave
Annual Leave
For the first 3 years of government service, full-time employees earn 13 days of vacation each year. For 3 to 15 years of federal service, employees earn 20 days of vacation each year, and after 15 years of federal service, employees earn 26 days of vacation each year.
Regardless of the length of service, employees earn 13 days of sick leave a year. The amount of sick leave that may be accumulated is not limited.
Retirement
New employees to the Federal government automatically are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three tiered system which includes a Basic FERS Benefit, Social Security Benefit and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
Thrift Savings Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan is a tax-deferred investment and savings plan similar to 401(k) plans offered in the private sector. The TSP allows employees to contribute up to the IRS annual limit.
- Agency Automatic (1%) Contributions: When you become eligible, your agency automatically deposits into your TSP account an amount equal to 1% of your basic pay each pay period, even if you do not contribute your own money. After 3 years of Federal civilian service (or 2 years in some cases), you are vested in these contributions and their earnings.
- Agency Matching Contributions: When you become eligible, your agency will match the first 3% of basic pay you contribute each pay period dollar for dollar. Each dollar of the next 2% of basic pay will be matched 50 cents of the dollar. You are immediately vested in the matching contributions.
Education, Training & Development
- Core training programs in four mission-critical areas: law, leadership, administrative support, and information technology.
- On-site courses and lectures of special topics of interest.
- Certain job-related courses may be paid by the FTC.
Student Loan Repayment Program
The FTC’s Student Loan Repayment Program is a great benefit for employees who have student loans to repay. Many newly hired employees are eligible to participate in this program, which allows the FTC to repay lenders for student loans when recipients sign employment service agreements to remain at the FTC for 3 years. This is a great opportunity for college graduates just beginning their professional careers.
Work/Life Benefits
- Employee Assistance Program - provides free, confidential short-term, counseling to employees and their families for work-related or personal problems 24 hours a day
- Discounted gym membership at the Department of Justice for headquarter employees and Department of Labor for New Jersey Avenue employees
- Seminars and mini-fairs on a wide range of topics related to health issues
- Museum Walks during lunch hours
- Exercise classes on-site
- Locker rooms and showers at headquarters
- Flexible Work Schedules for most positions
- LifeCare - a free benefit offered to employees to help them manage their work and professional life
- Volunteer Leave Transfer Program - permits employees to donate annual leave to employees who have exhausted leave and is facing a serious illness/injury or event
Other Amenities
- ATM machine
- Full Service Cafeteria at the Washington, D.C. headquarters
- On-site Health Unit - All FTC employees have access to a health unit that provides emergency medical care and treatment for minor illnesses, injuries and allergies. Also available are maintenance exams, free preventative health screening, administration of allergy and flu shots, and other medical regiments prescribed by a private physician.
- On-site Daycare Facility - An independently run child care center for children, ages three months to pre-kindergarten is available at the Washington, D.C. office, space permitting.
- Subsidized Commuting - Washington, D.C. public transportation (including Metro trains and buses) is subsidized by the Federal government, currently up to $115 per month. Both of the FTC’s D.C. buildings are conveniently located within walking distance of multiple Metro train stations and bus stops.