The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Tuesday expressed opposition to a Senate spending bill that includes a proposed across-the-board 1.9 percent pay raise for federal employees in 2019.
In a written statement to the Senate, OMB wrote:
“The Administration is concerned that the bill provides an across-the-board pay increase for Federal employees in calendar year 2019. Across-the-board pay increases have long-term fixed costs, yet fail to address existing pay disparities, or target mission critical recruitment and retention goals. As proposed in the Administration’s request for a Workforce Fund, the Administration continues to support performance-based pay that is strategically aligned toward recruiting, retaining, and retraining high performers and those in mission-critical areas.”
While the White House had recommended a 2019 pay freeze in its budget proposal last March, the Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee approved a spending package last month that included the 1.9 percent pay increase for civilian workers.
Last week the House approved its own spending measure that made no mention of a 2019 pay raise, which historically could mean that the White House’s pay recommendation — in this case a pay freeze — would be implemented next year.
The final decision on the 2019 pay raise will likely involve negotiations between the House and Senate before it’s officially announced at the end of this year.
To read OMB’s full statement, click here. (10-page PDF).