High-Level Raise of 2.8 Percent Indicated

Members of Congress are in line for a 2.8 percent raise in January 2009, according to a congressional report on the raise figure that typically acts as the cap for increases in several high-level pay systems affecting federal employees, most numerously in the SES. The congressional raise, like the general schedule raise, is linked to the employment cost index, although a different measuring period is used and so the congressional raise does not track the federal employee raise. For January 2009 President Bush has proposed a 2.9 percent raise for federal employees and 3.4 percent for military personnel; employee organizations and some in Congress are again pushing to have both raises set at an equal amount, and further boosted to 3.9 percent. The congressional raise is tied to the executive schedule salary rates for high-level political appointees, whose rates in turn act as pay caps for senior executive, senior level and other high-level pay systems.