GPO offers a competitive benefits package including health insurance (with no waiting periods or pre-existing condition limitations), term life insurance, retirement benefits, flexible work schedules, and other programs.

The 2018 Salary Table for Federal employees applies to GPO professional/administrative positions. The Director has authority to set wages for employees at GPO. Professional/administrative pay matches that provided to Federal employees throughout the Government. Wages for employees in the crafts/trade areas are competitive with salaries for similar positions in the metro DC area.
10 days each year
Each pay period, full-time employees earn:

  • 4 hours or 13 days each year for the first 3 years of service
  • 6 hours or 20 days each year after 3 years of service
  • 8 hours or 26 days each year after 15 years of service

Part-time and intermittent employees earn leave in proportion to their number of hours worked.
4 hours each pay period or 13 days each year
At GPO, we are committed to investing in the growth of our employees. GPO supports continued education and encourages you to learn the skills that will serve you in your vocation and the skills that GPO will need for the future.
GPO is an equal opportunity employer and provides reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. The aim of this initiative is to foster a diverse, professional atmosphere where you can contribute to GPO's mission.
Whether you are commuting from Maryland, Virginia, or inside the District, GPO is commuter friendly. We are located one block from Union Station, the hub for Maryland's MARC Commuter Train, Virginia's VRE Train, and the Red Line of the DC Metro. Even better, GPO offers mass transit subsidy!

Mass Transit Subsidy
MetroCheck Program (SmartBenefits): GPO offers SmartBenefits valued at up to $115/month that are available to all employees who are eligible for a transit subsidy. SmartBenefits are for mass transit, such as, Metro, MARC, VRE, or a qualifying vanpool. GPO was recognized as one of Greater Washington, DC region's Best Workplaces for Commuters, which includes employers that are committed to improving quality of life for their employees while reducing commuting costs, traffic congestion, and air pollution.

Parking Lots
The biweekly rate to park in a GPO Lot is low cost. GPO has parking lots located in proximity to the buildings.
Employee Assistance Branch
Aids employees with any personal or job-related problem

Fire Protection
Responsible for fire prevention and emergency preparedness

Industrial Hygiene
Revises engineering controls in the work area so hazardous agents or materials are confined or kept away from employees

Medical
Provides medical care for employees who become injured or ill while at work as well as a broad range of preventive medicine services

Safety & Health Committees
Monitor safety and health conditions

Environmental Programs
Ensures that the agency and its employees conduct their activities in an environmentally responsible manner that complies with applicable laws and regulations

Health Promotion Programs
Health and wellness services and programs include:

  • Smoking cessation classes
  • Nutrition and fitness consultation
  • Annual GPO Health Fair
  • World AIDS Day
  • Federal Fitness Day
As a GPO employee, you are eligible to enroll in the GPOFCU. Unlike other financial institutions, credit unions are owned by the people who do business with them. Credit unions are not-for-profit and there are no outside stockholders. That means all excess profits are returned to the members in the form of higher savings rates, lower loan rates and lower fees for services than most other financial institutions.

Credit unions are well noted for the high level of service provided to their members. The GPOFCU offers a wide variety of services, from savings and investments to virtually every type of loan; and, access to accounts is available through ATMs, direct deposit, and audio response. It is a great place to take care of most of your financial needs.
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program helps protect you and eligible family members from the expenses of illness and accident. The program is voluntary, and you have 60 days from the date of your appointment to enroll in any plan or waive coverage.

There are three basic types of health benefit plans available:

  • fee-for-service
  • HMOs
  • point of service

You share the cost of enrollment with the Government. Premiums and coverage are adjusted every year. There is an annual opportunity (Open Season) to make changes in enrollment.
A flexible spending account (FSA) allows you to set funds aside before taxes to pay for health and dependent care.
Long term care insurance helps defray the costs of when you need assistance. It covers:

  • care needed for a severe cognitive impairment, like Alzheimer's
  • skilled, intermediate and custodial care in the home
  • an adult day care center
  • an assisted living facility
  • a nursing home
  • a hospice facility

Some plans such as the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) also cover home care from informal providers.
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) offers an opportunity for you to participate in a group plan that offers low rates and the convenience of payment through payroll deduction. FEGLI is term insurance. Participation is voluntary. You are automatically covered for Basic Life unless the coverage is waived.

The Government pays one-third of the cost of the Basic Life Insurance. Basic Insurance equals the greater of $10,000 or the actual rate of annual basic pay (rounded up to the next $1,000) plus $2,000. Accidental death and dismemberment benefits are a feature of basic life for employees. There is also an extra benefit if you are under the age of 45.

You have three insurance options available to you with Basic coverage:

  • Option A - additional coverage of $10,000
  • Option B - additional coverage up to five times your rate of pay
  • Option C - family coverage ($5,000 for spouse and $2,500 for each eligible dependent child)
Prior to 1984, the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) was the civilian retirement system for most Federal employees. The Social Security Amendments Act of 1983 required newly hired or rehired (with more than a one-year break in Federal service covered by CSRS) employees to be covered by social security. On January 1, 1987, the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) became effective. The FERS system is a three tiered system:

  • Federal pension
  • Social Security benefits
  • Thrift Savings Plan (similar to 401K) with up to 5 percent to match

If you are a new employee, you are covered by the FERS retirement system.
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS).

The TSP offers:

  • before tax savings and tax deferred investment earnings
  • low administrative and investment expenses
  • a choice of five individual investment funds and five lifecycle funds
  • interfund transfers
  • an attractive loan program
  • a choice of withdrawal options

The TSP is a contribution plan. Contributions include those made by you and any matching contributions made by your agency. The retirement income received depends on how much you contribute to your account during your working years and the earnings on those contributions. Contributions made to the TSP account are voluntary and separate from contributions to the FERS or CSRS annuity. If you are a newly hired employee, you must wait a certain period of time before you are eligible to participate in TSP. There are two Open Seasons held each year: May 15 - July 31 and November 15 - January 31.

TSP is an integral part of the FERS employee retirement package. As a FERS participant, you can contribute up to the IRS limits on regular and catch-up contributions, which are $18,500 and $6,000 respectively for 2016. You are also entitled to receive agency contributions. Once you are eligible to participate in TSP, the agency contributes an amount equal to 1% of basic pay each pay period. When you begin contributing to your TSP account, your agency makes matching contributions that apply to the first 5% of pay each pay period. Your contributions are matched dollar for dollar for the first 3% and 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2%.

As a CSRS employee, you do not receive agency matching or 1% contributions, but you may contribute a portion of your basic pay to the TSP.
The majority of employees have regularly scheduled workdays of 8 hours, totaling 80 hours in a pay period, and a half-hour unpaid lunch period. Pay periods are 14 days, beginning on a Sunday and ending on a Saturday.

GPO offers Alternative Work Schedules to ensure a healthy balance between work and your life outside of the office.

  • Gliding - allows some flexibility in your daily arrival time
  • Compressed - allows you to work 80-hours in less than 10 workdays (in some cases, you can work four 10-hour days per week and get the fifth day off; or, you could work eight 9-hour days, one 8-hour day and use the tenth day as your day off.)
  • Telework – allows you to work from home, if approved by your supervisor
  • Overtime – You must work overtime when ordered by your supervisor. You are then paid at "time and a half," that is, base pay plus 50 percent.