On Sat, 01 May 2010 02:03:07 +0200, TC wrote:

> Now, don't confuse a US civil servant with a German one - our's don't
> pay income tax and get lots of money compared to a normal worker

Actually, in the US many civil servants are FICA-exempt (meaning they 
don't pay social security taxes) - because a government pension + Social 
Security would be seen as "double-dipping".

The kicker there is that if you end up working somewhere and are FICA-
exempt, apparently you can NEVER collect social security, even if 
afterwards you take a job in the private sector and have to pay into FICA.

Got a friend who works for a public university who is in such a situation 
- and his father-in-law nearly took a part-time teaching job at another 
university after 30+ years of working and contributing to social 
security, and he could've lost it all for a $1500 teaching gig over one 
semester.

But out of curiosity, are you considered a civil servant in Germany?  (I 
ask because I've a good friend who is, and just seems like a small world 
to run into two people in such positions <g>)

Jim

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