GS posting for Admin Asst w/Fed Govt....why does this wording scare me?

[Digit]

This means that all Agency employees may be asked or assigned to participate in rotating temporary duty assignments to support
emergency programs at some time during their careers with APHIS. It is difficult to predict the frequency with which such emergency situations may occur - and could range from several emergencies in a year to none over the course of many years. In the event that you are called upon to support an emergency program, this may require irregular working hours, including overtime, and may include duties other than those specified in your official position description. While some emergency program support assignments may be able to be performed at the employee's current duty station, in other cases employees may be asked to go on-site to a temporary duty station location. In addition, it may be necessary for employees to participate in multiple rotations to an emergency program assignment.
Attempts will be made to keep disruption to the employee to a minimum.

[Dookus]

1. I don't know

why does it scare you?

They're just telling you the truth about the job - emergencies may require extra work or travel.

[annabanana]

3. Wouldn't you be concerned if some of the places

where extra work and travel were required were in combat zones? And the wording leaves it open as a possibility.

[annabanana]

2. It SHOULD scare you.............

I sounds as if they're leaving the door open in case they need you to shore up some project that is ongoing "elsewhere" which could be anywhere for just about any amount of time.

There are a few scary things going on with the federal workforce. The entire GS system is being scrapped at DHS and being replaced with a system of pay and advancement that is wholly reliant on mangement review.

[CindyDale]

4. I don't really see anything spooky in it

unless I'm missing something.

Civil service employees have always had to be available for emergency situations so far as I know.

[annabanana]

5. they have, in specific parameters....

I don't see the parameters in that wording........

[chascarrillo]

7. Yep, sounds kosher

It's legalese wording that always sounds more ominous than it is. This is quite normal with government jobs.

[LiberallyInclined]

6. well...that's ONE way around a draft.

:bounce:

[MADem]

8. This job, or jobs, is one of those that is EP designated

This is common at overseas installations. A lot of recent retirees in certain civil service jobs used to do everything they could to be designated "essential." Better to be sitting in a base in the European or Pacific theater than off in the sandbox, reactivated.

You need admin types during emergencies, like natural disasters, terrorist attacks, and whatnot. It doesn't mean you'll be typing performance reviews in Baghdad.

APHIS is the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. If you have a huge outbreak of say, mad cow, or a threat against produce entering the US (Al Qua'eda claims they poisoned those Mexican avocados or chilean grapes, e.g.) you'll need support staff to assist investigators. If they know this is part of the job prior to being hired, they can't do the "I have kids, I can't get daycare, I can't go!" routine. It's similar to the Emergency forms that servicemembers are required to complete stating that they understand they could go at a moment's notice and have to have a plan in place to care for kids.

Frankly, I can't see them checking eggplants in the Baghdad bazaar...anyone who takes this job is unlikely to end up in a war zone. unless that war zone happens to be a US port of entry.

[Eloriel]

9. Another thread

Talk about a backdoor draft - NSPS is coming
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x107462

[Sal Minella]

10. You might get flown to Florida & be told to stand in the hall and

chant while people try to count ballots.....that was the first thing that crossed my mind.

[Digit]

11. Just seemed like almost a blank check to me.

Normally, yadda, yadda, yadda, but what does it SAY?
You can be assigned anywhere they want.
That is a contract as far as I am concerned and with this admin gone wild, it is scary indeed.
I think I will pass.

[MADem]

12. If you aren't prepared to accomodate the worst case scenario

...you're probably better off doing something else. And you know, whenever you cross your fingers and take a chance that it WON'T happen, it always does....!

[hector459]

13. Is this another "back-door draft?"

Could be used as one.