Obama to propose 1 percent pay hike for federal employees

Washington Post ^ | 2/08/13 | Joe Davidson

[Libloather]

President Obama will propose a 1 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees in the administration’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal, the Washington Post has learned.

At the same time, the House plans to vote soon on legislation that would extend the current freeze on basic pay rates through the end of calendar 2013. The freeze was originally set for two years and scheduled to expire at the end of last year, but it was extended until a temporary budget measure expires next month.

When the measure expires, federal employees will receive a 0.5 percent raise for the remainder of 2013, unless blocked by congressional action.

[tanknetter]

I think the government has made the pay issue intentionally complex to confuse the issue. there are step increases, colas, adjustments for where you live. So this would be 1% on top of that.

I agree with the point about making the issue confusing. On the others:

Step increases: one step every year through Step 4, then every two years through Step 5 or Step 6. Then every three years until a Govie hits Step 10. At that point, if they are in the top grade for their position then no more step increases. There are multi-grade positions (so GS5-GS8) and it's possible to jump a grade per year until the highest grade. But once that person reached GS8 Step 10 they're done for automatic increases.

COLAs. No such thing for Govies. At least automatically. Functionally, this .5% increase followed by a 1% IS the COLA. I know a LOT of pretty Liberal Govies (a good number of Conservatives as well), and they get ticked off when reminded that the best President for government employees in terms of salary increases in the last couple decades was George W. Bush.

Locality Adjustment. This is set by OPM and linked directly to a number of set factors and indicators relating to local cost of living. So if the indicators all point to Washington DC having a 15% higher cost of living than "base", then the Govies working within the DC Metro Area get a 15% increase to their salaries.

One of the big problems, as I see it, is how Govie retirement is calculated. It's based party on an average of the top three years, salary/dollar-wise. It isn't based on Grade/Step and retirement-locality. So there's a LOT of incentive for Govies to try to get into a place like Washington (with it's significant locality adjustment) for their last three years, then bug out to a much lower cost-of-living location ... where they'll draw retirement pay based partly on what their upward-adjusted Washington-area salary was.

[Cvengr]

The only thing more frustrating than facing the 20% pay cut is being forced to prepare contracts which pay sidewalk sweepers at twice our salary.

[andyk]

I guess this is the kind of analysis I was thinking of.

[hinckley buzzard]

1% raise is BS but it sends the wrong message. Any ethical admin would never even have suggested it.

[napscoordinator]

Wow. Surprised you can remember ten minutes ago. I could care less what you think. You have no idea what you are talking about anyway especially with regards to this subject. You don't pay my bills so your opinion means diddly and I certainly will discuss whatever topic I feel like discussing. So don't go giving me your nonsense about which topics I can speak on and which I shouldn't. Suddenly you desire to live in North Korea or something.

[hinckley buzzard]

Be aware that federal employees make roughly twice what their equivalents make in the private sector. Not to mention the security of government employment, lavish benefits like at least ten paid holidays, paid sick leave , and extensive paid vacation.

I guess "big bucks" is all in how you define it. Maybe for union sucks, the UAW is better, but not by much these days.

[napscoordinator]

The reason the private sector is so low is because we don’t count every swinging dick like you folks do. We don’t have McDonald’s workers and other such types to lower our overall average. Heck you guys have a bunch of welfare folks dragging your average down. Government workers have no such types.....The lowest paid worker makes 21 thousand....your lowest wage earner is about 12,000....Cook the books and you will find whatever result you need. Let’s not even start with Education......That would really make you guys sad.

[RegulatorCountry]

It must be the stress of being poor that causes you to come across as being so rude and snappish, bless your heart. I forgive you. That federal pay and benefit package really sucks, Or so I hear. From you, lol.

[1rudeboy]

Just going from what I read here.

[Pentagon Leatherneck]

Well yes. I agree that people still continue to get promoted on merit. Just like a plumber’s helper progressing to apprentice to journeyman to master. Do you see something wrong with merit promotions?
TC

[napscoordinator]

Rude? Never have I seen so many nasty people complain about a profession that was available to everyone. I do believe that everyone at 18 or 22 was able to decide what they wanted to do when they began working. Some picked professions that are obviously repulsive to you. Well guess what? That is life. And yes the federal pay does suck! But again some of us chose it and are dealing with it. but when you silver spoon types get jealous, it is nauseating.

[Jack Hammer]

Of course - everyone in the United States is out of work thanks to this *sshat, so... raise federal salaries.

Makes an Obama kinda sense.

[RegulatorCountry]

You’re just a pig poor-talking your own trough in the hopes that nobody notices and takes it away, napscoordinator. I suppose it’s human nature. A pretty base side of it and very surprising on this sie of all places, but human nature just the same.

You should be suffering a pay CUT right now, and a fairly substantial one, not a raise. Intead you’re out trying to bamboozle the yahoos about how little Federal employees such as yourself are paid.

Yes, we all agree, Federal employees are quite the bargain. Why, they’re the very model of fiscal restraint and probity. /s

[napscoordinator]

Your just pissed that someone doesn’t agree with you 100 percent. Tough!!!

[trisham]

More loyal voters. This is an outrage.

[Fzob]

in the administration’s fiscal 2014 budget proposal

Does this mean Obozo is actually going to send a budget plan to Congress next year?

Also this plan to increase pay 1% will go nowhere. It is simply fodder for the masses trying to convince the sheep that he is serious about spending cuts. Once 2014 rolls around his union buddies will get what they want.

[Cringing Negativism Network]

So he intends us to spend even more, now that we’re almost to 17 trillion in debt?

INCREASE spending?

[kevao]

How many of you critics of feds are facing a 20% pay cut right now?

Out here in the private sector, we're facing not just pay cuts, FRiend, but JOB CUTS! It is freaking *brutal* out here! How much of the Federal work force has been laid off during the past five years?

If government employees really think we're so flush out here in the private sector, that we're paid more and that we have more job security than our Fed counterparts, then they should come out and join us here in private-sector wasteland!

[hal ogen]

But that’s stretchin’ it.

[New Jersey Realist]

Sure, threaten to withhold my SS and military retirement checks so you can pay your base. I’m OK with that! /s/