My apologies if you or a family member are federal employees who actually work, but I will say that I have worked as a govt. contractor on a military base and have seen first hand quite a few federal employees who DON’T DO JACK SQUAT during their work day!
I’ve even watched several sit around, play solitare, read romance novels, surf the web, take LOOOONG lunches, leave early, endless smoke breaks, socializing, run a side business from their desks, etc.
I’ve heard several BRAG about how little they do when working the “owl shift” and how they play poker and sleep all night.
You work in the day time in a serious part of the federal government ~ not a warehouse on a military base ~ you will work. Government lawyers certainly exert as much effort as private sector lawyers. in fact, as a regular item there are guys who move back and forth from private practice to federal to private practice just for the purpose of learning what the issues really are in critical areas of future litigation.