Employee Benefits

The CFTC provides outstanding employee benefits and its salaries are comparable to those at other Federal financial regulatory agencies. The CFTC provides all Federal employee benefits and working at the CFTC provides additional benefits for its employees.

As a Federal worker, you will have generous annual and sick leave, paid Federal holidays, health care benefits, and retirement benefits.

Annual leave: Employees earn vacation or annual leave based on the length of their Federal service.

You can accumulate and carry over for use in future years up to 30 days of annual leave. If you have active military service, your years of active military service are added to your years of civilian service for purposes of leave accrual.

Sick leave: Employees can earn 13 days of sick leave each year regardless of years of service. Unused sick leave accumulates indefinitely.

Paid holidays: Employees receive ten paid holidays each year—New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King’s birthday, Presidents’ Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Health care benefits: You and your eligible family members can enroll in one of many health insurance plans through the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB). This voluntary program helps protect you from expenses of illness and accident and offers coverage without medical examination or restrictions due to age, current health, or pre-existing condition. Plans include fee-for-service, health maintenance organization, and point of service. Cost of enrollment is shared with the CFTC. You can change your enrollment at least once a year during FEHB’s annual open season. If you retire from Federal service, you may be eligible to continue these benefits into retirement. As a Federal employee, you are also covered by Medicare.

Federal employees are protected by the Federal Employees Compensation Act and may receive benefits if injured on the job.

Retirement benefits: The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), available to all new employees, has three basic components: Social Security, automatic enrollment in the Thrift Savings Plan, and a defined benefit element (basic annuity) based on years of service, pay level, and age of retirement. You pay full Social Security taxes and a small contribution to the basic annuity. The Thrift Savings Plan is a retirement savings and investment plan designed to provide retirement income for Federal employees. You may make tax-deferred contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan and a portion of your contribution is matched by the government.

Life insurance: You may purchase life insurance coverage through the Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI). FEGLI is a voluntary program offering low rates and the convenience of payment through payroll deduction.

Free dental insurance: CFTC employees receive free dental insurance for themselves and eligible family members.

Parking Program: The Pre-Tax Parking Benefit Program is an employee benefit that allows participants to voluntarily elect to have their estimated parking expenses excluded from their taxable earnings to cover qualified commuter parking expenses up to $250 per month – the current maximum allowed by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Transit Subsidy: The Commuter Transit Subsidy Benefits Program provides a non-taxable subsidy up to $250 per month to employees with qualified commuting costs to their official duty station.

Student Loan Repayment Program: The CFTC provides student loan repayment benefits to repay federally insured student loans depending on the availability of funds.

Fitness Centers: Employees in Washington, DC, Chicago and Kansas City have ready access to fitness facilities at no cost.

Family friendly work policies: The CFTC offers flexible work schedules, maternity and paternity leave, family and medical leave, and leave sharing.

Training and development: The CFTC offers in-house industry training programs; executive, management, and supervisory leadership programs; personal and career development programs, and counseling.

Employee assistance program: The CFTC’s Employee Assistance Program provides professional counseling services for CFTC employees who are experiencing personal problems that may affect them on the job. Services include assessment, referral, short-term counseling, and follow-up for help with personal issues, such as family and marital problems, substance abuse, stress, or depression. All CFTC employees may use the program at any time.