VA benefits?

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Farcus

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I hope someone who is currently working FT as a VA pharmacist currently can chime in for me

What are the perks?

1)I heard the pension was done away with and now its just 401k or is that false?
2)Do you still get vested after 20 year? What does vested mean? pension or just a 401k?
3)How is the pay initially? Do you start off at GS 12 or 13? What if you done a residency and clin 4)experience after residency? And Does everyone start off at step 1? Damn that is low thats like 71-75k for the first two years =O
5)How do you qualify for EDUCATION DEBT REDUCTION PROGRAM?
6)Any other perks?

Yes, I have searched I can't find any of these specific questions

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1)There is still pension, however people hired on or after 2014 pay 4.4% of their salary into it. The TSP (the VA version of 401k) is in addition to that.
2)No. You don't get pension automatically after 20 years in. I think you must reach a certain age. However, how much pension you get depends on how long you work with the VA, and you qualify after just 5 years, so if you work for the VA for 5 years then leave, you still get a small pension.
3)Depends on he hospital. My position at my current VA is a 12, while at some others it's a 13. I started at a 12-2 (residency added an extra step). BCPS gets you 2 extra steps (though I heard not all VAs follow the national guidance on this). Also keep in mind pharmacists are in the excepted service, so that payscale is higher than the regular GS payscale. Each individual listing on USAjobs has the pay range for that listing depending on what step you are.
4)I felt there should be a 4, despite you not including one :)
5)EDRP is specific to location and position. Not all positions have it. Usually it's written on the job announcement. With EDRP, I actually get pretty decent pay.
6) I should be getting 4 weeks vacation soon, since I'm 3 years in. Also 13 sick days and a few extra holidays. That's really about it.
 
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1)There is still pension, however people hired on or after 2014 pay 4.4% of their salary into it. The TSP (the VA version of 401k) is in addition to that.
2)No. You don't get pension automatically after 20 years in. I think you must reach a certain age. However, how much pension you get depends on how long you work with the VA, and you qualify after just 5 years, so if you work for the VA for 5 years then leave, you still get a small pension.
3)Depends on he hospital. My position at my current VA is a 12, while at some others it's a 13. I started at a 12-2 (residency added an extra step). BCPS gets you 2 extra steps (though I heard not all VAs follow the national guidance on this). Also keep in mind pharmacists are in the excepted service, so that payscale is higher than the regular GS payscale. Each individual listing on USAjobs has the pay range for that listing depending on what step you are.
4)I felt there should be a 4, despite you not including one :)
5)EDRP is specific to location and position. Not all positions have it. Usually it's written on the job announcement. With EDRP, I actually get pretty decent pay.
6) I should be getting 4 weeks vacation soon, since I'm 3 years in. Also 13 sick days and a few extra holidays. That's really about it.

Thank you for the prompt reply yeh should of have a 4, was 11 when i typed it hah

so regarding
1. Regarding #2 is there a cap? so you're saying how much pension depends on how long you work so there is no cap then?
2. Regarding #3 for inital pay if I'm bcps+residency+6/7 year experience would it pump you up a couple say 12-4/5? or does it just depends? what with the website saying there is a committee that reviews your profile and will then assess your paygrade/step?
3. Would doing a PGY2 automatically pump you to grade 13?
4. How rare is it to get a EDRP position? Are the EDRP usually really bad location that no one wants to go? or does it just depends? Does everyone get 120k for total of 5 year or does is there a cap?
5. I can't say I worked at or rotated at VA before but I do know most VA Clin RPh have a lot more authority relatively, so why do everyone say it sucks to work for VA? are they all really dirty and nasty? Sorry I really just don't know anything about VA. just trying to plan my career out for the future
6. Regarding #1, so I read FERS is a 3 tier system: Social Security that everyone gets , the TSP that is sort of like 401k match system of va, and also the basic benefit, what is the basic benefit? or is that the actual pension i was referring to?
7. Is it stressful being a specialist at VA or at least from your experience? I know other big teritiary centers its like doing residency perpetually thus high turn over
8. Do you get a lot of free time? 8 days off per week?

Thank again bacillus for your informative information, and did you do a PGY2 btw?
 
