How Does the CIA Keep Its IT Staff Honest?

Tootech points out this story for anyone who's been curious about getting that top-secret clearance and the promise of a cushy pension from the CIA, as a reward for decades of blood-curdling, heart-pounding, knuckle-whitening IT service: "Be prepared to go through a lot of scrutiny if you want to work in the Central Intelligence Agency's IT department, says chief information officer Al Tarasiuk. And it doesn't stop after you get your top secret clearance. 'Once you're in, there are frequent reinvestigations, but it's just part of process here,' says Tarasiuk, who also gets polygraphed regularly, though he won't be more specific. For those senior IT managers who are the 'privileged users,' meaning system administrators, 'there is certainly more scrutiny on you,' Tarasiuk says. 'It's interesting: there's so much scrutiny that a normal person might not want to put up with that. But it's part of the mission.'"

Comments

Pension equivalent to a new hire

[Anonymous Coward]

"Cushy pension"? Federal Employees get 1% for each year of service i.e. work 30 years and get 30% of your annual salary as a pension. They also get a 4% contribution to a 401(k). Better than nothing, but not really "cushy". Employees who are required to carry guns get a better deal, but TFA had to do with "IT" employees.

$150K salary at retirement, 30% = $45K / year guaranteed. That's more than the average working household, so it is pretty cushy. It may even be more than the new IT guy fresh out of college. So each retiree is like a currently employee on the staff.

Plus keep in mind that these people have paid off their house, put their kids through college, etc. So the 30% of your final salary goes a lot farther than you may think.

Re:Pension equivalent to a new hire

[spiffmastercow]

"Cushy pension"? Federal Employees get 1% for each year of service i.e. work 30 years and get 30% of your annual salary as a pension. They also get a 4% contribution to a 401(k). Better than nothing, but not really "cushy". Employees who are required to carry guns get a better deal, but TFA had to do with "IT" employees.

$150K salary at retirement, 30% = $45K / year guaranteed. That's more than the average working household, so it is pretty cushy. It may even be more than the new IT guy fresh out of college. So each retiree is like a currently employee on the staff. Plus keep in mind that these people have paid off their house, put their kids through college, etc. So the 30% of your final salary goes a lot farther than you may think.

Yeah, for a GS-15 maxed out in step increases. Most federal IT workers won't get past GS-12 in their career. And with so many years of pay freezes, they're not going to be anywhere near their top salary when they retire. Also, keep in mind that retirement is all or nothing. If you leave after 20 years but before you're 60, you get nothing.

Re:Pension equivalent to a new hire

[Anonymous Coward]

Since I'm a federal employee mechanical engineer I'll let you know my benefits since you can look them up anyway. I live in Orlando , FL and I am 40 years old with almost 20 years experience.. I'm a GS 13 Step 8. My base is $101k but with overtime I usually bring in about $110k. I pay $500 per month for my medical and dental which is one of the higher plans but I still pay copays and drugs are $75 for a 3 moth supply in the mail order.

The pension is 3 parts now. You pay SS tax like everyone else. You pay a couple hundred towards you pension a month. You get 1% per year of service of the average of your best 3 years. There are some bonuses for delaying retirement and some penalties for taking it early. Unlike the post below you are vested with 5 years of service even if you can't collect until you reach minimum retirement age. Then there is the TSP which is like a very basic 401k. There are about 5 funds you can put money into. You get 1% of salary for nothing and then are matched 100% on the next 4%.

Overall the benefits are are a little better than the contractors like Boeing that we work with but the pay is less. The biggest benefit is job security.

Re:Honest?

[Nidi62]

They're spies, aka liars, thieves and criminals.

You do realize that the National Clandestine Service (the actual "spies") is only one of 4 departments in the CIA, as well as the smallest department. Most of CIA is comprised of analysts, communications and support staff, and researchers/scientists. And even within the NCS, not every person is an officer, posted overseas and actively engaged in espionage. A lot of them are going to work at headquarters, working on the take brought in by the field officers.