The House-passed budget plan drafted by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., includes a five-year pay freeze for federal workers. But the proposed freeze could end up costing the government much more than it saves, particularly in the case of high-demand jobs like those in technology, Howard Risher, a regular contributor to Government Executive, writes in Federal Times.
Net savings will be modest, Risher writes, noting that salaries may grow 16 percent for private sector knowledge workers over the next five years. With the freeze, payroll savings for average federal workers would be roughly $35,000, though those savings have to be balanced with the anticipated costs, as high employee turnover, plummeting employee morale and decreased employee performance are possible outcomes, he adds.
What are your thoughts? How likely would you be to leave your federal job in the event of a five-year pay freeze, particularly as private sector tech salaries go up?
Brittany Ballenstedt
Brittany Ballenstedt writes Nextgov's Wired Workplace blog, which delves into the issues facing employees who work in the federal information technology sector. Before joining Nextgov, Brittany covered federal pay and benefits issues as a staff correspondent for Government Executive and served as an associate editor for National Journal's Technology Daily. She holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Mansfield University and originally hails from Pennsylvania. She currently lives near Travis Air Force Base, Calif., where her husband is stationed.
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