Return to Article: OPM projects potential locality pay rates
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41247
I'm tired of people telling me if I don't like my job with the FAA to quit and get a private sector job. I used to really enjoy my job but today it's different. The working conditions inside the FAA have been deteriorating for years. Many of those at the top of the FAA ladder are clueless as to what thier actions have created for those at the bottom (technicians). Doubling a persons workload and not back filling open slots with trained personel (my office) is a poor way to save money. My stress level has peaked and it's only a matter of time before I stroke out.
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41048
There's a misconception that the COLA is based strictly on cost. The reason places like Houston get what appear to be too high of COLA is that it's tougher to recruit qualified folks in that geographic region covered. That said, the GS system was just as good as far as accountability/performance etc as NSPS. NSPS basically saves the government money at the expense of employees.....
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40642
It is true the pay raise factors are not realistic. The cost of living index is not used to factor pay by the federal government. The feds compares the wage rate of the private sector and determines the increase. I lived in Miami-Dade County. You can't by a house there. The required insurance and property tax cost more than the principal and interest. I also lived in Houston, Tx; there the cost of housing and living is so cheap. It is ridiculous that the federal pay in Houston is so high compared to other higher cost of living cities. The private sector accounts to a greater degree the true costs of living. That is why the feds will alway lag behind the private sector in recruitment, retention and pay.
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40610
NSPS pay for performance? I don't think so. I was a GS-12 step 4. In December 07 I applied for a Team lead position which was a 13 step 1. Unfortunatlly, our Agency changed the 13 positions to YA-1102-2. I got the job but because it is considered a lateral move instead of a promotion I was limited to only receive a 5% increase which makes my pay about $3,500 less than the 13 step 1. let me see...I am doing the job of a 13 step 1 but getting paid as a 12 step 5 under NSPS. Is it me or is there a problem with the system?
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40566
Just have to love the NSPS. Here is a pay system that in theory is great but once again the Army stands proud in it's inate ability to prostitute sound reasoning. Better pay for better performers is not what they want. The suck ups still flourish and those who are left with the work load are just absolutely grateful to receive the full annual cost adjustments. HOOAAH!!! DOD needs to add layer of surveillance to this system that will make pay pool members accountable.
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40557
The whole system needs to be revamped. There is no way that this Locality system is based on cost of living. Houston, TX gets one of the highest locality pays yet it's more akin with rest of the US in the cost of living.
I've been to 3 different locations within the Rest of the US locality pay and I can tell you that the differences are quite signifigant. In one area, houses were about twice the price.
They should have a true COST OF LIVING locality pay instead of whatever it is they have now.
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40534
I will never understand. In the military when they say you are getting a raise you get it. As a government employee they say you are getting a 3.5% pay raise, but wait a mintue. Because of were you live we are not going to give it to you, you get 2.99%. Simple solution, if you say 3.5% raise then then that what you should get. Then add on any locality pay. I am a dedicated goverment employee, I do like my job. This the only fair way to give pay raises.
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40497
I do AGREE that Eddie is indeed confused about Alaska. For his information, federal employees no longer receive 25% COLA. COLA is reduced by a percentage every year till in drops to 15-17%. We don't get locality pay and the GS pay fed employees received is the All other rates which is the lowest rates compared to the lower 48.
I was just wondering, did you benefit from the PFD? Now that you are no longer working / living in Alaska, did you maintain your Alaska Resident status to receive your PFD? If you did, shame on you and hopefully the IRS and State take you to court. You are not a true Alaskan and don't pretend to be an EXPERT in Alaska economy.
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40451
Eddie - Alaska will get a 2.5 raise because we don't get locality pay. We are also taking a 1% reduction in COLA each year. Do the math - we get a 1.5% raise. With inflation we are going backwards.
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40019
I am a bit confused by everyone who posts that living in Alaska costs so much. I lived there for a few years recently and found it in generaly to cost less than much of the US. In addition, I recieved a 25% tax free COLA, oil money, did not pay any income tax or sales tax, and home prices were less than other locations I have been to.
I made more money in Alaska than I have in any other part of the US.
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38759
Military get housing in allowance federal employees who are civilians don't have any assistance. Home prices are being driven up by military here in Alaska which makes it harder for the civilian government employees to afford anything. We are doing a service and should receive some benefits too.
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38758
I live in Alaska and have worked for a large private hospital and for the VA. Even with the COLA or Locality Pay, government employees are paid far less then they would be if they were doing the same job in the private sector. It is also harder to move up through the system and you have to wait two years for a step increase when you are a step four to eight.
I am a single mother, nurse and have to work two jobs because reality is, it costs a lot more to live in Alaska. Either way it isn't much.
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38474
Many people are starving, dying from weather conditions and working two or three jobs to make ends meet. The Government employees recieve yearly raises not including WGI. In my oppinion I am fortunate to have a good paying stable job that provides for my children and myself, and it really doesn't matter the size of my COLA. There are some private sector employees who have to work three jobs to make what I make at a GS 7. So I am blessed.
