U.S. Federal Employees to Receive Pay Raise in 2022

U.S. federal employees are set to receive a pay raise in 2022, after President Joe Biden signed an executive order on March 24th, 2021. The pay raise will take effect on the first day of the 2022 fiscal year and will be the first pay raise for federal employees since 2019.

Pay Raise Details

The executive order calls for a 2.6% across-the-board pay raise for all federal employees, as well as an additional 0.5% locality pay increase. The locality pay increase is intended to help make up for the cost of living in certain areas of the country, where the cost of living is higher. The pay raise is expected to cost the federal government approximately $2.2 billion in 2022.

Who Will Receive the Pay Raise?

The pay raise applies to all federal employees, including those who are part of the Senior Executive Service, the Senior Foreign Service, and the Foreign Service. It also applies to federal employees who are covered by the Federal Wage System, the General Schedule, and the Prevailing Rate System.

Why Is the Pay Raise Important?

The pay raise is an important part of President Biden's commitment to restoring the value of federal service. Federal employees have gone without a pay raise for three years, and this pay raise will help make up for some of the lost wages. It will also help ensure that federal employee salaries remain competitive with those in the private sector.

How Will the Pay Raise Affect the Budget?

The pay raise is expected to cost the federal government approximately $2.2 billion in 2022. While this is a significant cost to the government, it is far less than the $75 billion that President Biden has proposed to invest in federal employee salaries over the next four years. The pay raise is expected to have a relatively small impact on the federal budget.

What Else Is Being Done to Support Federal Employees?

The pay raise is just one part of the Biden administration's efforts to support federal employees. The administration has also proposed an additional $25 billion for federal employee health care, $15 billion for federal employee retirement benefits, and $10 billion for federal employee training and development.

Conclusion

The pay raise for federal employees in 2022 is an important step towards restoring the value of federal service. The pay raise will help ensure that federal employee salaries remain competitive with those in the private sector, and it will also help make up for some of the lost wages due to the lack of a pay raise for the past three years. The pay raise is expected to cost the federal government approximately $2.2 billion in 2022, but it is far less than the $75 billion that President Biden has proposed to invest in federal employee salaries over the next four years. The pay raise is just one part of the Biden administration's efforts to support federal employees, and it is an important step towards ensuring that federal employees are treated fairly and given the resources they need to do their jobs.