[sngz]

I actually considered applying for the US Digital Services, I was okay with the salary decrease as long as I could continue to work fully remote, but they require you to work in DC. Telling ppl to take a huge pay cut AND to have to show up to the office is a huge ask.

[philsnow]

from https://www.usds.gov/faq :

> As of April 2023, we began formally hiring remote as well as DC (local) based employees who report in-person to our D.C. office or the agency they are partnering with.

I'm also fine with the salary decrease but at least with USDS they have you work a "tour" (like a tour of duty, I guess) which lasts between 3 months and 4 years. First, that's a little ambiguous; who decides the duration of the tour? It also feels like it would be off-putting to get to the end of your fourth year and it's your best-performing year so far, but you're just Logan's Run'ed out of there. Even more so because neither Congress nor the Supreme Court, nor the overwhelming majority of state Congresses, have term limits.

from https://www.usds.gov/how-we-work ,

> With tours of service lasting no more than four years, the U.S. Digital Service brings fresh perspectives on technology and delivery to the government.

Feels like " 'fresh perspectives' for thee but not for me".

[wslack]

Representatives have elections to determine how long they can serve; career civil servants have strong protections against firing but the downside is a challenging hiring process that can be very slow.

USDS's willingness to use term hires makes hiring folks in easier, in addition to ensuring that the office doesn't become stagnant.

[janeerie]

It was explained to me that they have to do the "tour" model (which is a minimum of 1 year, up to 4 years) because it is the only way they can bypass the usual lengthy government hiring process.

[sngz]

so what happens at the end of the tour? you get interviewed again? or are you barred from rejoining unless you do the lengthy government hiring process?

[janeerie]

I interviewed with them yesterday, and they hire fully remote also.

[sngz]

yeah I just learned from the other comment they changed this. But the tour model is another trade off they are asking for now.