2,100+ Federal Workers in PA Will Get Pay Raises Under New Rule
Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator John Fetterman (D-PA) applauded the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) for publishing a rule that will end a decades-long pay disparity affecting more than 2,100 hourly federal workers in Pennsylvania and nearly 14,500 across the country. This long-overdue reform, which will take effect on October 1, 2025, will raise wages for hourly federal employees who have been paid according to different locality pay areas than their salaried colleagues. The rule will deliver an estimated $23.1 million in additional wages to Pennsylvanians in the first year alone.
“For three decades, hourly federal workers across Pennsylvania have been shortchanged by a system that pays them differently than their salaried coworkers. This new rule will eliminate that pay gap for thousands of these workers,” said Senator Fetterman. “This is about so much more than just a paycheck––this is about treating workers with the dignity and respect they deserve. I’m proud to stand with the union members across our commonwealth who have fought for years to make this happen. I made a commitment to join them in this fight and I’m proud that we finally got it done.”
OPM’s final rule is the culmination of more than a year of advocacy by Senator Fetterman and a broad coalition of allies, including affected workers, labor unions, and colleagues in Congress. Despite decades-long efforts to fix this issue, federal agencies had never taken effective action to fix the pay gap – until now.
Timeline of Senator Fetterman’s Involvement:
- September 18, 2023: Senator Fetterman sent a letter to the Federal Prevailing Rate Advisory Committee (FPRAC) urging them to address the disparity between Federal Wage System (FWS) and General Schedule (GS) pay.
- December 21, 2023: FPRAC voted 9-1 to recommend combining FWS wage areas and GS locality pay areas, a critical first step toward resolving the issue.
- February 29, 2024: Senator Fetterman sent a follow-up letter to OPM Director Kiran Ahuja, calling for immediate implementation of FPRAC’s recommendation.
- April 2024: OPM Director approved FPRAC’s recommendation, clearing the way for the Biden-Harris Administration to act.
- October 11, 2024: The Biden-Harris Administration published the proposed rule, following Fetterman’s sustained pressure on OPM and the White House. Senator Fetterman submitted a public comment in strong support of the proposal.
- January 21, 2025: OPM finalized the rule, ensuring it will take effect on October 1, 2025.
Beginning on October 1, 2025, FWS employees at federal facilities like Letterkenny Army Depot, Tobyhanna Army Depot, and United States Penitentiary (USP) Canaan will receive wages based on the same locality pay areas as their GS coworkers. This resolves a longstanding inequity that has caused high turnover rates and recruiting and retention issues at these facilities.
Senator Fetterman will serve as the top Democrat overseeing the rule’s implementation in his role as Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Subcommittee on Border Management, Federal Workforce, and Regulatory Affairs. In this role, Senator Fetterman will make sure that the rule is fully implemented, and he’ll fight to expand it to include workers in more facilities like Gettysburg National Military Park and Defense Logistics Agency New Cumberland.
Senator Fetterman is joined in celebrating this new rule by a range of labor advocates and unions, including AFGE Local 1647, AFGE CPL-33 Local 3003, and NFFE Local 1442.
“This adjustment is a necessary step to ensure greater equity and fairness in wage determinations for federal employees,” said Ned George, AFGE Local 1647 President, Tobyhanna Army Depot. “By refining the criteria, the policy will better reflect regional economic conditions, align wages more accurately with local labor markets, and address disparities that have persisted under the current system. Such a change will not only enhance employee morale but also strengthen the ability of federal agencies to attract and retain skilled workers, ensuring the government’s workforce is competitive and well-supported. Thank you, Senator Fetterman, for your leadership in pursuing this important change. I strongly encourage its implementation for the benefit of federal employees nationwide.”
“Ensuring that our wage grade employees receive equal locality pay is a crucial step in recognizing their skill and dedication. It is important to recruit and retain quality staff especially because they work in one of the most dangerous penitentiaries in the country. They deserve wages that reflect the risks they take and the expertise they possess,” said David J Demas, AFGE CPL-33 Local 3003 President, USP Canaan. “I want to thank Senator Fetterman and his staff for their tireless efforts in helping us reach this important milestone. Together, we are bringing about fair treatment to those who serve and protect the United States.”
“The adjustment of the WG localities to align with their GS coworkers is long overdue. The WG employees affected by this ruling now will receive the compensation they are deserving of for the locality they work in,” said Chuck Vickery, NFFE Local 1442 President, Letterkenny Army Depot.