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37681
All of you people crack me up. It shows that many people on here have never worked a day in the civilian side. We have it made..You should all be thankful you have a stable job. Also wait till all of you get off the GS scale like those of us in the FAA, You think you have it bad now.HAHA (no step increases,no explanation of pay structure)only raise you ever get is cola.
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36850
Why is it that no matter what the COLA is everyone gripes about how it's not enough. Many of you folks need to just take the COLA and be happy. There are tons of people in the private sector that make less to begin with, have less vacation, no benefits, work harder than their federal equivalents and get no COLA. Yes, there are plenty of positions in the private sector that pay more (for certain fields). If you are that unhappy at your federal job why don't you just leave and make room for someone that would appreciate it.
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36725
I moved to DC from Philadelphia and began working for the government in May. Based on just about any index, the cost of living in DC is higher than it is in Philadelphia, yet federal employees in Philadelphia earn more. That should be rectified (and not by lowering wages in Philadelphia).
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36593
Next year's pay increase for DC will be a godsend. I still won't qualify for a mortgage that will buy me a home, though. That will only be due to the fact that I'm single and don't have the dual income required to live in something larger than a shoebox.
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36577
It's too bad that the COLA doesn't factor in the annual wage of the employee & how far they have to drive to the doctor, household shopping, and have any car maintenance done.
Living in the "rest of the US" on a GS-7 wage, traveling 2 hours for a doctor appointment or to have your car oil changed, along with living in a mountain resort town where "everything" is inflated, puts a single mother at a big disadvantage when trying to keep the bills paid. The COLA percentage for a GS-7 doesn't even come near to covering inflation (This is what happens when working in a predominately women's job in the Federal Government)
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36557
I believe that the Feds in DC deserve a substantial increase in pay. When compared to our private counterparts we are paid much less. The Washington Metro Area is very expensive to live. Our commutes are one of the most long and difficult (lets not talk about commuting during bad weather.) What we really need is a improved hiring and firing to ensure that government service is the best that it can be!!!
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36527
You shouldn't be shocked Molly, traditionally it's been the norm in D.C. to give promotions to allow for the high cost of living in D.C. This has resulted in a whole bunch of inflated GS jobs in the capitol area. Most people in the rest of the country will never see gs-12 as is the norm for D.C. You would be shocked to see the normal GS-5 to GS-9 pay that we do.
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36395
I'm shocked that anyone could seriously begrudge DC employees a pay raise. I recently moved from DC to a city where the average home price is less than half the average home price in DC and I got a locality pay increase with the move. DC employees are drastically underpaid in comparison to their cost of living
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36139
To all those who claim that "Washington, DC has been given a higher comparability adjustment than ... warranted" and "there needs to be ... a much more impartial allocation mechanism than is presently the case": FYI, thanks to the anti-federal civil servant crowd during the Reagan Admn, the Washington, DC metro area was "expanded" to include--besides DC & the high cost surrounding counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Montgomery, & Prince Georges--another thrity-five (35!) LOWER COST counties stretching to rural WV (Berkeley, Hampshire, Jefferson & Morgan), VA (Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Frederick, King George, Spotsylvania, Warren & Winchester City), MD (Calvert, Carroll, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Queen Anne's, St. Mary's & Washington) and PA (Adams & York). As a result, over the last 25 years DC-metro-based feds have experienced significantly lower locality adjustments than would have been the case in the pre-Reagan era, when DC's outlying lower cost areas were not figured into the DC area locality calculation.
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36070
This is the second year in a row that the Washington, DC has been given a higher comparability adjustment than would have been warranted by the otherwise applicable allocation formula for dividing the discretionary portion of the increase. The Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia locality pay area received an overall 2.64% increase in January 2007, which was increased by reducing the otherwise allocable increases for most of the other locality pay areas, and now it's happening again. The problem here is that there is an obvious conflict of interest; those making these allocation decisions reside predominantly if not solely in the Washington area, and it's obviously in their interest to increase that locality pay area's slice of the "pie." There needs to be some greater accountability and transparency in this process, and use of a much more impartial allocation mechanism than is presently the case.
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36055
I still don't get the federal government. If congress passes a 3.5 percent pay raise then we should get a 3.5 percent pay raise. Everytime this happens they put so much into locality pay and we end up getting less then what was passed. I think last year it came out to one percent less then what was approved. But then again health care will go up for us more then the 3.5 percent this year.
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36043
People really don't what locality pay was devised for. It had nothing to do with the cost of living where you lived, rather it was a way for the government to give an incentive to get employees to go where finding qualified applicants was difficult. A perfect example of this was Southern California inteh 90's. San Diego County recieved an 11.5% COLA while Riverside County, where the cost of living was about 1/3 less, received 16%. But San Diego had lots of jobs filled with the Navy and all of it's civilian support personnel. Riverside was more sparsely populated and therefore, on paper, had fewer position filled there. So you see, COLA's have very little to do with what it costs in your particular geographic area. I'm not saying it's right, it just is.
