IFPTE Applauds OPM’s Announced Regulations to Bring Fairness to Federal Wage System Locality Pay

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Tuesday, October 8, 2024

WASHINGTON, DC – The International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE) welcomed the Office of Personnel Management’s announced Notice for Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to make Federal Wage System (FWS) locality pay areas equitable with General Schedule (GS) locality pay areas. The proposed rule, which will be published on October 11 and open for public comment for 60 days, will increase pay for 10% of the FWS workforce by moving them into new locality pay areas similar to the GS system.  IFPTE Executive Officers provided the following comments. 

IFPTE President Matthew Biggs:
“Our union thanks OPM Acting Director Rob Shriver and the Biden-Harris Administration for moving forward with this proposed rule that brings fairness to how federal employees under the Federal Wage System receive locality pay. This rule closes the gap between FWS and GS locality pay that only exists because GS locality areas have been modernized while FWS has lagged. We expect this rule to be made final by the end of the year and we will urge OPM, DOD, and all federal agencies to implement the final rule without delay next year.  Federal employees under FWS, including our members who work at the Navy shipyards, at USACE projects and infrastructure, and elsewhere, deserve no less.” 

IFPTE Secretary-Treasurer Gay Henson:
“We are grateful to this administration and OPM leadership for putting forward this rule to fix unfair locality boundaries that underpay thousands of federal workers in the Federal Wage System. We also thank lawmakers, namely Senator Bob Casey and Congressman Matt Cartwright, for bringing attention to this issue by sponsoring the Locality Pay Equity Act. IFPTE will work toward making sure the final rule goes into effect as soon as possible so that no one is left waiting for the measure of fairness this rule brings.”

Download IFPTE’s press release

Contact: Candace Rhett
(202) 239-4880