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Thank you for the prompt reply yeh should of have a 4, was 11 when i typed it hah

so regarding
1. Regarding #2 is there a cap? so you're saying how much pension depends on how long you work so there is no cap then?
2. Regarding #3 for inital pay if I'm bcps+residency+6/7 year experience would it pump you up a couple say 12-4/5? or does it just depends? what with the website saying there is a committee that reviews your profile and will then assess your paygrade/step?
3. Would doing a PGY2 automatically pump you to grade 13?
4. How rare is it to get a EDRP position? Are the EDRP usually really bad location that no one wants to go? or does it just depends? Does everyone get 120k for total of 5 year or does is there a cap?
5. I can't say I worked at or rotated at VA before but I do know most VA Clin RPh have a lot more authority relatively, so why do everyone say it sucks to work for VA? are they all really dirty and nasty? Sorry I really just don't know anything about VA. just trying to plan my career out for the future
6. Regarding #1, so I read FERS is a 3 tier system: Social Security that everyone gets , the TSP that is sort of like 401k match system of va, and also the basic benefit, what is the basic benefit? or is that the actual pension i was referring to?
7. Is it stressful being a specialist at VA or at least from your experience? I know other big teritiary centers its like doing residency perpetually thus high turn over
8. Do you get a lot of free time? 8 days off per week?

Thank again bacillus for your informative information, and did you do a PGY2 btw?

1. No. There's a formula and has no cap, but it's not a huge sum no matter how many years you put in. Here's the explanation: https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/fers-information/computation/
2. Yes there's a committee, and yes you can get bumped up depending on residency, BCPS and experience.
3. No. For example, our ID specialist position is a 12. I'm not sure why, as it's a 13 at other places. Also all our medicine/surgery people are 12s (none of us have PGY2, but these positions would still be 12s even if someone did). Just look at the posting. If it says it's a 12, it's a 12. No chance you'll go up to a 13.
4. 120k? Where'd that figure come from? The cap for my year was 60k, and that's the highest "bracket" of how much loans you owe. This money is disbursed over 5 years. I wish it were 120k. It really depends on the location if EDRP is approved, not all are bad. I am in a pretty nice location and have EDRP, but the VA in the large city 40 miles north does not have it.
5. Looooooots of red tape and mismanagement. Keep in mind our management gets paid way less than management in the private sector. We are really on a minimalist staffing model where people don't have time to eat lunch, take breaks, etc... Our VA is actually much cleaner than many private sector hospitals I've been to. The VA where I did my residency, however, was pretty dirty.
6. The 3rd tier is the pension.
7. Yep it's pretty stressful for me, but it really depends how the VA is staffed. We are on a hybrid model, so I have both clinical and staffing duties. It can also be stressful to navigate through red tape and mismanagement.
8. I work about 40 hours a week, though I stay a little late sometimes (without getting paid for it). We're not supposed to stay late as we're hourly, but everyone does it. Also I usually don't have time to take a full 30 minute lunch or any 15 minute breaks. I work every 2nd-3rd weekend and have random days off throughout the week if I work weekends. Weekend can be any shift, including graveyard.

I only did a PGY1, no PGY2.
 
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4. EDRP is now $120k over 5 years...it used to be $60k, so if you applied prior to 12/31/14, then you only got $60k approved over 5 years. Awesome benefit to help pay down student loans!! This $120k reimbursement has currently only been approved through 12/31/2019 though, so who knows what it will be after that. Get in while you can! See: http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/documents/choice-act-summary.pdf under "Training and Education." Employees currently participating in EDRP cannot reapply for new agreements though. See: http://www.disabledveterans.org/wp-...USH-All-Employee-Message-November-18-2014.pdf
 
4. EDRP is now $120k over 5 years...it used to be $60k, so if you applied prior to 12/31/14, then you only got $60k approved over 5 years. Awesome benefit to help pay down student loans!! This $120k reimbursement has currently only been approved through 12/31/2019 though, so who knows what it will be after that. Get in while you can! See: http://www.va.gov/opa/choiceact/documents/choice-act-summary.pdf under "Training and Education." Employees currently participating in EDRP cannot reapply for new agreements though. See: http://www.disabledveterans.org/wp-...USH-All-Employee-Message-November-18-2014.pdf

Whoa...nice! Wish I could reapply. Many hospitals are phasing it out for pharmacists though. I would say about half the hospitals participate.
 
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