Biden signs order for 2022 federal pay raise

Feds under the general schedule and other statutory pay systems will receive a 2.2% increase to their basic pay and a .5% increase to locality pay beginning Jan. 2, 2022, under an executive order signed by President Joe Biden on Dec. 22.

This increase is on par with the basic pay adjustment granted to military servicemembers under the fiscal year 2022 National Defense Authorization Act.

In tandem with the order, the Office of Personnel Management released the new pay tables for 2022, which detail the pay amounts for each grade, step and locality.

Employees under the Senior Executive Service, Senior Level or Scientific and Professional classification will have a new minimum pay of $135,468 in 2022, meaning any employee under those systems that currently makes less than that must have their pay increased to meet the minimum by Jan. 2.

For SES employees, any other raises in pay are based on individual performance as based on the agency’s performance management system.

SL and ST positions receive a pay adjustment based on what the agency head considers appropriate for that year each time the General Schedule is adjusted. This appropriate adjustment can be zero in some years.

All SES, SL and ST positions have a new maximum rate of basic pay of $203,700 for employees under a certified performance appraisal system and at $187,300 for those not under a certified appraisal system.

Administrative law judges will also receive a 2.2% basic pay increase, rounded to the nearest $100, and administrative appeals judges minimum pay is set at the same rate as an ALJ at level AL-3, which starts at $136,651.

The executive schedule basic rates of pay are also increased by 2.2% rounded to the nearest $100.

“It’s important to note that this pay raise was calculated based on the annual change in private sector wages and salaries a year ago, well before current inflation woes. That means feds will see more in their paychecks but get less for their money next year,” said National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association President Ken Thomas in a statement.

“It will be crucial that the Biden administration adhere to the same method of determining increases in the next year, so the 2023 pay raise reflects recent changes in wage inflation.”

About Jessie Bur

Jessie Bur covers federal IT and management.