Re: Are the ATF examiners hiring assistants?
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Dr. Phil</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: m1garand30064</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Doogie</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nope, and when you look up usajobs and search ATF, they only have three listings, none of which seem to fit that type of work. </div></div>
That really does not mean anything. Right now there is a hiring freeze, which means they are not allowed to hire any FTE's (Full time equivalent, or full government) employees. However, they are allowed to hire contractors without going through the normal USA jobs/HR route. The difference is that they are not true federal workers as they are employed by someone else and do not receive government benefits.
I work at a government agency, and at least 1/3 of the employees here are contractors.
Makes sense right?
My guess is they are hiring these people as contractors in assistants roles. Their time as a contractor will be their training period and interview period so to speak. When the hiring freeze is lifted they will hire them on as full time FTE employees and convert them to examiners assuming they dont suck. That's the way we do things around here anyway. </div></div>
Contractors would be my bet as well.
They are pretty much always the "Go To" solution to what could be "Short Term" increases in work load.
How it usually works is that they identify an existing labor contract and exercise an "option" in order to add positions to it.
That is much quicker that soliciting for a new contract. (Especially a Services Contract…)
FWIW,
There is not a hiring freeze yet.
It is coming, but it is not in effect yet.
Last week we were told:
- Expect all of our contract support staff to dry up within a couple years.
- Expect Military promotions to come to a screeching halt,
- And it is likely that a RIF will occur to thin out the Civilian Work Force.
Pretty much the same stuff that happened in the early 90s.
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I cant agree with that. The ATF has been under the microscopes for awhile now. The NFA branch hit a hiring freeze about 9 months ago and they were telling us then to expect 2012 to be a slow year for tax stamp approvals because that had lost one examiner to retirement. They are stupid to not capitalize on the ATF/NFA because they are 1 of the 2 entities that bring in revenue for the government. They literally makes millions of dollars on tiny pieces of paper.... its crazy!