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35998
All of you complaining about how grateful folks should be for gov jobs, and how much worse it is in the private sector need to remember one thing. TWO WRONGS DON'T MAKE A RIGHT.
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35980
Amanda - "Rest of US" is lowest, not Cincinnati. There are a lot of pricey cities that get lumped in with RUS.
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35937
Las Vegas - The best kept secret in the West is out! Housing is up and the population has tripled. cost of living had tripled in addition, so why is Las Vegas still lumped in with the RUS? It is time to establish their own locality rate!
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35930
As someone with 29 years of civilian federal employment and 1 year till retirement (yippee) I can honestly say I'm thankful to have a federal job. My son is 27 years old, works in the private sector, makes too little to afford health insurance, earns only 1 sick day and 1 personal day per quarter, and punches an actual timeclock. Thank God for Uncle Sam!
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35908
First, the price of insurance keeps going up, so with the pay raise - my 3 kids can keep going to the doctor. Second, I worked hard to get where I am and take a lot of cuts in other areas to work for the government. I have worked in the private sector so I do know the difference and I do know what I am giving up. Finally, if you want to complain, complain about the extreme raises government officials get and grow up, get a real job.
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35897
Where is the data for determining the locality pay rates. Cincinnati is by far not the cheapest city in the nation to live in; yet the proposed pay rate is the lowest of all the Cities posted. EXPLAIN THAT ONE!
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35892
Amanda, since I probably am the type-A, control freak my spouse thinks I am, I can agree with you that many of the choices we make are not essential and could better made. In general, we control our destiny despite temporary setbacks. We "manage" our budgets, families, lifestyles, and retirement through choices and actions or their lack. Personally, I am thankful for this increase; and yet fearful of the economic impact that the impending NSPS will have.
I also agree with John K and Name Withheld. Everyone seems to think their situation is the worst and there is much confusion as to what this increase actually is. Is it a cost of living (COL) or an employment cost index (ECI)? But what difference does it make to those truly in need? As stated before, I'm been concerned about those in the GS 7 and below category, which comprise half of our population. While this demographic is not the target population of GovExec, what causes the tree tops to shake can uproot the tree. Those on high can't do their job, and get those fabulous bonuses, without their support troops. But it's getting harder for those troops to tread water, hear many of them.
Perhaps I dwell on my past too often, but I keep thinking about the number of single income, single heads-of-households. Yes, that too was a choice. But the facts are that one income used to be good enough; well, enough to survive on and, with planning, maybe prosper a little. Those facts are changing. Our financial reality is mutating with costs denied by the publicly touted low inflation rate. The crisis is being denied by the recalculation of the inflation factor when it leaves out the escalating cost of universal basics like food and fuel. I ask you to check what factors comprise the CORE CPI being used, what is not, and the logic of why. Consider the contradiction in the current mortgage crisis actually bringing affordable housing within many folk's reach.
Nationally, there are both bright and dark spots in the economy. Everyone's circumstance is different; and while more visible to themselves, normally the result of choices they made. But all this fuss is only going to worsen with the implementation of NSPS; to the Nth degree, and with justification.
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35836
Since when is it the job of the United States to ensure government employees receive enough money to pay their bills??? You all live in a time of unparalleled wealth even for middle to low income families. Bills to high? Don't swipe that little plastic thingy so much and actually save some of your dough. Live in an area that's too expensive? How bout cashing out some of that equity you've received on that house of yours to help out with rising costs? Hurting in retirement? How bout realizing your a memeber of an extremely small club that has a guaranteed paycheck. The complainers on this sight do nothing but represent all that's bad about government workers. Grow up, take care of yourself, and quit relying on somebody else to pay for your chosen path. God help us if you're teaching your kids these same values.
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35817
Paul,
The 4.49% for DC is not a typo nor bad math. The 3.5% increase is an average over all the localities, which is why you see, for example, that with a 3.0% increase, the denver area sees 2.93% not 3.0%. So while the average increase is 3.0% or 3.5%, the increase in an individual locality can be more or less than that amount.
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35805
Mr. Ketter, the taxpayers subsidize all of Gov't, not just fed employees. The private sector gives exorbitant raises to executives while not giving much of a pay raise to their employees, even if the company loses money. Should the actual workers of this country be forced to pay higher product costs to subsidize the executives standard of living?
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35795
Whaa, Whaa, Whaaa. If you don't like the pay and benny's leave, go out in the civilian market place and go to work. I was there for 35 years, and I can tell you this, I was never given raises like I have received with the Fed. I didn't get a COLA or locality pay, period. My health insurance wasn't 3/4 paid for by any of my previous employers. I didn't get a ton of leave and sick days like I have now and when I left my last civilian job I got a lump sum total of $729.00 for 19 plus years as a retirement My wife who is a nurse, a job in high demand, got an excellent evaluation this year and received a whopping $.37 an hour raise. Even being in the RUS, I'm looking at over $2.00 an hour with my performance raise and my Cola.
