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Return to Article: Retroactive civil service pay raise still in limbo

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  Well, here it is April 03 and still no pay raise. What is the problem? When do we get this retroactive pay or will it be like the gap bill that was supposed to put us in line with outside agencies. As I understand it that bill was passed and we still don't have that money either. Who is stonewalling these pay raises? Why isn't the civilian federal worker of any worth any more? We keep the President and all the government running and yet are treated as less than second rate citizens. I'm tired of it. I'm mad as hell and am not going to take it anymore. A class action lawsuit against the government should be taken to make them live up to their word and stop this discriminatory action against the civilian federal worker.

  GovExec.com reader Posted April 24, 2003 10:09 AM
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  Mr. Hoyer's comments demean the spirit of the federal employee. Many of us are veterans and serve in the government agencies to serve our fellow Americans. I am not concerned with the delay in my pay increase and even would give it up in efforts to assist our President and Country in this troubled time. Mr. Hoyer should spend more time considering the needs of the serviceman and woman who are today fighting for the Democratic way of LIFE.

  GovExec.com reader Posted March 26, 2003 9:27 AM
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  I completely disagree with House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, D-Md, when he stated: "This delay is a distraction that makes it difficult for employees to plan for their families and their future because they cannot be certain when they will receive the pay that they have been promised."

  I am a single mother and at this point in our country's history I do not think that my president taking care of our military first and foremost during wartime is difficult for me. If receiving this retroactive pay raise is going to affect my life to the point I expect my President stop what is going on so he can pay me money that I never expected in the first place, then I have major problems!!!

  Just wanted to voice my opinion. Mr. Hoyer's statements makes us sound very self-centered and selfish.

  Anonymous Posted March 24, 2003 2:07 PM
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  No one seems to be concerned about how long it will take the payroll offices to implement the retroactive pay raise. Each pay period that slips by makes it a more difficult job for the payroll offices to calculate the retroactive pay raise. If all agencies had to worry about was getting new pay tables from OPM, then it wouldn't be such a big deal, but that is not the case. Agencies have to determine how many employees left government employ, how many retired or transferred to other agencies, how many received promotion and step increases, etc. Once all of this has been determined they have to go back and recalculate their pay at the new rate and find the difference. Then for those that have left government employ, transerred to another agency, or retired supplemental checks must be issued. What about the employees that retired? Their annuities have to be recalculated based on the new salary rate and back pay issued. All of this takes time and increases the cost of doing business. So the delay is in effect costing the government more money then just the retroactive pay itself.

  GovExec.com reader Posted March 24, 2003 8:15 AM
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  As one of the 1.8 million federal employees referred to in the article, I am highly offended that Mr. Hoyer presents his "whining" as representative of all federal employees. The delay is not impacting morale with anyone I know and is not a "distraction that makes it difficult for employees to plan for their families and future."

  In fact, I find it difficult to believe that anyone's life is undergoing major financial hardship and creating an inability to plan for their futures due to a 1 percent pay increase! I believe the distraction we are all facing, including the Bush administration, is the fact that the fine members of our armed forces are in the midst of incredible danger and the state of world affairs is chaotic to say the least. Why Mr. Hoyer would want to present such a shallow view of federal workers I don't know, but I hardly think this is causing any kind of morale issues with federal workers. Speaking for myself, I have not spent one second thinking about it. There are indeed, more pressing issues to be concerned about at this time. To inquire about it, to keep things moving in a normal sense is one thing but this article was simple whining that is embarrassing to me as a federal worker.

  Norma Johnson Posted March 21, 2003 11:41 AM
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  How tough is this? Either approve the locality raises or the 1 percent increase. The locality raises have already been determined. Why the delay? For planning purposes, I would like to get an accurate picture of our payroll costs for the year. It would be a lot easier to do that if the rates were known and in effect.

  Milton Vasich Posted March 21, 2003 9:06 AM