Benefits of Service

Medical The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program can help you and your family meet your health care needs. Federal employees, retirees and their survivors enjoy the widest selection of health plans in the country.

Dental and Vision Dental and vision benefits are available to eligible federal employees, retirees, and their eligible family members on an enrollee-pay-all basis through the Federal Employees Dental/Vision (FEDVIP) Program 

Life Insurance The Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) provides group term life insurance, which consists of Basic life insurance coverage and three additional options. In most cases, if you are a new Federal employee, you are automatically covered by Basic life insurance and your payroll office deducts premiums from your paycheck unless you waive the coverage.

Long-term Care Insurance The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program helps pay costs when a person needs assistance with daily living. It covers skilled, intermediate and custodial care in the home, adult day care center, assisted living facility, nursing home, or hospice facility.

A flexible spending account, or FSA, is a type of savings account that provides the account holder with specific tax advantages offered to Federal employees that allows them to pay for medical expenses or dependent care. Depending on the extent of employee’s health care or dependent care costs, an FSA can help them save a lot of money on taxes, particularly since the list of eligible expenses has expanded in recent years.

The Federal Employees Retirement System, or FERS, is the retirement plan for all U.S. civilian employees. The plan covers all employees in the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of the federal government. Employees under FERS receive retirement benefits from three sources: the basic benefit plan, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).

A thrift savings plan (TSP) is a retirement investment program open only to federal employees and uniformed service members, including the Ready Reserve. It is a defined-contribution plan that offers participants many of the same benefits that are available to workers in the private sector. Participants in a TSP can get an immediate tax break for their savings; choose to invest in a Roth for freedom from taxes after retirement; put their money into any of six investing options; roll over a 401(k) and IRAs into a TSP when they leave the private sector to work in a public one and if they leave a public service job with a TSP, they can also roll it over to a 401(k) or IRA. Accounts are managed on the TSP webpage.

The General Schedule (GS) pay scale is the Federal government pay scale used to determine the salaries of over 70% of federal civilian employees. An employee's base pay depends on two factors - the GS Paygrade of their job, and the Paygrade Step they have achieved depending on seniority or performance. 

The Federal Government offers a wide range of leave options and workplace flexibilities to assist an employee who needs to be away from the workplace. These flexibilities include: sick leave, advanced annual leave / advanced sick leave,  Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), donated leave under the voluntary leave transfer program, leave without pay, alternative work schedules, credit hours under flexible work schedules, compensatory time off and telework. Agencies may also have a voluntary leave bank program.

Most government offices are closed on federal holidays. 

• New Year’s Day
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday
• Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday)
• Memorial Day
• Juneteenth                                          
• Independence Day (Fourth of July)
• Labor Day                                                    
• Columbus Day
• Veterans Day                                     
• Thanksgiving Day
• Christmas Day

The Flexible Work Options Program is part of the overall DOJ Worklife Program which promotes efficiency, productivity, and employee effectiveness by working to accommodate employee needs through one or more flexible work options. Flexible work options are not an employee entitlement but are encouraged to the extent that they sustain or enhance accomplishment of mission requirements. Components implement agency’s specific policies or guidance determining the availability of flexible work options based on operational needs or shift in the employee’s work performance.

The DOJ Employee Assistance Program (EAP) offers free and confidential assessments, short-term counseling, referrals, and follow-up services for its employees. EAP counselors may also work in a consultative role with managers and supervisors to address employee and organizational challenges. EAPs are aimed in assisting at work-related issues as well as providing counseling with problems outside of the workplace such as issues affecting mental and emotional well-being, such as coping with stress, grief, family problems, psychological disorders, and financial difficulties.

In some instances you may qualify for a transit subsidy to assist with your commute to work. The objective of the Transit Subsidy Federal employee assistance program is to reduce pollution and traffic congestion and to encourage federal employees to use public transportation on a regular and ongoing basis. Direct-hire (including part-time/interns) employees are eligible to participate. An employee must terminate participation in the Transit Subsidy Program if the employee has applied for or is currently in possession of a Department subsidized parking permit. Simultaneous enrollment in both programs is prohibited.

As an employee of the Department of Justice, you may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).  The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made the equivalent of 120 qualifying monthly payments under an accepted payment plan and while working full-time for an eligible employer. Learn more about PSLF!