Should it have been more, I think so, but I'm well satified with what I have, and I appreciate what I got. I work hard and I earn what I'm paid. I know I'll take a hit when I retire on my COLA's but I've planned for that. Maybe you should too.
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35789
Thanks, Dan. I've wondered for quite some time about your perspective and now know that your profound pronunciations are not based on practical knowledge. You are not of us, but merely here to criticize. Thanks for clearing that up. Once more, the private sector is not the same as the government. We are not (supposedly) either profit based nor political; and yet we must justify every penny, "play the games" to accomplish our missions, and struggle with limited resources to do our jobs.
I would like to see some research on the level of participation of ALL FERS employees in the TSP. I suspect large numbers of those at or below the median level (GS 7, step 9 IAW the Federal Fact Book, 2005) either do not participate or participate at a much lower level due to finances.
Despite all feeling the pinch, I believe GS-11s and above have little to worry about compared to the lower GSs and WGs. Yes, we all make our own beds, just like we all choose our careers and manage our own budgets. Still, even as the 1st Baby Boomer retires, the future FERS retiree will receive less than ½ of the equivalent CSRS retirement pension. Unfortunately many of the lower half that I talk to don't feel they can participate in the TSP. Given the choice between healthcare, lights, Sissy's new shoes ... TSP contributions sometimes seem counterproductive.
NSPS changes to the system, such as the redistribution of the COLA, elimination of the Locality Pay, and income caps will impact greatly on the lower half of our civil servants. These folks won't be able to compete with contractors who come in on low bids but are later compensated for unaccounted-for costs. More of the lower paying jobs will be converted to contractors leaving a higher perceived discrepancy between the average civil servant and non-governmental worker, regardless of higher educational requirements.
Lower and non-TSP participants will be increasingly dependent on the government dole. There'll be a new "poor" in town; the FERS, and potentially more so the NSPS, government worker.
And as Bill Cosby's "Moses" said to ... the Big Guy, "And just who's going to clean up that mess down there?!" Who, of course, is there but us working Joes?
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35767
Seems to me that if Congress authorizes a 3% raise all employees should get a 3% raise and 3.5% should mean 3.5% for everyone alike. Why should the "rest of the US" pay for the locality pay of the other federal employees who live in high cost areas?
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35749
I think that we can all agree that locality pay computations are complicated Thanks to NSPS it will be very simple, in the future it will be zero.
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35728
Ketter, there are a million Chinese who will do your job for a few cents/hour...maybe the private sector should look at what they're paying for your performance vs. what they could get for their buck over there. After all, we're a capitalist nation.
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35721
Thanks, Dan. I've wondered for quite some time about your perspective and now know that your profound pronunciations are based on little or no practical knowledge. You are not of us but merely here to criticize; perhaps a contractor wishing he were on the inside? Regardless, thanks for clearing that up.
Once more, the private sector is not the same as the government. We are not (supposedly) either profit based nor political; and yet we must justify every penny, "play the games" to accomplish our missions, and struggle with limited resources to do our jobs.
Still, sometime I would like to see some research on the level of participation of ALL FERS employees in the TSP. I suspect that large numbers of those at or below the median level (GS 7, step 9 IAW the Federal Civilian Workforce Statistics, The Fact Book 2005) either do not participate or participate at a very low level due to a number of the pay problems we have heard from the respondents below. Less pay means less participation by those who need it most.
As much as we all do feel the pinch, I personally feel that we GS-11s and above have little to worry about compared to the lower GSs and WGs. Yes, we all make our own beds, just like we all choose our careers and manage our own budgets; whether through action or inaction. Still, please remember, the 1st Baby Boomer has crested the wave and the future FERS retiree will be dependent on less than ½ of the CSRS retirement; that and what they've done with their TSP. Unfortunately many of the lower half that I talk to don't feel they can play that game. Given the choice between healthcare, lights, Sissy's new shoes ... that TSP contribution sometimes actually seems counterproductive.
Keep watching folks, the inattentive will be ever more dependent on the government dole. There'll be a new "poor" in town; the FERS/NSPS government worker. And as Bill Cosby's "Moses" said to ... the Big Guy "And just who's going to clean up that mess down there?!"
Who, of course, is there but us working Joes?
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35719
Reading through these comments is absolutely hilarious! This is pathetic. Virtually every single one of these comments is 100% anecdotal. It seems that everyone, from everywhere in the country, adamantly feels that his/her area has been allocated a disproportionately low locality rate increase compared to all the other areas. Honestly, is there anyone in the federal government who feels that his/her area has been allocated a fair increase in comparison to the other areas? It's impossible that everyone on here can all be getting an unfairly low increase compared to everyone else on here. In terms of objectivity and reliability, these comments are essentially canceling each other out. And yes, I'm also a federal employee.
