Five-Year Freeze on Federal Pay?

As a recent report by Robert Half International finds that IT salaries in the private sector are projected to rise an average of 4.5 percent in 2012, lawmakers in both the House and Senate are recommending the deficit-reduction super committee make additional cuts to federal pay and benefits.

In a letter sent Friday to the super committee, Republican members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee called on the deficit cutters to consider measures including extending the two-year civilian pay freeze for an additional three years and eliminating step increases.

The letter also recommends cutting the workforce by 10 percent through attrition; hiring one new worker for every three who leave or retire; and cutting several federal retirement benefits, including moving from a high-three to a high-five calculation, increasing the Federal Employees Retirement System contribution from 0.8 percent to 6.2 percent, increasing the Civil Service Retirement System contribution from 7 percent to 10 percent, and eliminating FERS for all new hires.

A separate bipartisan letter to the committee also recommends that the current two-year federal pay freeze be extended -- for one additional year -- and that pension contributions by federal employees increase by 1.2 percent. In addition, the letter from leaders of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee recommends moving to the high-five pension calculation, streamlining pharmacy benefits under the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program and cutting down on contractor costs.

"The sacrifices we ask of federal employees must be part of a comprehensive national effort to get our fiscal house in order," the Senate letter states. "Done correctly, repairing our national balance sheet will strengthen our economy and yield a new and better fiscal reality in which all Americans, including federal employees, can benefit."

What are your thoughts on the proposed cuts to your pay and benefits, especially given the news that private sector IT salaries are on the rise?