GovernmentExecutive.com

A Senate committee late Thursday approved a bill granting civilian federal employees a 2008 pay raise of 3.5 percent, a figure equal to the amount approved by the House late last month.

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted in favor of the raise as part of the fiscal 2008 financial services appropriations bill (H.R. 2829). The adjustment is half a percent higher than the increase proposed by the Bush administration, which recently issued a policy statement opposing the additional 0.5 percent on the grounds that it is unnecessary.

The adjustment also is identical to the amount recently authorized by the House for members of the military.

Approval of the raise drew praise from federal labor unions, which have been lobbying for parity between civilians and the military, and for a raise higher than the president's request.

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley lauded the committee for adding "its important voice to those members of Congress calling for a 3.5 percent federal pay raise" and recognizing "the important role played by fair and competitive pay in the ability of federal agencies to attract and retain high-quality employees, particularly in the continuing competition with the private sector for such employees."

The bill also would provide $27.5 million for the Office of Personnel Management's retirement systems modernizations project. The funding, which is $12.5 million above the president's request, would be used to shift paper-based employee retirement records to an electronic system.

COMMENTS

• I don't know what black magic is used to determine what share of the pot goes to locality pay, but typically Houston got a bigger share than most. Last year however, Houston got the second smallest share and barely beat out the RUS. But let's hope that Congress prevails and the 3.5% average raise survives. It's a shame that it takes an act of Congress to get a fail COLA. Jonathan Miller Posted August 7, 2007 11:17 AM
• This 3.5% increase is the COLA for 2008 and would be effective next January. This bill is not yet a reality, it must go through committee as part of one of the larger appropriations bill for FY08. This COLA will include the locality pay as well. General raise will be about 3.1 or 3.2% for RUS with other locality areas like Houston getting closer to 4%. Roger Mathews Posted July 16, 2007 11:06 AM
• This pay raise may be a good thing for some, but what about all the people whose job's are being contracted out to people like DLA? What kind of job security do we have? Pay raies or no pay raise this is wrong! JUDYJIMENEZ Posted July 16, 2007 9:01 AM