Obama Plans 1.6 Percent Pay Raise for Feds Next Year

President Obama will include an average 1.6 percent pay raise for federal employees in his fiscal 2017 budget proposal.

This year, the average raise is 1.3 percent, not including locality pay.

The 2017 pay increase was announced in a conference call with administration and union officials. The complete budget will be announced next week.

“The President’s 2017 Budget will propose a 1.6 percent pay increase for military and civilian Federal personnel,” according to a statement from the Office of Management and Budget that was attributed to an unidentified administration official. “The specific proposals for base and locality pay will be made in August and November, as is done every year and required by statute, through the exercise of the President’s alternative pay plans.”

Two people on the call also said that the president will propose six weeks of paid parental leave for federal employees, as he has previously. Currently, they may take 12 weeks of unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act, like all workers of many companies.