Federal Workers Feel the Recession, Get Only 2 Percent Across-the-Board Raises

Citing the current economic recession—and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks eight years ago—President Obama says he will use emergency powers to cut the programmed across-the-board January increase in federal employees' pay from 2.4 percent to 2.0 percent, according to a letter he sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., on Monday.

More here. So does that count as a 20 percent cut in your raise or a 17 percent cut, depending on your version of government math?

Or is it just a 2 percent raise in an economy with unemployment jacking to 10 percent, on top of an average 3.9 percent raise back in last January?

Question: What sort of raise are readers here expecting at year's end? And do any of you work for a company that hasn't balanced its books in years and is looking at a 10-year projected deficit of $9 trillion?

Comments

[Timmy]

Let's see: Raise Jan 09 set to Zero; Bonus Dec 09 set to Zero; Raise Jan 10 . . . well, they promise non-zero, but I don't believe it.

[SugarFree]

I haven't got a raise in three years. But I get my COLA by fucking around on the Internet all day.

[Citizen Nothing]

This year - no raise. (And 25 percent of the staff was laid off in April.)

[Mike M.]

Most people I know with real private sector jobs that didn't get fired either got no raise after last year or even got a pay cut, and while the economy may have finally stopped bleeding it isn't getting better, so I expect most people won't be getting a raise at the end of this year either.

[Tomcat1066]

I was lucky. I got a 0.75% raise in January.

Oh yeah. I'm big money.

[Pro Libertate]

No raise, no bonus, no personal servants. What the heck did I go to law school for?

[Episiarch]

Hey, give Obama some credit for at least reducing the raises.

[hmm]

I saw this on Bloomberg yesterday. While the government pay and social security are two different things and operate on different economic principles how in the fuck do you reconcile not increasing SS and still increasing gov. pay in the public's mind. I don't give myself raises, I earn what I need since I'm in school again.

My wife has endured a pay freeze and is looking at a 10 day furlough spread out over the next few months. A friend at JM Family took a 15% pay cut, added an average of 4 (1/2 a workday) to his hours a day (based on 5 day week), is now doing the job of the people he oversees, the management job of the people he oversees, and a portion of the job of the manager above him since that manager pool was reduced as well.

My solution? If you are elected and have a combine family income over 300K no government pay check for you. You can stand to lose half your income for doing nothing more than fucking John Q. Public. Federal employees get a pay freeze. Drug war, gone. We can fire the DEA and half the FBI. For starters.

Oh ya. That war thing(s). Lets stop it.

[consulting smartass]

I'm still technically employed, but went from c. 2500 billable hours to about 300. Out, I wish you hadn't made me think about it...

[Nick]

We've already been told we're not getting raises this year which normally occur for everyone in October. A 2% raise for everyone here would put us in the red.

I did, however get a bonus that I didn't expect because I got screwed out of last year's October raise since I started here one week later than the cutoff to qualify for it. Very nice of my boss to give it when he didn't have to and I am grateful. He said I earned it with my good work and to be careful that others don't see me on the internet so much. I blame you guys for being more interesting than my co-workers.

[consulting smartass]

>>Oh ya. That war thing(s). Lets stop it.
--hmm

Let's have a war on war!
--Mojo Nixon

Amen, hmm.

[Kyle Jordan]

Not a raise, but the down economy and worry from folks has lead to a little boom in the Personal Security business. I've been working more sites and installing more Security Systems this year.

[hmm]

I'm all for the negative incentive of low pay for elected officials. Politician is not a career choice. It used to be people served out of responsibility or desire and then left government to go make a living or a fortune. It's the other fucking way around now.

[creech]

First a pay freeze, then a 10% cut at mid-year. It may be restored by January if sales pickup. No layoffs yet.

[JW]

No raise for me this year. Lucky bastards.

But hey, this must be that multiplier thingy that Obama is always going on about. They'll multiply the federalista salaries and ..... PROFIT!

[Some Thug]

I don't get a paycheck per se, but I HAVE noticed that the quality of shit I've been jacking from your storage shed has definitely been dropping.

[PR]

My solution? If you are elected and have a combine family income over 300K no government pay check for you.

My solution is no vote for people who receive more from the government than they pay in taxes since they won't recuse themselves.

[Xeones]

Ah, i remember this thing called a 'raise...'

[Brian Moore]

My company is doing pretty well, all things considered.

Still had a 3% pay cut a few months back. It was graduated across the company, the highest earners had a 5 or 10% hit.

[hmm]

Local governments are taking a pretty big hit. The one I used to work for has laid off about 10% of the people not in fire and police.(strong unions can't get rid of them) They can't make budget and are still spending money on shit. The most annoying thing to me is the morons haven't moved the useful lives of any equipment up. 99% of the equipment could easily have 2-4 years added to it instead being of replaced. But no the morons operate on the general budget principle of if we change it now we will never be able to change it back. Spend it all, act like you didn't have enough, and beg for more is the department head policy.

