Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, today introduced the latest version of their Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act, which would provide Federal employees with a 7.4 percent pay increase in 2025.
For 10 consecutive years, the two Democratic lawmakers have introduced similar versions of the legislation. Congress has yet to pass any versions of that bill – but the legislation has tracked with a general upswing in Fed pay for the past few years.
Last year, the lawmakers argued in favor of an 8.7 percent pay raise. President Biden approved a 5.2 percent pay raise – making it the largest annual pay raise for Feds in 43 years.
Before that, in the 2022 version of the FAIR Act, the lawmakers called for a 5.1 percent pay raise. Instead, President Biden signed an executive order that authorized a 4.6 percent Federal pay raise for 2023.
This year, Rep. Connolly and Sen. Schatz are calling for a 7.4 percent pay increase to restore “years of lost wage increases for federal employees.”
“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,” Sen. Schatz said in a statement. “After years of pay freezes, our bill gives these dedicated public servants a much-deserved raise.”
The lawmakers pointed out that Federal employees on average earned 27.54 percent less in 2023 than their counterparts in the private sector. In addition, the 2023 Office of Personnel Management’s Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey found that over the last three years, pay satisfaction declined from 67 percent to 57 percent.
“A lack of competitive pay hurts the recruitment, retention, and quality of the civil service,” the press release says.
“Our nation’s dedicated civil servants deserve respect and fair compensation,” Rep. Connolly said. “Federal employees served the American people diligently during an unprecedented global pandemic. Before that, 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, they come to work each day ready to serve with dedication and distinction. Federal employees are our government’s single greatest asset,” he added. “The FAIR Act is a critical step toward recognizing their contributions and providing fair and just compensation.”
This year’s version of the FAIR Act is cosponsored by nearly 60 Democratic House lawmakers.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) expressed its support for the legislation introduced today that would help close the double-digit pay gap between the Federal and private sectors.
“The government will never be able to dig itself out of this hole without meaningful pay raises that not only keep pace with rising costs of living but begin to narrow the pay gap,” AFGE National President Everett Kelley said in statement. “The pay gap between federal and private-sector workers today is worse than it was 33 years ago.”
He continued, adding, “Unless Congress increases federal pay substantially, federal agencies will continue struggling to recruit and retain employees who can earn far larger salaries outside the government.”
