Re: No

Talk about an entitlement expectation. Get your facts straight before complaining. No one is asking or making you give up a pay raise. Actually, you are getting a pay raise, which you are not entitled to, when the majority of Americans will not.

Re: No

In the case of this e-mail, some federal employees just don't understand how good we have it. Yeah, I work live within my means and pay my debts, too. Hey, it's time for all federal workers to take a step back & be THANKFUL we have a JOB!!!. If you don't like it, LEAVE THE GOV'T and go work in the private sector!! Quit crying!!

Re: No

We pay our bills and all the other lazy people in the world and bailout the big companies and banks, and now the president wants more from us. This is rediculous and should not have even been ask of us. When is he going to take a look at the middle class and start doing something for us.

Re: No

I have no problem giving up my pay raise for 2010 completely as long as our medical doesn't go up. That is usually where are raise goes anyway. When Reagan was in office, we did without one year. I do think President Obama is living under a rock. It's going to take a lot to get us back in shape and all the spending programs he is implementing or proposing will not help that cause. Maybe Congress should look at cutting back on their special benefits (private jets, etc.).

Re: No

IT Specialist & IRS Employee

I assume you are getting one of the hand-outs? Is that why you don't mind that the money is coming from someone else? If you don't mind giving your money away, please just work for free.

Or maybe you are upset because the person you voted for is treating you like a tool.....

Re: No

Yea let's suck it up and give up or pay raise just because Obama's staffers salararies are frozen at 168K. Give me a break. All from the man who stood in front of our soldiers and couldn't even congratualate them for their success (aka victory) in Iraq. Obama is a audacious jerk.

Re: No

First off, you are not entitled to a pay increase every year by congress. You should be happy that you have a job and not being furlough.

Re: No

Does anyone remember bank de-regulation in the Clinton Administration.

Google our current Treasury secretary (Geithner and the former Fanny Mae Freddie Mac chairman) As the policy developers for financial deregulation it would appear they are now getting their payoff; funny how people and things run in cycles in the government administration, don't you think.

Re: No

I agree with the real American Workers' comments above. We do work hard and we are entitled to recognition via pay raises. That's why we took these jobs in the first place.

Why should we pay for lazy "people" to sit on the sofa, eating chips and wtaching oprah all day?

No, obama needs to get it right and CONGRATULATE and RECOGNIZE the workers in this nation instead of PUNISHING them to pay for deadbeats.

Wecome to socialism, folks. You voted for marx....er, obama.

Re: No

President Obama's Mother-in-Law is his family. Many people have their Mothers and Mother-in-laws living in their home. Some people have gronw children living in their home. Some people of uncles and aunts living in the home. Family is family. Everyones' family looks different. The White House is their home. Get over your political hard noseness. Get off your high horse.

Make your point about the stimulus and then stop.

Many Americans are hard working people. You are are not the only one. I am not the only one.

What happen in the country was greed. Greedy CEOs at banking institutions and finiancial loan institutions. People go out and shop for homes. They go to a banking institution for the money. People trust the banking institions to tell them the truth. Some people are wiser and check the figures. Other don't have the knowledge to check the figures. Lets place the blame where it belongs. It belongs on GREEDY PEOPLE.

Re: No

In response to the comment below...

I understand how good I have it, that is why I switched from the private sector to the government (I work in the scientific and engineering community) back when the economy was booming. Many of my friends did not understand why I would leave a contractor where most of the money could be made and work instead as a federal employee making less. Well when the economy tanked they then understood my reasoning. So I have made the right decision why should I suffer for taking the less risky job to help those that were risk takers?


----------------------------------
IRS Employee

"In the case of this e-mail, some federal employees just don't understand how good we have it. Yeah, I work live within my means and pay my debts, too. Hey, it's time for all federal workers to take a step back & be THANKFUL we have a JOB!!!. If you don't like it, LEAVE THE GOV'T and go work in the private sector!! Quit crying!!"

Re: NSPS and Pay raises

Right now under NSPS all employees with a level 2 rating are guaranteed 60% of the general schedule raise. Sixty percent of a 2.0% raise is obviously going to be less than 60% of a 3.9% raise. The rest of the pay pool funding -- the amount historically used by agencies to fund performance awards, etc. -- shouldn't be impacted by a lower general schedule raise.

