Lawmakers propose 35% pay raise for federal prison workers

Lawmakers from both parties and chambers of Congress this week introduced legislation that would institute a 35% pay raise for employees at the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, in a bid to counter longstanding staffing shortages at federal correctional institutions.

For years, federal prisons have suffered chronic understaffing due to low pay and their location in often remote areas, leading to overuse of mandatory overtime and temporarily detailing support staff to correctional duties, a phenomenon known as “augmentation.” Though many prisons had employed retention incentives to boost workers’ pay by 10% to 25%, around 23,000 employees lost those payments when the bureau cancelled them last year, citing budget constraints.

Workers at the bureau were among the federal employees to receive a 3.8% pay raise this month, as part of a 2.8% supplemental pay raise for federal law enforcement.

The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act (S. 3626 and H.R. 7033), introduced by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and David McCormick, R-Pa., in the Senate and Reps. Dan Goldman, D-N.Y., Rob Bresnahan, R-Pa., and Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H., would set a 35% special salary rate increase for all Bureau of Prisons correctional staff, whether they are employed under the General Schedule, the GS Law Enforcement Officer or the Federal Wage System pay scales.

The bipartisan bill would remain in effect until the Justice Department inspector general can affirm that the agency has demonstrated “measurable progress” in reducing its reliance on augmentation and mandatory overtime.

“[Federal Correctional Institution] Berlin [in New Hampshire] has dealt with workforce challenges that have forced a thinly stretched staff to work unreasonable hours just to help maintain daily operations and make ends meet,” Shaheen said. “It’s untenable—and there’s more we can do to support the Granite Staters working to keep our communities safe and provide for their families. Persistent and often dangerous staffing shortages at federal prisons nationwide cause safety concerns for BOP personnel and incarcerated individuals alike.”

“Our correctional officers . . . have been asked to do more with less for far too long, and it’s not sustainable,” Bresnahan said. “This legislation provides a long-term fix that will help bring in new officers, keep experienced staff on the job, and cut the reliance on mandatory overtime, making our prisons safer for everyone.”

Brandy Moore White, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees’ Council of Prison Locals, urged lawmakers to prioritize the bill’s advancement.

“This reform is critical,” she said. “It will align BOP compensation with federal law enforcement standards, stem the loss of experienced officers, and attract qualified applicants in an increasingly competitive hiring market. Most importantly, it will help restore safe staffing levels across federal institutions, reduce violence, protect staff and ensure mission readiness.”