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35679
I must have missed something do you think the taxpayers should cover all of your expenses when you make a decision yo live above your means? Your confusing the term COLA with what is LMS, which reflects labor costs not your local taxes or housing costs. Fed Employees asked for this socialist payplan and now all there is is a lot of complaints. Remember you get a raise every year regardless of what you do or how much you contribute. The private sector would never tolerate such a silly pay plan, your payed basedf on your performance. If you think you can survive come on over we are always hiring
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35655
So the retirees, most of who have given 30 or more years of their knowledge, experience and labor, get kicked in the head yet again!! We don't get step raises like current employees, but our insurance still goes up, eating away at our measly raises.
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35638
"The Eagle "drops her deposit" every two weeks into your account and it takes an act of Congress to fire you all. Quit surfing the net and get back to work. "
Some people need to keep their heads out of their own unmentionable cavities. At best your comment is about only bargining unit employees. In any case in general we are all underpaid. I've only been with the DoD for a year, but i am seriously considering leaving. With this unfair splitting of the COLA, topped off with the impending conversion to NSPS the government doesnt seem like a place i want to work my entire career. If i want to be politically controlled and constantly parinoid about being fired i'd go back to the private section and make a TON of money. I'd like to serve my country, why are people discouraging that?
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35621
Have some of you GS employees, NSPS or otherwise, thought of what it must be like for the Wage Grade employees? The backbone of Federal gov't, skilled labor doesn't get the big bonuses or the locality pay the GS workers receive. We look forward to higher insurance costs, higher taxes, higher housing costs, etc., without the benefit of locality pay. When are GS's going to wake up and realize that without skilled labor, you are not needed. Of course, since the overhead side of gov't, and the private sector, is growing, we can all look forward to our manufacturing base moving to third-world countries.
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35606
"COLA" is not based on cost of living, it is based on employment cost index (ECI). That's why Houstonians who work for the government make bank while places like DC, LA, etc., "suffer."
Having just gone through a wage survey, I can say emphatically - unless you are in the legal, IT, or certain engineering professions and you live in the highest cost areas, you are doing just fine compared to the market. Everybody, private and public, is losing out except for the very top tier of the economic ladder.
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35591
I just wonder how 10 minutes away they get DC Pay and here in Cumberland County with the same cost of housing, food, and gas, is still RUS. Pittsburg receives more, Philadelphia receives more, same with Baltimore and DC but Harrisburg Metro area does not. I think all Rest of the U.S. should be re-examined as there are many areas that are experiencing higher cost as housing in these markets continue to climb as they are falling in traditional areas.
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35590
In response to Brian Osborne, perhaps she should come out to an aircraft carrier forward deployed in the Gulf or in the south China Sea and watch how many civil servants actually support and defend the constitution of the United States keeping our warfighters planes operationally ready. Obviously he hasn't seen the hard working side of Civil Sevice.
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35566
If you want the higher COLA and LP then get a job in the DC Metro area! Or, you can retire and get a lower COLA and no LP adjustment. Or, you can quit the federal government and work for a contractor and who know what you might get. Its all up to you! Play the game to win!!!
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35530
I'm amazed that the people posting on this site don't know that locality pay is based on wage disparity with the private sector and has nothing to do with the cost of living in your area. If you don't like the cost of living, move. If you don't like the pay or raises you get in federal service, quit. Every year I get a raise that amounts to $1 an hour or more in addition to the step increases that I get regularly (now every two years, soon to be three). My brothers get a raise of $0.25 or so, if they even get one, working blue-collar jobs. You will not find me complaining about my CS job. I love the work I do, the pay I get, and the work environment. The only complaint is incompetent upper management, but that exists in private industry as well. It's an individual responsibility to live within your means, quit complaining.
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35473
I'm not sure if there is any basis for complaining about these estimates. It appears as though the D.C. area will be going to around 20.89 percent on locality pay. The best estimate of the overall competitive position of our agency last year placed us about 2 percent behind the market (on average). Based on last year's increase, we projected that we might lose additional ground to the tune of about another 1 to 1.5 percent, by the end of this year.
The projected (higher) increase estimate would probably allow us to close part of the ground we lost this year, and still finish out about a total of 3 percent behind the market at the end of 2008. In the bigger scheme of things, that's not a bad place to be.
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35470
Someone tell me how Cincinnati, for example, gets a 0.17 percent increase going from 3.0 to 3.5% and D.C. gets a 1% increase for the same 0.5% increment. Other cities are also much less than that. OPM ought to publish their rationale for these estimates somewhere so that we can all see. It just doesn't make sense to me.
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35466
I'm an Air Traffic Controller in the L.A. area. The FAA's frozen our salary so that the only part of the COLA that we receive is the locality pay raise. Great move...at a time when we're understaffed and losing more controllers to retirement by the day. There's no incentive to stay on.
