Federal Salary Council recommends FY 2012 locality pay rates

This was the first meeting with the seven new members appointed earlier this month by the President. National Treasury Employees Union President and FSC council...

By Vyomika Jairam
Federal News Radio

The Federal Salary Council held its first meeting with seven new council members last week, and reviewed locality pay rates for the 2012 fiscal year, National Treasury Employees Union President and council member Colleen Kelley told Federal News Radio.

In many localities, there is a significant gap between what federal employees and private sector workers are compensated, and the Federal Salary Council is tasked with determining what that gap is and figuring out how to balance compensation for federal employees.

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics data last month, federal employees are paid an average of 24 percent less than their private sector counterparts.

Among the recommendations from the council were adding new locality areas and restructuring what areas should fall under locality pay consideration, Kelley said.

The council recommended over 40 additional counties and local areas be considered.

Federal employees in Albany, N.Y., Albuquerque, N.M., Bakersfield, Calif., Charlotte, N.C., Harrisburg, Pa., and Portland, Maine were among those recommended for an increase in locality pay starting in 2012.

“This is just a recommendation to the pay agent. The pay agent then has to act on it, an either accept our recommendations or not, and make their recommendation to the President,” Kelley said. “I am hoping that the pay agent will adopt the recommendations of the Federal Salary Council.”

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