Federal Pay Raise Measure Goes to the White House

That’s the case with federal employees who would enjoy an average 4.1% 2004 pay hike approved Thursday by the United States Senate as part of a larger spending bill, the Washington Post reported.

Applying to seven pending appropriations bills, lawmakers sent the measure on to President Bush for his signature. The bill’s passage wrapped up regular appropriations for the fiscal year that began four months ago.

Federal employees have been waiting for a while to see the size of their ultimate salary adjustments. Because the bill stalled last year, they started the year under a stopgap presidential pay order authorizing a 1.5% across-the-board raise and a small increase in “locality pay.” Once Bush inks the Senate bill and issues an order establishing new pay tables, federal employees will be eligible for retroactive pay back to January 1.

US Representative Steny Hoyer (D-Maryland), who pushed for the 4.1% raise, said the salary boost would help retain and recruit employees. “I hope the president will quickly issue the executive order necessary to implement it,” he told the newspaper.