Biden to propose 4.6 percent pay raise for federal employees, service members: report

President Biden is expected to propose a 4.6 percent pay raise for federal employees and military service members in March, the Washington Post reported.

The employees and service members would receive average increases of 4.5 percent in January through the fiscal 2023 budget that the president is expected to make the proposal next month.

It would follow civilian federal employees receiving an average of a 2.7 percent raise on Jan. 1. Biden imposed that raise through a U.S. code rule that allows him to increase pay if he finds such action is appropriate, because of “national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare.”

The White House and Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Hill.

The federal workforce received a 4.6 percent pay raise in 2002 under President George W. Bush.

In his budget, Bush had proposed a 3.6 percent average raise but congressional democrats at the time pushed through a higher raise.

Biden is expected to announce his fiscal 2023 budget requests following his State of the Union address on March 1, the acting director of the Office of Management and Budget Shalanda D. Young told senators last week.

Biden provided another pay bump for federal workers recently.

His $15 minimum wage hike for federal agencies went into effect last month when the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) issued a memo to heads of executive departments and agencies with guidance for adjusting pay rates for employees to at least $15 per hour.