[House Document 114-81]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]






114th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - House Document 114-81
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 AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
                    COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE

                               __________

                                MESSAGE

                                  from

                     THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

                              transmitting

 AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES 
   COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN 
JANUARY 2016, PURSUANT TO 5 U.S.C. 5304a(a); PUBLIC LAW 101-509, TITLE 
                  I, SEC. 101(a)(1); (104 STAT. 1436)

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  December 1, 2015.--Message and accompanying papers referred to the 
 Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and ordered to be printed
 
 
 
 
 
                                    ______
 
                          U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 
 
59-011                         WASHINGTON : 2015 










 
 
 
To the Congress of the United States:
    I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay increases for 
civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and 
certain other pay systems in January 2016.
    Title 5, United States Code, authorizes me to implement 
alternative pay plans for pay increases for civilian Federal 
employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay 
systems if, because of ``national emergency or serious economic 
conditions affecting the general welfare,'' I view the 
adjustments that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate.
    Civilian Federal employees have already made significant 
sacrifices as a result of 3-year pay freeze that ended in 
January 2014. In January 2014 and again in January 2015, 
increases for civilian Federal employees were limited to a 1.0 
percent overall pay increase, an amount lower than the private 
sector pay increases and statutory formula for adjustments to 
the base General Schedule for 2014 and 2015. However, as the 
country's economic recovery continues, we must maintain efforts 
to keep our Nation on a sustainable fiscal course. This is an 
effort that continues to require tough choices.
    Under current law, locality pay increases averaging 28.74 
percent and costing $26 billion would go into effect in January 
2016. Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. 
Accordingly, I have determined that under the authority of 
section 5304a of title 5, United States Code, locality-based 
comparability payments for the locality pay areas established 
by the President's Pay Agent, in the amounts set forth in the 
attached table, shall become effective on the first day of the 
first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 
2016. These rates are based on an allocation of 0.3 percent of 
payroll as indicated in my August 28, 2015, alternative pay 
plan for adjustments to the base General Schedule. These 
decisions will not materially affect our ability to attract and 
retain a well-qualified Federal workforce.
    The adjustments described above shall take effect on the 
first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 
2016.

                                                      Barack Obama.
    The White House, November 30, 2015.
 
 
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