Federal executives had to wait until after Christmas to get word on their 1997 pay, but in the end they got the news they wanted to hear: On Friday, President Clinton ordered that members of the Senior Executive Service, along with executives at equivalent levels covered under other pay schedules, would get both a 2.3 percent base pay increase in 1997 and locality pay increases averaging 0.7 percent.
That means pay for federal employees at all levels will rise an average of 3 percent next year, although pay rates will vary from locality to locality. President Clinton decided in late November to boost base pay and locality pay rates for workers under the General Schedule.
"The President's decision provides welcome reassurance that the Administration values the talent, knowledge, leadership and accomplishments provided by the career executive corps," said Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association.
SEA had urged that the President grant SESers the two pay increases earlier this month.
But Bonosaro said her organization remained concerned about pay compression within the SES ranks. By the law, the rate of pay for career executives is capped at $123,100, the rate of pay for Cabinet secretaries and other high-ranking political appointees. In high-cost areas such as Houston and San Francisco, executives at the ES-4, ES-5 and ES-6 levels will all be paid the same amount next year--the $123,100 maximum.
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