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35452
I, like nearly everyone else who has posted a comment, am dismayed and disgusted by the potential locality pay rate. As an employee living in the greater Los Angeles area, it is clear that the decision makers are out of touch with the reality that many of us face. However, instead of bickering individually about who got screwed the most, perhaps now is the time that we collectively voice our disapproval. We represent the largest work force in the nation. Contact your congressmen and senators...make them work hard for your future votes.
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35451
If you don't like it go somewhere else. About 60% of civil service employees who sit and complain about their meager wages don't have anything better to do. All of them that I work with spend most of their week figuring out how much they will make after they retire. The job doesn't matter to them.
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35443
I took a voluntary downgrade to move to a different part of the country. I lost $20K the first year. The cost of housing is 2.5 times the area that I left. I work side by side with a major defense contractor and see the wages they make. I will never recommend to anyone, except my worse enemy, to work as a "Civil Slave". This has been the worse choice in my life, and am moving on to a different occupation. Something that rewards innovation and hard not, not arse kissing and political correctness.
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35437
I wish all of these alleged union and association groups would go after the previous agrrement involving the locality portion of our pay.In other words, let's take out the "loop hole" of including the locality pay gap as part of our COLA and actually provide us the gap of nearly 30%! Then we will see more federal employees happy, staying in, and eager to bcome a public servant in every manner. Now let's get it going! The normal employee can't!
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35415
The pay increase number is an AVERAGE. That means half are less than the stated number. The amounts shown in the chart are quite different than has been calculated for years. DC has always been artificially low because they don't want to pay out to the huge numbers that reside in the DC area. But this year, it is obvious that the NYC, Los Angeles, and San Francisco areas are not being calculated realistically.
The reality is that our pay increase is not a COLA, but the COLA is considered by congress. It is also a reality that the actual locality pay law has never been implemented as that would give us double digit pay increases. They always use the loophole in the law that allows congress/President to not apply the law if they want to.
The Fed workforce increase for the last 2 years was substantially BELOW the COLA, so we have been in a erosive cost of living situation for 2 years. This year's better amount does not make up for the losses of the past two years.
The other reality is that the COLA calculations are bogus too. They do not account for the very real high costs of health care. They even produce numbers eliminating food and energy to get a number that looks better. Talk about bogus. Who isn't affected by the high costs of food, energy, and health care?
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35365
Just be happy, you all bitching about your raise aren't retired civil service yet. I accepted an early retirement for a Reshape VERA/VSIP to deversify and reshape the DOD workforce in 2000, and will be getting a 2.3% COLA. You should be happy you have a job to go to, and are getting over a 3% increase on a full salary instead of a reduced annuity. If I had it to do over again, I'd have kept working at my previous overpaid salary of a GS-12. Makes me wish I was retired from GM as an autoworker instead of a civil servant..
Well the first of the month is approaching, when the Eagle craps, so have to start my shopping list of essentials, ie: toilet paper, and cat food..
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35362
What I cannot figure out is how a city like Los Angeles is receiving an increase on par with Cleveland. Does anyone know just how expensive a home is in San Francisco, New York , and Los Angeles? Try 700K+ for a condo in a "nice area" with good schools. An actual house in a nice area on a federal salary? Good luck. Isn't it about time that locality really took into account the cost of living? Take Portland Oregon for example, nice homes do not cost 700K+. But they seem to get a pretty hefty incease by comparison. I suppose that the salary council is using the new math.
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35359
It has been explained to me the cost of living in your area has nothing to do with locality pay. It is based on the prevailing wages in the area. there are plenty of places in the Portland metro area that have a lower cost of living then other parts of the state but they still get locality pay. There should be a way to calculate it by balancing prevailing wages and cost of living. The Census Bureau has all the data we need to figure this out.
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35354
Just a small example of cost of living in a "RUS" area; our parking costs $16.00 per day; higher than Washington, DC. Housing down here tripled about 4 years ago. And gas in Charlottesville is more expensive than downtown Richmond, Va. Yup, hard not to be "just thrilled" with that wonderful raise our Unions still had to fight so hard to get. It's time for a Democrat to replace Bushey the squirrel, but then again, it was Clinton that killed our parity pay after it was passed and we waited 5 years to get it (cancelled that is)
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35352
A federal employee voting for a Republican is like a chicken voting for colonel sanders. This is what you get !!!
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35351
I was just reading another article on this web site about the Hatch Act. Check it out. It states that federal civil service employees are punished harder than political appointees/staff members. Yes, we NSPS'ers must be some bad trouble-makers. This is how I see that article and this one in terms of how we must be viewed by the President and the Secretary of defense... They can do whatever they want to us. You see, if we organize to complain about NSPS or how our raises have never come close to the rate of inflation, we can be fired for engaging in an unauthorized political movement.
