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President Bush issued an executive order Wednesday officially implementing a 4.1 percent average pay raise for civilian federal employees in 2004.

Congress passed the raise in its 2004 omnibus appropriations bill, which Bush signed into law Jan. 23. The raise could not go into effect, however, until the president issued the executive order to implement it. Federal employees have been receiving a 2 percent pay raise in the first few months of 2004 based on a stopgap executive order Bush issued on Dec. 30, 2003.

Under Bush's order, 2.7 percent of the 2004 raise will go to an across-the-board salary increase and 1.4 percent will be devoted to locality pay.

In connection with the order, the Bush administration issued official pay tables showing how the raise would be implemented in various federal pay systems, and the rates of locality pay in metropolitan areas around the country.

Federal employees will still have to wait for individual agencies to adjust their pay systems to implement the raise. Last year, when there was a similar delay in implementing the raise, some employees didn't receive their full raises until the late spring.

In his fiscal 2004 budget request, Bush sought a 2 percent pay raise for civil servants and a new $500 million Human Capital Performance Fund to reward top civilian federal workers. At the same time, the administration proposed a 4.1 percent pay raise for military personnel.

In January, Congress rejected that formula and provided both civilian and military personnel with a 4.1 percent increase.

House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md., criticized the delay in issuing the order.

"It is unfortunate that it took so long for the administration to issue this executive order," Hoyer said. "The order should have been issued immediately following the president signing the omnibus appropriations bill into law."

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley criticized Bush in late February for delaying the order, saying that Bush "needs to do what Congress has authorized." The American Federation of Government Employees Thursday issued tongue-in-cheek praise for the order.

"AFGE is glad that the president finally found the time to pay the people who work for the public good every day," AFGE President John Gage said.

Bush is now locked in a struggle with Congress over the fiscal 2005 pay raise. The White House and a cadre of House Republicans have said that the country cannot afford to give federal civilian and military workers an equal 3.5 percent pay raise. Other lawmakers are adamant that pay parity be provided. Senate Budget Committee Chairman Don Nickles, Okla., included language in his proposed fiscal 2005 budget resolution that requires equal pay raises for military personnel and civil servants.

COMMENTS

• At the risk of plagiarizing, let me note again what was posted in a different thread: "A check of the facts reveals that in addition to the basic pay our military personnel receive, they also get a housing allowance, access to a free mess hall, free medical, subsidized dental, 30 days of leave, access to free travel, access to the commissary and exchange -- some of these things not only for themselves, but for their dependents as well, in some cases continuing into retirement. They also get to come and go as they please, because they work 24/7 so they don't have to take time off when they have an errand to do during the day. There is a significant percentage of our military that has never been deployed and have worked their entire careers (oh yeah, they can retire after 20 years) in an office environment away from combat. The basic pay may be different, but there is greater financial compensation for the military. " Pardon my french...but many of you smack from a lack of perspective! If you think the military gets overpaid...why don't you JOIN the military? If you think the military has it so easy...I invite you to come stay with us at the most mortared camp in Iraq. If you think a retirement after 20 years is simply TOO much...I invite you to do some research and you'll discover that the average retirement annuity is only paid for 10 years after retirement. (Obviously these retired soldiers are dying from a cushy lifestyle that 20 years of service has provided..right? If you think it's unfair...why don't you QUIT your underpaid, overworked and underappreciated jobs. For the record...I am a mobilized Reserve soldier. Spending 365+ away from my family. I am also a civilian government employee when I'm not mobilized. Bottom line, if you work for corporate America do you gripe about your pay or benefits if it is so apparently not befitting your superior skills? No! You find a new job. Deployed Officer Posted August 27, 2004 4:17 AM
• I do the budgets, and we have been given guidance that future raises will be 1.5%. I would recommend that all civil service personnel think hard prior to voting. ABB D. R. N. (Dis-illusioned) Posted March 25, 2004 8:39 AM
• The tricky part about this is the raise will be from 4.1%, but my pay will increase only 2.48%. I want evey dime I'm owed. Don't mention 4% if everyone doesn't get it! GovExec.com reader Posted March 17, 2004 1:30 PM