U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

1 

69–011 2016

114th Congress, 2d Session – – – – – – – – – – – – House Document 114–185 

AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR 

CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE 

GENERAL SCHEDULE 

MESSAGE 

FROM

THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES 

TRANSMITTING

AN ALTERNATIVE PLAN FOR PAY INCREASES FOR CIVILIAN FEDERAL EMPLOYEES COVERED BY THE GENERAL SCHEDULE AND 

CERTAIN OTHER PAY SYSTEMS IN JANUARY 2017, PURSUANT TO 

5 U.S.C. 5304a(a); PUBLIC LAW 101–509, TITLE I, SEC. 101(a)(1); 

(104 STAT. 1436) 

NOVEMBER 30, 2016.—Message and accompanying papers referred to the 

Committee on Oversight and Government Reform and ordered to be 

printed 


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To the Congress of the United States: 

I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay increases for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain 

other pay systems in January 2017. Title 5, United States Code, 

authorizes me to implement alternative pay plans for pay increases 

for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and 

certain other pay systems if, because of ‘‘national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare,’’ I view the 

adjustments that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate. 

Civilian Federal employees made significant sacrifices as a result 

of the 3-year pay freeze that ended in January 2014. Since the pay 

freeze ended, annual adjustments for civilian Federal employees 

have also been lower than private sector pay increases and statutory formulas for adjustments to the General Schedule for 2014 

through 2016. However, we must maintain efforts to keep our Nation on a sustainable fiscal course. This is an effort that continues 

to require tough choices under current economic conditions. 

Under current law, locality pay increases averaging 28.49 percent and costing $26 billion would go into effect in January 2017. 

Federal agency budgets cannot sustain such increases. In my August 31, 2016, alternative pay plan submission, I noted that the alternative plan for locality payments will be limited so that the total 

combined cost of the 1.0 percent across-the-board base pay increase 

and the varying locality pay increases will be 1.6 percent of basic 

payroll, consistent with the assumption in my 2017 Budget. Accordingly, I have determined that under the authority of section 5304a 

of title 5, United States Code, locality-based comparability payments for the locality pay areas established by the President’s Pay 

Agent, in the amounts set forth in the attached table, shall become 

effective on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2017. 

The locality-based comparability payments for the locality pay 

rates in the attached table are based on an allocation of 0.6 percent 

of payroll as indicated in my August 31, 2016, alternative pay plan 

for adjustments to the base General Schedule. These decisions will 

not materially affect our ability to attract and retain a well-qualified Federal workforce. 

BARACK OBAMA. 

THE WHITE HOUSE, November 29, 2016. 


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