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35344
The Eagle "drops her deposit" every two weeks into your account and it takes an act of Congress to fire you all. Quit surfing the net and get back to work.
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35332
After determining my biweekly raise and subtracting the $57 per pay period health insurance premium increase I'll end up with $18 to cover the increased cost of gas, heating and other expenses. I may be better off then some private sector workers, but maybe it's time for the politicians to wake up and look at what they're doing to this country. Maybe we need another free trade agreement to move jobs overseas, or more gov't outsourcing to companies that cut salaries! You have to wonder who will have the money to buy what we import someday.
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35331
Martha Lovely, Now that we have completed our FIRST year into NSPS, we are being told that employees will at best only receive HALF of the LMS. Is this true? Is it legal? ATC employees are very confused and extremely unhappy about this. Please respond soonest.
Here are the answers that will be hard to swallow. 1. Not only will you be receiving less than half of the LMS but it has been set to 1% for lacality pay increases. 2. The remaining GPI has been divided in half with 1.25% going into the pay pool for distribution in salary or bonus. As for the legal aspect of it... The NSPS regulations state that the Secretary of Defense can allocate any part of the GPI as He/She sees fit. Just wait until next year when ALL of the GPI is put into the paypool.
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35328
I live and work in Indianapolis, IN. It is ridiculous that we will be getting only a 2.96% raise, which is less than the rest of the U.S.(2.99%) Only Cincinnati, OH will get less than Indianapolis. We are the 14th largest city in the U.S and the cost of living is good, but not to the point where our pay raise should be so low compared to other cities who have a lower cost of living but are still getting a bigger pay raise than ours. Who came up with the formula to calculate the locality pay raise? It is certainly flawed and has to be relooked at. Tired of being on the short end of the pay raise every year.
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35325
Your table should include the current locality rate being paid for each city. That way the chart would show how much impact a raise would have on each city. Thanks.
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35323
All of New Mexico is under RUS - yet Los Alamos County is dominated by University of California pay scales because of the Lab - the gap is about 30% - in the past the gap was covered by incentive pay - we now manage the largest contract in DOE history and are loosing that incentive pay AND getting a COLA below the national average. This all adds up to "nuclear safety by bean counters"
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35322
For those of you who remember Voodoo Economics now we have Voodoo Locality Pay Rates. How can Cincinnati be the lowest of all? I would like to see the calculations and supporting documentations for these potential locality pay rates. Are workers who live in a high cost of living area better than those living in a lower cost of living area? I think not. The wage grade increase should be handled as it was under the prior system. It was much fairer. If you want to give more money to someone who lives in a higher cost of living area then this type of increase should come from a separate pot of money not from the general wage grade increase pot of money. In my opinion the 3.0 or 3.5 percent increase should be given to everyone equally. In addition, why don't we shift more resources (manpower etc.) to lower cost of living areas instead of increasing the expenses associated with high cost of living areas?
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35316
I have been residing in the Sacramento area for the last ten years and have experience an increased a significant rise in the cost of living. Something else I would like to mention is that the Stockton area, which is 30 minutes south of Sacramento, receives the same percentage as San Francisco.
Though Stockton has the highest foreclosures in the nation, its cost of living it's not as high as Sacramento.
I have a large family to support and a mortgage to pay is there a way to communicate with Congress and make them aware of the situation in Sacramento?
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35312
Think it's bad where you are try being in Hawaii. We are going to be the lowest paid in one of the most expensive areas.
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35301
The amount under 3.5% for DC has to be wrong. There is now way that it would equate to a 4.49%. Either a typo or inccorect math?! I can't find this posted on the OPM web page to determine what the correct amount should be.
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35297
Then they wonder why they can't find people to work for the Federal Government. The lack of pay bothers me, but what's even worse is the mandating of rules, etc. without any voice.
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35293
I too fall under the "rest of the United States", however I have the expenses of the surrounding Cities of San Diego and Riverside, meaning that in the past 7.5 years under this administration, I have seen the cost of health, gas, housing and insurance skyrocket, and the 2.99% increase is equal to $0.796 cents on the dollar, So the quote " that we are all" getting a 3.5% increase is in reality a farce, as we are in effect, losing the basic qualities of life, all to fund agendas in other countries, Thanks to all those money hungary politicians who always have money for their raises, about 15% the last time they gave themsleves one and never considered the needs of my fellow veterans and I.
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35291
And just think, when you are under NSPS you may not get the same amount as those who remain in the GS system.
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35289
Why doesn't anyone even look at Las Vegas/Henderson/Boulder City, Nevada? Cost of living has skyrocketed! Housing is out of reach for most federal employees here, and when I see Albany, NY or North Texas counties at higher rates. Housing is 30-40% lower in those areas.
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35286
The federal workforce continually receives nominal increases in pay and/or COLA passed by the legislative and executive branches, yet, increases deducted from salaries invalidates intended proposed increases to salaries. It is too bad we cannot enjoy the pay increases realized by legislative branch members each year to ease the burden of inflation.
