Pros
-Mission is not evil
-Health insurance
-Staff union
Cons
-Middle and upper management are, for the most part, the most incompetent people you will ever meet. It's amazing how some of these people were hired, especially in the political/legislative affairs department.
-A few people here and there are dedicated to the mission, but for the most part management is indifferent to the struggles of working people. It is heartbreaking to see people who get paid more than you not care about the people that we serve.
-The internal politics are unbearable. The infighting between departments, the backstabbing, and the bad-mouthing all contribute to one of the most toxic organizations in DC.
-The office culture is about 50 years behind the rest of the city. 5 days in the office, needing permission to do every little thing--at one point there was even a hall monitor that walked from office to office to make sure people were there!
-Most departments do not have a way to move up and because bad managers tend to stay in one place for many years, people often become stuck in roles that they begin to resent over time.
-Bad managers will never get fired. Any position that does not manage another person is subject to job termination, abusive behavior from management, or utter indifference to a job well done.
-Good work is rarely recognized