Decision Pending on Blue-Collar Employee Pay at DoD

Defense Department officials say that they are continuing to study how to apply many of the provisions of the department’s upcoming national security personnel system to blue-collar employees. The current plan calls for pay banding and pay-for-performance to be phased in over 18 months, starting this summer, affecting some 300,000 white-collar employees, with the remainder of white-collar employees to follow later. However, officials say it will be at least a year until they formalize their plans regarding pay changes for blue-collar, or wage grade, employees. However, the changes in labor relations policies will take effect for both groups from the start.