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35282
The pay raises don't keep up with inflation and for RUS that is especially true. It was disappointing to see not even 3% againg this year. Last year my health insurance increased 50%. RE taxes have increased even though housing values are falling, counties won't be rushing out to re-evaluate until they have to. Smaller cities and rural area often have higher costs for transportation, food and other goods and services. Somehow this isn't considered. Last year after all the other increases my pay went up the grand total of $7 per pay period - and this was at a GS-13 step 5 level. If I had been even one step lower, much less say a GS 5-11 employee, my pay check would have actually decreased without factoring in the other increases in living costs, such as fuel and utilities.
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35280
I don't know why anyone would think living in Albany NY is less expensive than living in the NYC. My expenses have almost doubled and this is still NY.
Expenses are not cheap anywhere in NY. The quality of life is better because there is less traffic and less people. The expenses are high for the same reason.
We are included in the Rest of the US. Counties all arouond us have much higher rates. Even a county 1 mile and a half away. The locality should be reasonable. One part of NY State gets 24% and higher and we are in the same state (The Capital) and get 12% or less.
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35276
I think the 3.5% is too little for Miami, FL. After taxes, health insurance increase premiums and not to mention property taxes we are heading in the wrong direction again!!! Congress should act upon this and press the president to make a difference in our society!!!
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35275
3% or 3.5% is nothing compared to what increases we anticipate that following this tiny annual cost of living increase.
Can we at least get a raise large enough that will cover the increase in Health Care, Car Insurance, Federal and State taxes?
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35271
NSPS employees will get hammered from the loss of COLAs and step increases. The only way for a 95% NSPS employee (not in the top 5% of performers - the top 5% do very well under NSPS) to break even is to job hop for pay increases. Of course, lowering overall personnel costs is the real intent of NSPS.
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35266
I have been with the Federal Government for 30 Years an presently 60 Years of age. I plan to retire in October 2009 with 32 Years of Service and will be 62 Years of age. What locality pay will I received in 2007 for the Quantico, Virginia area which is 32 Miles for our Nations Capital
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35262
This apparently will not apply to DOD personnel under the NSPS. We've been advised that everyone in NSPS will receive a 1% increase in their current Local Market Supplement (locality) rate reagrdless of where they work.
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35260
It's frustrating that the we NSPS guinea pigs will miss out on a portion of one of the biggest yearly raises in recent times.
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35255
I understand that Puerto Rico is not a State as of yet, but, we are a Territory Of The United States. We serve a large population of Honorable Veterans, and have for a number of years......In my particular case, 36 years to be exact. I would think that you would at least extend the curtesy to at least state in your report: US Territory or Possessions
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35242
Unless of course you fall under NSPS!
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35238
Wow! This is the first time Washington ever recieved the largest increase. Washington has not seen the kind of raises that New York and San Francisco have been getting. The new formula better reflects the high cost of living in the Washington area.
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35226
I work for US Army Aberdeen Test Center (ATC). We are just completing our FIRST year end into NSPS (we have been under NSPS for six months). When we were trained on NSPS, we were told that for the first rating period under NSPS that employees would receive the full Local Market Supplement (LMS) (hence, Locality Pay). Now that we have completed our FIRST year into NSPS, we are being told that employees will at best only receive HALF of the LMS. Is this true? Is it legal? ATC employees are very confused and extremely unhappy about this. Please respond soonest.
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35214
What about Orlando. It is one of the most expensive places I've ever lived and seems like we are always left out. You ever try and buy a house in Florida.
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35200
Here we go again, the Rest of the U.S. getting screwed. When the news media announces that federal workers are getting a pay increase of 3.5%, all the non-feds think I get this big increase. The media should get their story straight. I live in Tampa, Fl. where inflation is very real and hitting us hard (especially property taxes and insurance). However, I will get a miserly 2.99% increase. I would like to see one of the fat cats on Capitol Hill survive off a regular federal worker's salary. Please inform the news media correctly. I am not eligible to receive the advertised 3.5% because of where I live. What a joke!!! And the poor retirees get an even smaller COLA. WOW!!! Ludicrous!!!
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35193
This raise is inadequate for Kansas City. They took are locality pay away, and we suffered a meager 1.6 percent raise, then they said that Health insurance would go up a small amount. It went up nearly double digits last year. This year my Health Insurance premiums will rise 46%, and that is not even counting on what they will probably not cover any more, more than likely higher co pays, less prescriptions coverage. It will be lucky if the meager pay raise, even covers the cost of the increased premiums, much less other increases like property taxes which have increased substantially each year, fuel cost etc. We seem to be moving backwards in the cost of living for this area. The people in higher cost of living areas chose to live there, don't destroy us for choosing to live in a lower cost area.
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35190
even 3.5% doesn't cover the extra in my heating bill for the winter! That's not to mention the higher medical payments. Oh well...
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