Fucking "A" the incompetence is pervasive from the big guys to the lil' guys.

[SugarFree]

Let's have a war on war!
--Mojo Nixon

If you don't know Mojo Nixon,
Then your store could use some fixin'

[Andrew S.]

I took a 10% paycut. If I'm lucky, I'll get back to what I was making 2 years ago at the end of the year.

[plutosdad]

of course non federal government workers are getting laid off or having to take mandatory furloughs without pay. In Chicago, city workers are getting laid off (the AFSCME union voted for layoffs instead of everyone taking mandatory leave, amazingly)
Though of course the people at the top, like Stroger's relatives, Daley's friends, Obama's friends, they are all swimming in dough making a killing.

[Griff]

But those raises were cut, so maybe that'll get spun out as 'savings'.

None here...any increase from current income of $0.0 would rock. But alas, an improvement would leave less time to visit her for daily ventilation / insight.

I am looking at ditch-digging though...cause the world needs them too

[robc]

My base salary has been the same for years. It is high enough to keep the IRS happy. What else I bring home depends on how well my company does. This will be a down year although the next 4 months will be very strong.

[Warty]

I make much less money than I did a year ago, ever since the bottom fell out of the BBW scat porn market.

[Episiarch]

The GOP should hammer their Dem opponents and Obama on these raises, regardless, because it will drive most people--who have lost their jobs or gotten no raise--nuts.

[Inkstained Wretch]

At my company, pay was freezed at the beginning of the year. We've had no layoffs though. I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Hmmm:

But, how are we to deliver quality care if we don't get that new state-of-the-art monitor/defib with 12-lead capability(that the average medic couldn't read if it had a direct conversion to ascii text)? ;^)

[Legate Damar]

4% raise last year, probably nothing this year, but there is a new bonus program that didn't exist last year, so that will be in the 3-5% "functional raise" range. My boss wants to promote me to manager of my group (he's three levels above me), but there isn't be money for that, so I've been basically splitting the manager job with him for no pay.

We're at record profitability.

[Citizen Nothing]

I had dinner with Mojo once, at an LP convention, of all places. (Yeah, I now drop Mojo Nixon's name wherever I go.)

[Clich? Bandit]

My company is bankrupt. Preplanned Chapter 11 but none the less. So what that means is: Last year I (and almost everyone else) got a raise. Before Negotiating the CH11 with the bondholders we were all paid our AIPs (without reviews so we got them Jan 15th). Then to entice people NOT to leave durring the CH11 they restructured the bonus to biannual. So I got another (Half) bonus in July, again no review.

I would complain but damn...

there is a downside. I am now WAY over AMT and am going to give about 2k to charity while increasing 401k to large percent. But other than uncle smae making a house call I think i did pretty well for working at a bankrupt company.

A penny taken from bond holers who then recieved new stock is a penny earned

[Episiarch]

One day I took a walk to Zipperhead
I met a girl there who almost knocked me dead

[St. Vee]

Fo' percent, bitches! That's 55 cents an hour more... wooo!

[libertymike]

When are we going to realize that the tree of liberty needs to be watered with the blood of some federal employees, particularly those who voluntarily choose to wear the uniform of the state. It makes far more sense to gun down cops and soldiers and IRS officers than say secretaries and interns at the CBO.

Libertarians must part company with national security types and law and order types.

[slumpbuster]

No raises at my firm for employees, and as a partner, I have billed about 30% more time this year than last in hopes that my total compensation will end up about the same as last year.

[Pimp with an MBA]

Well, gross revenues have trended down slightly, as recessionary pressure has shifted the paradigm away from straight sex to the less cost-prohibitive hand job ( a form of "out of the box" thinking).

The good news is that we have determined a methodology for amortizing our crack cocaine overhead over 3 years instead of the industry standard 5, which has allowed us to actualize a 1.8% increase in back-end (no pun intended) net.

[Warty]

That's helpful, libertymike.

[Justin]

Who wants to bet that the federal workers say next year that they need a bigger raise than planned because their salaries were "cut" last year due to the recession?

[Kant feel Pietzsche]

Justin: No takers on that bet

[T]

No raise, but at least my plant is still working 4 days a week. Some of our facilities have been shut down indefinitely and some are on a 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off schedule. I'm quasi-management so I have no idea what happens to me if we adopt that schedule. This after they requested we take a 15% pay cut in exchange for not showing up one day a week. In return, they'd guarantee a job until December. I, along with most of my facility, refused. We'll see if that was a smart move.

Personally, I'm hoping for a nice cold winter to drive natural gas prices up.

[JW]

If you don't know Mojo Nixon,
Then your store could use some fixin'

He don't work here.

