Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA AT ODDS WITH ADMINISTRATION OVER CIVILAN PAY FREEZE - August 28, 2026

• Alexandria, VA – On August 26, 2026, President Donald Trump formalized an alternative compensation plan calling for a pay freeze for most civilian federal employees for 2027. The alternative compensation plan also prevents locality pay increases for feds in the upcoming year. Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Linda Lentjes made the following comments on the Trump administration's decision.

  "We are deeply disappointed by the administration’s decision to formally call for a devastating pay freeze for all feds for 2027. It is particularly disappointing in light of the up to 7 percent raise the uniformed military will receive. To be clear, we fully support the raise for the military and the 3.8 percent raise for federal law enforcement, but strongly argue federal employees deserve parity.

  "Federal managers swear the same oath to the Constitution and dutifully spend every day maintaining and operating the military enterprise that protects our national security, processing tax returns and Social Security payments, caring for our veterans, protecting our environment and food supply, and countless other services on behalf of all Americans. They deserve to be recognized and compensated fairly, and we are demoralized by the president’s proposed pay freeze. FMA has endorsed the effort in Congress to provide a reasonable 4.1 percent pay raise with the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act (H.R. 7480 / S. 3826), proposed by Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA) and Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI).

  "The federal government must always strive to be a model employer. The American public deserves a federal workforce that receives the resources it needs to provide the services our citizens count on. A pay freeze will only deflate federal employees’ morale, erode employee retention and recruitment, and lead to a lower quality of services from the federal government.”

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