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The Federal Pay System Is Designed to Lag—and the Data Prove It

FedSmith.com author Ralph R. SmithBy Ralph R. SmithDec 17, 2025 11:33 AM Categories Pay & Benefits Leave a comment
Scale tipped towards one side due to having three bags of money on it versus only one bag on the higher side

A decade of data shows federal pay raises usually trail the Employment Cost Index and inflation, revealing how the pay system is structured to lag the broader labor market.

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