Major news has come by way of the White Houe today after American President Donald Trump announced that next year's pay raise for federal government employees has been cancelled. The 2.1 per cent across-the-board pay increase that was set to happen in January will no longer be happening as a way to maintain budget, CNBC reports.
"I have determined that for 2019, both across the board pay increases and locality pay increases will be set at zero," Donald wrote in a letter addressed to Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. "These alternative pay plan decisions will not materially affect our ability to attract and retain a well qualified Federal workforce." According to the publication, Congress can still authorize an increase despite Donald's statement and they have until the end of the year to do so.
The proposed raise decrease also includes previous plans of a substantial decrease in retirement funding. Federal workers have been hit with the negative news while troops are experiencing the opposite since they will get a 2.6 per cent increase next year.