While I empathize with the comments of Taxpayer, above, quite frankly I was expecting Obama to announce a federal pay freeze for 2010. A small raise is better than no raise . . . or no job . . .

Re: NSPS and Pay raises

Taken in context, it is a bitter pill!! However, President Obama is expected to take a critical look at A-76 contracting out of jobs, & new personnel systems, such as NSPS. If we have more dignity, & respect as government workers, then that must be factored too.

Re: NSPS and Pay raises

lets see last year the avg was 8% so i would imagine the avg would be 6%

Re: NSPS and Pay raises

Let's hope that NSPS goes away completely.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

I totally support the (hopefully temporary) belt-tightening measures, including a 2% pay raise.

But I disagree with you that the military deserves bigger raises. I am a veteran, and people often forget that when serving in the military, an individual pays no rent, gets free meals and medical coverage, pays no gasoline taxes, and gets higher pay automatically if serving in areas of danger. Married individuals also get extra in their checks to offset the cost of housing. Sorry, even as a veteran, I'm not THAT sympathetic.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

Vetrans don't pay gas taxes? I assume you are ex-military and not retired. AAFES does a survey of the cost of gas near the base and sets their price accordingly. You can save a few cents, but sometimes gas is cheaper off base also. They do the same with tobacco. So I may not be paying the taxes, but I am paying the same amount.
Free rent. This is true, they either get housing or money for off post housing. Civilians just get one big pay check. Come retirement, civilians get a percentage of the big check, military a percentage of their base pay only. 30% of my current GS pay is greater than my E7 retirement pay.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

Military should get a big pay raise. Many of our military left very good paying jobs when they were called up. And they have families to support. They are doing their duty to their country to protect us and are putting their lives at risk. Yes it is true that "they get free housing," etc. and extra money for their families, but remember that they are separated from their families, not because they want to but because that is part of the job. And their families don't get free housing, they still have to pay the rent. So back off on the millitary not deserve a payraise.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

I concur with IT Specialist from the USDA about military paying taxes on gas and tobacco. A long time ago, the private sector lobbied the Armed Forces committee about how unfair it was that the gas sold on base was tax-free and the soldiers were driving on the local roads, but not paying for the upkeep. So now they have to pay gas taxes just like everyone else. And, yes, sometimes the gas on base costs up to 5 or 10¢ more than in town.

Also, now they get hit with income tax on the BAQ because, even if they are in quarters (almost all managed by private contractors now), the BAQ is counted as income (although the contractor gets the money directly from Uncle Sam and the troops never see it).

I'm in one of those agencies that never gets raises. I'd be happy with the 2% as long as MY medical doesn't go up again, either.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

I really am annoyed by those who keep saying we should be thankful for our job...at least we have one. That is such a suck-up. If I didn't have this job I would have a different one. I work hard for what I earn and I am entitled to a raise. It isn't my fault others were scammed and the banks made loans to folks who were not worthy of them. Why should my household pay for the mistakes of others? This administration is throwing money without any accountability as to where it went. Why should federal workers have to tighten their belts when this is going on? How is this going to “stimulate” the economy?

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

I'm happy to get whatever we are offered in this day and age. I also agree that folks in harm's way (whether military or civilian) should get a higher raise. I don't believe that just because one is in the military, that they should be entitled to a higher raise. Just those folks on the front lines.

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

I think Obama needs to lighten up his staff. He has senior staffers who make $168,000 per year. They should only be making the equivelent of maybe a NSPS YC-3. There are at least 18 in that category, (Overstaffed) (Drop the Number to maybe 5) 6 at $153,000, Should be NSPS YC-2) (with only 3 max) one at $147,600, (Should be GS NSPS YA-2 ) 19 at $141,000 (Should be NSPS YA-2) (Again Overstaffed) This doesn't even mention the chief of staff or the press secretary. (NSPS YA-3)(an placed on an On-Call Schedule) (Top staffers don't need to be making this kind of money, they should all be on the NSPS pay schedules (Performance Based Pay) after a thorugh evaluation of duties and paid accordingly. This way we can see just exactly the work they do (and if they do it.)
The president's staffers are OVER PAID and DOING very LITTLE for us. For his Mother-in-Law living with them, this shouldn't be allowed. because according to the rules, it is suppose to be the Immed family wife/ Children

Re: Proposes 2% Pay Raise

i think we should not feel guilty about getting such a small raise, we should get what the cost of insurance increase will be.

the military should get what congress receives, lets not forget what they are doing, to receive these benifets you remind us of. when was the last time you slept in a mud hole while being shot at, or did you forget.

