Close this Advertisement

Workforce Wonk

By Alyah Khan

Blog archive

Workforce still under fire, no end in sight

Tired of all the talk about how much feds get paid? Well, too bad, because there’s plenty more to discuss.

President Barack Obama’s two-year freeze on federal employee salaries appears to just have been the tip of the iceberg in the conversation about restricting federal pay due to budget constraints.

Senior administration officials released a memo June 10 directing agencies to cap performance awards for senior-level employees at 5 percent of their aggregate salary and, for all other workers, at 1 percent. The cap is effective through fiscal 2012.

A draft copy of the memo was obtained and first reported on by the Washington Post in May.

John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, and Jeffrey Zients, chief performance officer and deputy director for management at the Office of Management and Budget, wrote in the recent memo that some feds have come to expect awards as part of their compensation.

“This guidance specifically calls on agencies to adopt more rigorous employee performance management processes that incorporate consistent supervisor communication and feedback, establish accountability at all levels, and provide transparent and credible appraisal systems,” the officials wrote.

However, the limitations don’t apply to political appointees and won’t affect recruitment, retention or relocation incentives, according to the memo.

Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association, said in a report by Government Executive that she is concerned the total number of performance awards will decrease.

Meanwhile, Berry sent another memo June 8 to agency heads to remind them that within-grade salary increases should not be granted to employees with ratings below the “fully successful” level. “The payment of within-grade increases should never be viewed as automatic or routine,” Berry wrote.

What do you think about the cap on federal employee bonuses? Do you think the caps are fair? Why or why not? And, what do you think about Berry’s memo on within-grade increases? Do you think feds – particularly underperforming ones – feel that awards should be guaranteed?

Posted by Alyah Khan on Jun 14, 2011 at 11:17 AM



 

Related Blogs

Reader comments

Mon, Aug 1, 2011 cjk ok

Dear Sirs, Federal workers are the target these days and employees making less than $60,000 (like me) are not permitted a cost of living raise. I would like to know when congress,Senate, House of Rep. and the President are going sacrifice their pay, bonuses, and awards money? America didn't vote on the Wall Street bail-out. Why does not congress and President foot this bill. Congress and the President keeps enjoying a wonderful life style in these hard times. I feel, it is time for them to pay up. Let's see these folks give up their luxury before they raise the taxes and take from the middle class. Their pockets and accounts have an overflowing amount of dollars. Why does not the Federal Government decrease some of the management we employee. Managers should be accountable and expected to work instead of having layers of management such as chief, assistant chief, mangers, supervisors, and leads to perform these functions. Why not do what President Clinton did and get rid of all the layering. Offer the folks under CSRS buy-outs and start weeding out these folks. the longer they stay the more taxes we pay. I would like to retire to with 80% of my pay like CSRS employees, but our tax dollars can't afford this retirement. Come on Congress get serious we know some will stay, but some folks may actually retire. Why doesn't congress want to offer buy-outs? People that jealous of someone getting a buy-out? Gee, Congress and the President can't or won't do their jobs and they get paid,awards,kudos, bonuses, vacations, and an expense account. Time for Congress and the President to step up and sacrifice. We don't need to raise the debt ceiling we just a congress and President that will work for the American people. Can't wait for the next election because I won't be voting for the President or the members of Congress we have now. WE need to employee people who will work for the American people. Yes, I did work not off playing gulf or on some vacation enjoying tax dollars.

Mon, Jun 27, 2011

If you take away the incentive to be a better than average employee, you will at best get an average employee. But isn't that the goal of those who are attacking the workforce - or at least their campaign contributors?

Mon, Jun 27, 2011

1) Only a small % of employees receive performance awards. 2)Federal salaries have lagged far behind the private sector for many years. 3) There are far too many federal contractors that will not see the pay freezed or cut. 4) The average COLA in the private sector is a little over 1 1/14% however, to feeze salaries will only hurt the ecomony not help it 5) When the bailouts of the private sector took place people complained about the hugh bonues these men and women received...but in the end, the conversation said it was fair for them. When politicians are the gate keepers for the public money it seems that they use it curry favor from special interest and lobbyist. When they need votes they support Unions and negotiate these benefits that are unsustainable on the local tax base. Now they complain that unions should give what they negotiated for...sorry that is a legal contract. You don't banks easily reworking your mortgage note because your property values have underwater. There something terribly wrong when there is a feeding frenzy on one segment of the working middleclass. When the people who are calling for a pay freeze for everyone esle but themselves, you have to wonder. In this process, I took less money over the volatility of the market place. Gov't employees do not negotiate salary increases, benefits, nor can they strke. We take an oath to defend the constitution and are proud to do so. There were group of men and women who worked tirelessly to bring down OBL and they will receive an award, rightly so, but no COLA, however, the military men and women working they work with will. We need solutions from the elected officials not rhectic that causes divisions amoungs us. Finally, once people are elected everyone needs to support them whether they agree with their politics are not...far too often nothing happens in congress becuase of the politics of the right or left. If the Chinese decides to call in the notes they have on our ecomony, where will we be then...concern public employee. PS we pay mortgages too!

Mon, Jun 27, 2011

Lets see... Political appointees no cap on bonuses, SES 5%, the employees who actually perform the work 1% of a much lower salary. I guess we are all equal, but some are more equal than others.

Fri, Jun 24, 2011

I strongly support Berry's stance against giving within-grade increases to under-performing employees. Poor performers should receive NO increases until their performance is brought to a satisfactory level and maintained at that level for at least a year. If their performance doesn't improve, they should be fired and replaced with those who really want to work. As for the pay freezes, I'm certainly not ecstatic about any block on getting higher pay but I'm willing to sacrifice to get our country's economy back in shape. (Incidentally, I'm not a member of the Senior Executive Service nor am I a supervisor--I'm a grade 06 budget technician with almost 5 years as a government employee.)

Show All Comments

Please post your comments here. Comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately after submitting. We will not post comments that we consider abusive or off-topic.

Your Name:(optional)
Your Email:(optional)
Your Location:(optional)
Comment:
Please type the letters/numbers you see above

LATEST FEDERAL DAILY NEWS