Obama Will Propose 1.6 Percent Pay Raise for Feds and Troops In 2017 Budget

President Obama will propose a 1.6 percent across-the-board pay raise for federal civilian and military personnel for 2017.

An administration official on Wednesday confirmed the proposed figure, which will be included in Obama’s fiscal 2017 budget. The White House will release the fiscal 2017 budget on Tuesday.

Federal civilian workers and service members received a 1.3 percent pay boost for 2016. Check out this chart showing civilian and military pay raises over the years.

The National Treasury Employees Union on Wednesday said the proposed 1.6 percent pay increase for fiscal 2017 is “too low and does little to overcome several years of pay freezes and below-market increases.”

NTEU also said in a statement that the administration’s fiscal 2017 budget will support legislation giving federal employees up to six weeks of paid parental leave. Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., and Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, have introduced bills that would do that.

Right now, the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to most government and private sector workers for the birth or adoption of a child, or to care for seriously ill family members. Federal employees who give birth or adopt can tap their accrued sick and annual leave to avoid three months without a paycheck, but many bristle at having to use hard-earned leave when paid parental leave is becoming more prevalent in the private sector.

Last week, Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced that female service members now will receive 12 weeks of paid maternity leave, one of several personnel initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for military families.

(Image via Svetlana Lukienko / Shutterstock.com)