Federal employees would receive a 2023 pay raise of 5.1% if legislation introduced last week in Congress passes.
Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA)and Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI) reintroduced the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act (HR 6398) would provide federal employees with a 4.1% across-the-board increase plus an average 1% increase in locality pay.
Connolly and Schatz introduced similar legislation in recent years. Last year, the lawmakers proposed an average 3.2% pay increase, but the bill was not passed. President Biden put in place an average 2.7% pay raise for civilian federal employees for 2022.
“For two years, federal employees have risked their health and safety working on the frontlines of this pandemic,”said Connolly. “For four years prior, they were subjected to the Trump Administration’s cruel personal attacks, unsafe work environments, pay freezes, government shutdowns, sequestration cuts, furloughs, and mindless across-the-board hiring freezes. Still, our federal workforce serves with dedication and distinction every day. Federal employees are our government’s single greatest asset, and they deserve better. The FAIR Act is critical step toward recognizing their contributions and providing fair and just compensation.”
“Whether inspecting our food, conducting medical research, or caring for our veterans, federal workers play an important role in our everyday lives and deserve pay which reflects that,”said Schatz. “After the many pay freezes they’ve been through, our bill gives these dedicated public servants a much-deserved raise.”
The full text of the FAIR act is here.