[Austin]

My company took advantage of the previously thriving economy and paid off all of its debt a few years ago. This year, we laid off about 4% of the workforce (almost exclusively in highly volume-related departments), but everyone else got a ~4% raise. Lower but nonzero bonuses as well.

So pretty much just like the federal government.

[Luke Longhurst]

Apparently the world needs mechanical engineers who know how to actually make machines (i.e. not managers). I got three job offers in May. My hourly rate is 10% more than last year, but at this company I don't make overtime on my 60+ hours/week.

I'm thinking this might be a good time to work the oil sands in Alberta for a bit, piss off liberal friends by "promoting big oil" and piss off conservative friends by moving to Canada. Win-win...

[R C Dean]

We gave 3% for 2009. Not sure what we will give for 2010, but I don't think it will be nothing. We are cutting benefits, though.

It looks like we're going to miss our incentive triggers by that much. Dammit.

[JB]

When the reckoning comes, every government employee will be a target. I hope they enjoy their raises then.

Politicians and the media are bigger targets of course.

[Spartacus]

We did OK this year--no layoffs or furloughs. On the other hand...

2009--no raise (we were going to get a 5% cut, but we managed to escape that)
2008--1% + $1000 bonus
2007--1% + $1000 bonus

[some attorney dude]

Most big law firms have laid off attorneys and staff and/or frozen/reduced salaries ~ 10%. Associates with jobs still make ~ $160k/yr and partners are still around ~ $1 million/yr.

[Dan]

I work for the state legislature in Massachusetts -- no raise since March '07 and now we're paying a higher percentage for our health care.

[hammeredHead]

Given the quality of their output the federal governement should enact massive layoffs, pay-freezes, and have the board (congress) and CEO (president) working for a dollar.

At the advertising comapny that I work at as a .NET developer, there have been no layoffs, but we did have a pay freeze.

[max]

Ironically I took a 2% CUT this last year - and upper management made a point of telling us there will be NO raise for at least 4 more quarters. "Just be happy you have a job" was the official line.

[David]

I got a 14.6% raise during our year-end review cycle last year, so not everyone is getting pay cuts. I don't expect anywhere near that kind of raise this year though, and I was (and still am) making below the average salary in my field. The company is raising wages as it becomes profitable (it isn't, yet). Hopefully that will come this year.

[libertymike]

Warty-

Anything to help.

Further, every once in awhile, I need to fire up my base.

[T]

Apparently the world needs mechanical engineers who know how to actually make machines (i.e. not managers). I got three job offers in May. My hourly rate is 10% more than last year, but at this company I don't make overtime on my 60+ hours/week.

Yeah. I'm still getting recruiter cold calls and emails, so somebody's hiring. I can afford to be picky at the moment, and frankly, my current job affords me entirely too much time to be here.

[Abdul]

As a federal employee, let me point out that I deserve a raise because my industry grew in the last year while the rest of your puny private sector industries shrank.

This logic is unassailable unless someone points out that my industry caused, benefitted from, or grew at the expense of your industries.

Please don't point that out. Yacht payments don't just make themselves, you know.

Ahh, you peasants wouldn't understand.

[libertymike]

Abdul-

There is still time to repent, foresake the federal emouliments and embrace liberty. You will be forgiven.

[Abdul]

As PJ O'rourke once said about accepting federal entitlements, "I'm a libertarian, I'm just not a principled libertarian."

Besides, I figure the public is better served with at least one gubmint employee who can at least understand and sympathize with libertarian arguments.

[Ruffle]

I'm a DoD engy, so just to be clear, when the economy picks back up, I should expect the raises, bonuses, and stock options of my private sector counterparts? I'm glad to know that 5 years down the road you all will have my back when I want a 12% raise and a nice bonus.

[Andrew G.]

No raises for the next 2 years, unless things suddenly get better -- as in the stock market gains 5,000 points in the next year.

[MayorOmalleySuxs]

Real Question:

Did the federal workers really only get a 2% raise?

Or did the pay table only get a 2% increase and the federal workers still got to move up a step? So in fact, the federal worker not only got a raise for moving up a step, but the next step was 2% higher.

[T]

I'm a DoD engy, so just to be clear, when the economy picks back up, I should expect the raises, bonuses, and stock options of my private sector counterparts?

No. You want the private sector perks, go play in the private sector. I make a ton more money than my buddies at NASA, but I can be fired in a heartbeat. They can't. It's the whole risk/reward thing.

[The Angry Optimist]

I'm a DoD engy, so just to be clear, when the economy picks back up, I should expect the raises, bonuses, and stock options of my private sector counterparts?

Fuck no. Your benefits are way better than the private sector's, including your retirement. And what do you want, stock in the Department of Defense? Is that publicly traded?

