What’s the Status of the 2019 Pay Raise?

In reality, Congress will not finalize its plans on whether to block the president’s planned pay freeze, or set a pay raise amount, until both chambers return after the midterms.

Here is background: Earlier this year, the president proposed a pay freeze for 2019, which he recently formalized to Congress as required by law. The Senate passed bipartisan NTEU-supported language to provide a 1.9 percent pay raise as part of a funding package. The House did not include the same provisions in its version of the funding legislation.

Recent negotiations between the House and Senate on the funding measure could have included pay raise language but, as expected, the issues were not finalized before the House recessed. There will be no formal action on any funding measures—or a pay raise for federal employees—until later this year. Congress and the administration must still tackle remaining funding issues including a continuing resolution for some agencies that expires Dec. 7.

NTEU continues fighting for a pay raise next year. While the union supports the Senate-backed 1.9 percent increase, NTEU continues to press for a higher amount in light of the 2.6 percent raise military personnel is slated to receive. See what you can do