Senate panel approves 3.9 percent civilian pay raise

A Senate subcommittee on Wednesday approved a bill granting civilian federal employees a 2009 pay raise of 3.9 percent, a figure equal to the adjustment already authorized by the House for military service members.

The Senate Appropriations Financial Services and General Government Subcommittee voted for the civilian raise as part of the fiscal 2009 financial services spending bill. The adjustment is 1 percentage point higher than the increase the Bush administration proposed in February, and is identical to the amount approved last month by the House Appropriations Committee.

The Senate panel's move drew praise from federal labor unions and management groups, which have been lobbying for parity between civilians and the military and for a raise higher than the president's request.

"The federal government is on the verge of an unprecedented retirement wave. Low, disparate pay raises do not help this situation," said Darryl Perkinson, president of the Federal Managers Association. "An adequate pay raise of 3.9 percent, on par with that of the military, will give the government a fighting chance to recruit and retain the best and the brightest into civil service."

A portion of the 3.9 percent civilian pay hike would be allocated for locality pay; the rest would go toward an across-the-board increase.

The full committee is expected to consider the pay raise when it takes up the appropriations bill on Thursday.