[Ruffle]

No. You want the private sector perks, go play in the private sector. I make a ton more money than my buddies at NASA, but I can be fired in a heartbeat. They can't. It's the whole risk/reward thing.

My point...

I took this job knowing I was trading a higher salary for job stability. But when the going gets tough you can't complain about how I still have my job and I'm getting a raise.

[R C Dean]

Did the federal workers really only get a 2% raise?

No, that's just the base raise. Many will also get upward regional adjustments as well.

I'm a DoD engy, so just to be clear, when the economy picks back up, I should expect the raises, bonuses, and stock options of my private sector counterparts?

If you want private sector pay, work in the private sector. If you want public sector job security, stay where you are.

Just don't expect us all to be happy-clappy that you get automatic raises (not even COLA raises) when the people who fund your position are getting nothing, taking reductions, or getting fired.

[R C Dean]

But when the going gets tough you can't complain about how I still have my job and I'm getting a raise.

Who said this:

(a) A federal employee?

(b) A quasi-federal employee working for a failed bank?

(c) A hedge fund manager?

(d) All of the above?

[Nick]

But when the going gets tough you can't complain about how I still have my job and I'm getting a raise.

As a taxpayer I can and will bitch about every single penny you make and every little thing you do or don't do. If you are on the clock right now, get back to work, Asshole.

[Meta4]

I have worked for the same company for six years and have averaged about 15-20%/year. I can't complain.

My company is concerned with keeping O&M in line with diminished revenue, due to the current economy. They allowed raises this year capped at 2%. I received a 2% raise. Again, I can't complain, well, except about the 2% accross the board raise Obama just gave to millions of people, most of whom suck at their jobs.

[The Angry Optimist]

But when the going gets tough you can't complain about how I still have my job and I'm getting a raise.

Why? you've already acknowledged that you're more stable than the rest of the economy - meaning that you what you want is for your raise to come on the backs of the rest of us who lack stability.

Dude, whatever.

[sage]

I'm in aerospace. Raises were frozen this year, I got a week furlough about a month ago, and we've had about five rounds of layoffs.

Bonus? That disappeared before 9/11.

[LarryA]

No raise for me. I'd have to find a job first.

My concealed carry classes are up though, so that's helping.

[wingnutx]

My company handed out -3% raises last month.

Beats the hell out of handing out pink slips.

[FlyoverCountry]

My company handed out -10% raises in February. We've been giving back 5% the past couple of months as profitability has returned. No plans to reinstate the full 10% at this time.

My wife's company has been on rolling layoffs since March. Basically a 25% paycut, but at least she gets the time off.

[alan]

I have a steady income from the rental properties I own, but my contractual work is pretty much in the crapper at this time.

[Nipplemancer]

Me and your momma
and some other whore
floatin' down a river
on a shithouse door
gonna tie my pecker to my leg...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDVQ09ESjAo

[Me]

I work at an institution of the State of California. But I am grant-funded so I am fortunate that I didn't get a pay cut recently, like most of the employees at this institution. I won't be getting a raise but at least I got to keep what I was already getting. Of course, when my grant ends next year I could be completely unemployed because there are a not whole lot of new grants in the pipeline. So I'm saving as much as I can, while I can, and looking for another job. Yeah, wish me luck.

[Aquaman]

My company gave our employees July raises averaging ~4% and ranged from 0-8+%. July bonuses averaged 3.3% and ranged from

[Aquaman]

My company gave our employees July raises averaging ~4% and ranged from 0-8+%. July bonuses averaged 3.3% and ranged from less than 2% to 6%. We'll see where we are for December bonuses and we will not be making a 20% contribution to their SEP (retirement) accounts as we have done in the past couple of years, but will probably make at least a 10% SEP contribution. Personally, I'll probably make 30-40% less than years past, but I've been working less.

[bigbigslacker]

I haven't got a raise in three years. But I get my COLA by fucking around on the Internet all day.

Aren't you lucky. I have to pay for mine - $90 a teener.

[JP]

1. university employee... no raise last year... no raise this year. [but, no layoffs.]

2. no, we balance our books every year. [however, we are subsidized by the state.]

we're going into our third round of budget cuts in less than 20 months. state subsidies and endowment income just ain't what they used to be.

[The Libertarian Guy]

Gosh, only a two-percent raise. I think I'll kill myself over the anguish.

[HOPPING MAD!]

FEDERAL EMPLOYEES BITCHING ABOUT A 2% PAY RAISE IN 10. POOR THINGS! REALLY DOES JOE BIDEN, ET AL REALLY NEED IT? WE ON SOCIAL SECURITY GET NADA, ZERO, NOTHING. AND WE MIGHT AS WELL BEND OVER IF THAT HEALTH CARE BILL IS PASSED BY THOSE CROOKS IN DC.