Federal employees will see a 1 percent pay raise in 2026, assuming Congress endorses President Trump’s alternative pay plan. On Friday, August 29, President Trump sent an alternative pay plan to Congress, calling for a 1 percent raise for the federal workforce in 2026.

FMA National President Craig Carter said, “A one percent raise is better than nothing, and given the lack of discussion about pay all year we had been bracing for a pay freeze. Regrettably, a one percent pay raise is nowhere near the rising inflation levels. And it would ensure feds would fall even further behind their private sector counterparts when it comes to compensation, when feds already make almost 25 percent less.”

FMA strongly supports the 3.8 percent raise for the uniformed military, and argues federal employees deserve the traditional long-established pay parity with military service members.

“Maintaining the traditional pay parity between federal employees and the uniformed military is essential to ensuring fairness, stability, and the recruitment and retention of a highly skilled civilian workforce,” Carter wrote. Federal employees take the same oath to the Constitution and work side by side with military personnel in supporting national security, public safety, and critical government services, and their contributions should be valued equally.

“Breaking the long-standing practice of parity undermines morale and creates unnecessary disparities, sending the wrong message about the worth of civilian service. Upholding this principle not only honors the shared commitment of both groups but also strengthens the government’s ability to attract and retain the talent necessary to meet its mission.”

“Federal employees deserve to be treated with respect for their efforts and the dedicated work they perform. It is not too much to ask that, in return, feds be given the ability to maintain a living wage that keeps up with inflation and that provides for them and their families,” Carter concluded.

Trump still needs to send an executive order to finalize the pay raise in December of this year.

Feds received a 4.6 percent pay raise in 2023, followed by a 5.2 percent boost in 2024, and a 2 percent raise for this year.