Fed clerk paycheck Forum

[minnbills]

I am trying to do some budgeting, and want to know what the actual paycheck looks like for the typical JSP-11 in an urban area. I've seen the paytables so I have a pretty good idea of what I'll get, but want to see some real numbers too.

Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

Post tax - 1600-1700 every two weeks.

[Anonymous User]

I made around 1650 every 2 weeks in a medium-sized market with around a 20% locality pay adjustment. You might make more if you are in NYC or the Bay Area.

[minnbills]

K that's right on par with what I thought. Thanks!

[Anonymous User]

N.D. Cal. clerk here, I think we have one of the highest locality pay rates. I made just around ~1800 every two weeks as a JS-11, and after becoming a JS-12 I make just about ~2130. I think federal employees get a 1% pay bump via the new Cromnibus, so that'll add a couple bucks a check, but nothing noticeable.

[Anonymous User]

EDPA clocking in around $1650 / 2 week period.

[minnbills]

A follow up, what kind of tax refund do you get? I know that is highly variable but I am wondering if there is a typical range

[disco_stu]

Adding to Minnbill's question, it looks like fed clerks don't owe federal income tax in their stub year if they use the lifetime learning credit, correct? Can we claim to be exempt on the w4, or otherwise prevent federal withholding?

[Anonymous User]

A follow up, what kind of tax refund do you get? I know that is highly variable but I am wondering if there is a typical range

Doesn't that depend entirely on your withholdings?

[minnbills]

A follow up, what kind of tax refund do you get? I know that is highly variable but I am wondering if there is a typical range

Doesn't that depend entirely on your withholdings?

Yeah but I figure there is probably some consistency. I'm guessing most of us are only claiming 1 allowance or so

[BVest]

A follow up, what kind of tax refund do you get? I know that is highly variable but I am wondering if there is a typical range

Doesn't that depend entirely on your withholdings?

Yeah but I figure there is probably some consistency. I'm guessing most of us are only claiming 1 allowance or so

Done right your tax refund should be less than $300. Anything larger and you're doing it wrong.

[AreJay711]

When do you get the JSP-12 pay bump? Is it after a year total legal experience or after a year of clerking? I'm doing a SSC clerkship right now but the judge is probably going to retire before next term so I'll end up with 11 mo. of clerking before starting with the feds.

[A. Nony Mouse]

A year of total legal experience. I had to start at JS-11 and get bumped up after a couple of weeks, because I had ~50 weeks when I started.

[BVest]

When do you get the JSP-12 pay bump? Is it after a year total legal experience or after a year of clerking? I'm doing a SSC clerkship right now but the judge is probably going to retire before next term so I'll end up with 11 mo. of clerking before starting with the feds.

Perhaps one of the remaining judges could use the extra help for the remaining time?

[AreJay711]

When do you get the JSP-12 pay bump? Is it after a year total legal experience or after a year of clerking? I'm doing a SSC clerkship right now but the judge is probably going to retire before next term so I'll end up with 11 mo. of clerking before starting with the feds.

Perhaps one of the remaining judges could use the extra help for the remaining time?

Yeah, I should probably start asking around. I have a few months full-time experience before starting, but I might as well be working (it's not like I'm saving anything).

A year of total legal experience. I had to start at JS-11 and get bumped up after a couple of weeks, because I had ~50 weeks when I started.

Thanks as always! You're such a great resource on these boards.

[Anonymous User]

Don't know if anyone will have insight on this but figured it was worth asking: I am currently at a firm and will be starting a clerkship this year. My firm put me on payroll almost immediately after I graduated, even though I spent my first few months just studying for the bar (I had to bill my time spent studying every week to a nonbillable number, and had to make sure I put down at least 35 hours a week so I could be considered "full-time" for insurance purposes). I then started reporting to the office regularly, for work, the day after Labor Day. Will those couple months that I was on payroll (but only studying for the bar) count toward "years of experience?" If not, then I won't hit the next "years of experience" bump until about a month into my clerkship because I am leaving my firm a month and a half before the clerkship so I can travel.

(I know TCR is to, at some point, ask the Judge, but I'm not going to bug him with this in January).

[rpupkin]

Don't know if anyone will have insight on this but figured it was worth asking: I am currently at a firm and will be starting a clerkship this year. My firm put me on payroll almost immediately after I graduated, even though I spent my first few months just studying for the bar (I had to bill my time spent studying every week to a nonbillable number, and had to make sure I put down at least 35 hours a week so I could be considered "full-time" for insurance purposes). I then started reporting to the office regularly, for work, the day after Labor Day. Will those couple months that I was on payroll (but only studying for the bar) count toward "years of experience?" If not, then I won't hit the next "years of experience" bump until about a month into my clerkship because I am leaving my firm a month and a half before the clerkship so I can travel.

(I know TCR is to, at some point, ask the Judge, but I'm not going to bug him with this in January).

First, I'm not sure that "asking the Judge" is always the TCR when it comes to matters of compensation. Many judges don't really know what their clerks make. Shortly before your clerkship starts, you will likely be contacted by a personnel/HR employee from the court. That employee will be the best person to ask about your classification. If you need to figure this out right now, I suppose you could email your judge's JA, who could ask HR for you.

To answer your main question: based on my experience, a new clerk self-reports prior work experience. If you put down that you started working at your law firm in June, then the feds will probably start counting your experience from that point forward.

Were it me, I would probably state that I started work in September--it seems misleading (if not dishonest) to represent that you worked at the law firm prior to that point. But I don't think you would get in any trouble if you indicated that you started work in June (or whenever your law firm put you on its payroll).

[Anonymous User]

Former clerk. Do not call your judge. Call HR at your court (it's fine to do this directly without going through the JA). They will be able to answer this.

[seizmaar]

the only reason i could see them dishonoring that time is because you weren't barred, but you should just research that man. your HR person will probably be unhelpful and you should go in prepared or you might get railroaded. and, yea, don't ever bother your judge with these wage-worker concerns.

[A. Nony Mouse]

FWIW, the HR person where I clerked was completely helpful, and you didn't have to be barred for the legal work to count - it just had to be legal work post-graduation. They were very willing to work with me, I just didn't have enough legal work to get the bump before I started. Different districts can do things a little differently, but there's no need to go in expecting to get railroaded.

And yes, talk to HR and not the judge, but ultimately the judge will have to be willing to sign off on the bump from JS-11 to -12 (at least, if you don't come in at -12), so keep that in mind.