Re: Federal raises

I guess Obama was correct when he said in his speech to the joint house of Congress, this week, that "some" will interpret his rollback of the tax cuts on those with the highest income--those making ABOVE $250K per annum, as a tax increase for all.

Do people only hear what they want to hear, or do they just flat out lie?? If you make under $250K per household, you WILL be getting a TAX CUT.

Re: Federal raises

Retired USPS:

When you consider how much people make in similar positions in the private sector, the pay of these senior staffers is LOW.

Because of the prestige of the positions or perks, we usually get more than we pay for.

At least I certainly hope so.

Same with pay for congress. Their pay is paltry for their position, responsibility and influence. And although far too many of them do not earn what they get, we need to pay them according to what we expect, and then we need to elect those who will do what we expect.

Underpaying any position in government or the private sector always has negative consequences.

It is important to consider all perks of the job as part of the pay. And in that light one thing has always been true, we get what we pay for.

If you want to underpay congress and the executive branch (not to mention state government), go for it. But I promise you that overall, you will not underpay for your government, you will pay more.

Re: Federal raises

Your naive if you think you not going to pay more in the coming years as a result of the socialistic policies of this new "administration" who I have noticed of late have sunk to new levels of Juvenile behavior, making personal attacks on anyone who disagrees with them.

You’re going to be taxed for energy (cap and trade). You’re going to be taxed for health care. They want to tax what you exhale (carbon). Next comes the oxygen tax.

These morons who caused this mess are unbelievable and using it as an excuse to turn us into a Commie/Nazi regime.

I feel better now. Yes you will pay more taxes and you'll like it.

CG.

Re: AFGE rolling over

So true. So much for pay parity.

Re: AFGE rolling over

With the CPI at minus 4.6, a two % pay raise would result in a 6.6 real increase. Last year the feds averaged 3.9 nand the CPI from October 07 to 08 was 5.8%. and therfore was a real pay cut of 1.9%. So lets put it this way:

UNDER OBAMA THE FEDS GET A 6.6% RAISE IN 2010
UNDER BUSH YOU GOT A 1.9% PAY CUT IN 2009

Re: AFGE rolling over

Department of Labor the CPI was .3 percent for January making it on track for about 3.2 percent for the year not minus 4.6 percent. So we will receive a minus 1.2 percent pay raise. Must be the new math or something.

Re: AFGE rolling over

Astronut NASA:
Under Bush, he usually offered low ball pay raises & the unions fought as they should. This time is no different under Obama. Have you thought about getting your brother, & sister, astronauts organized into a union?

Re: AFGE rolling over

Oh thank you MR Barrack Hussein Obama for the 6 % raise. Thank you thank you for the 201K (he is part of the crowd that caused the mess). Thank you for the reduced value of my home (he voted against regulation).

Anything else I should thank him for?

Re: AFGE rolling over

President Bush proposed a 2.5% pay raise in the secon year of his first term. AFGE went nuts. Ronald Reagan proposed a 3% pay raise in his second term. The union went nuts. This is nothing more that partisan hypocracy on the part of Mr. Gage. If you agree, drop the union. The more people they lose, the faster they will change their tune.

Re: AFGE rolling over

Hey Claims ReP....so the Congress and Senate get small salaries? Tell me then why the majority are millionaires?

Re: 2% Pay Increase for 2010

PR isn't a state so any raise should be appreciated

Re: 2% Pay Increase for 2010

Please be reminded that federal employees in Puerto Rico receive 14% (I believe) cost of living (COLA) to compensate the difference between them and federal employees who receive locality pay.