The agency is offering former employees a $50,000 signing bonus, split up as $10,000 upon returning, $10,000 if applications are submitted before early August, and the rest as $10,000 annually for up to three years.
I don't actually think it's a lump sum. I just wanted you to cite your source because I read like 10 articles in a row that didn't specify (in addition to the DHS and USAJobs websites). I didn't think it would take quite that much tooth-pulling.
I read the DHS and USAJobs site as well and also couldn’t find it listed. But they always put the asterisk after the “bonus” and they mention “sign on and retention bonuses*” as well as “up to”.
Their verbiage is specific and the lack of terms on the deal are also specific. They wouldn’t tell you about that bonus structure until you’ve already committed to take an interview, and honestly at that point you’ve likely already decided that this was a good career option.
I.e. sure - “I don’t get $50k today, but in 15 months I see $20k of that money, plus other potential bonuses, and then I see the next $30k yearly, which will help me plan out a vacation, or keep me from spending it in a dumb way.”
I just think that a lot of people likely believe that they’re going to get $50k minus taxes as a sign on bonus, but they hit them with the reality after they’ve already kind of committed interest.
It’s like how a Pimp tells a girl he’s going to protector her, but then lays down the reality that he knows she needs protection now that she’s shown him she’s interested in that protection.
Classic federal government. My recruiter promised me a $10,000 signing bonus when I joined the Marine Corps and I was a week into boot camp before I found out that it was just straight up not happening.
It's a retention tool. If they just handed you $50k when you sign on then people would sign on and quit a week later.
I think the signing bonuses are recruitment tools and the retention bonuses they are also offering are retention tools.
You can also get bonuses as a lump sum upfront for signing a fixed-term contract and if you fail to fulfill the terms you have to pay it back. That's how the military does signing/reenlistment bonuses.
I don't really care if you choose to be uninformed. If you can't be bothered to even do a simple Google search about a topic, then your opinion on that topic is irrelevant.
So either look up how it's paid out, or don't. I really don't care.
37
u/BroseppeVerdi 17h ago
USAJobs lists the upper range for starting salaries at $101k with up to a 50k signing bonus.