Providing Parity in Civilian-Military Pay Raises Could Work Both Ways
Senate legislation setting a 4.8 percent military raise for next January is almost certain to include language urging the same raise for 1.2 million white-collar federal workers.</br></br>Although it is tough to compare federal civilian and military pay (because of various allowances accorded military personnel), both groups work for the same employer and generally get raises at the same time each year. But they don't always receive the same percentage amounts.</br></br>Raises for civilian and military personnel are based on different political, economic and strategic considerations. That means one group is often playing pay catch-up with the other.</br></br>Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John W. Warner (R-Va.) has military pay on a legislative fast track. The bill would move separately from -- and ahead of -- the much larger defense authorization bill.</br></br>But Warner, with strong bipartisan support, wants the pay raise issue dealt with fast and first. He has agreed to include language promising pay-raise equity from a non-binding resolution by Sen. Paul S. Sarbanes (D-Md.).