Is this the final word on the 2019 pay raise? Does this mean federal employees will definitely not get an increase come Jan. 1?
The answer is no. Congress will ultimately decide whether federal employees get a raise, and here’s where the issue stands.
The Senate approved a 1.9 percent increase for civilian federal employees in one of its minibus spending bills, while the House stayed silent on the issue, effectively backing a pay freeze. When Congress returns after Labor Day, the House and Senate will sort out the differences between the two bills, including the issue of a 2019 pay raise, as they work on pending appropriations measures. NTEU will work to make sure a pay increase is part of the final package.
As soon as the president issued his alternative pay plan, NTEU came out strong criticizing it as especially disrespectful to the federal workforce given the state of the economy and a projected 3 percent growth in private sector professional salaries for this year.
NTEU continues to support stand-alone legislation to give federal workers a 3 percent pay adjustment next year. The legislation, the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, is H.R. 4775 and S. 2295. Take action now to support a fair pay raise.