in effect
This is a presidential executive order (EO 14368, signed December 18, 2025) that sets new pay rates for federal government employees across multiple pay systems. It is a routine annual action the President takes under statutory authority in U.S. law to adjust federal compensation.
The order establishes updated pay schedules for the General Schedule (the main white-collar federal civilian pay scale), the Foreign Service, Veterans Health Administration medical staff, the Senior Executive Service, top Executive/Legislative/Judicial branch officials, and uniformed military members. Locality-based comparability payments — extra pay added to base salary depending on where an employee works — are also updated. Military pay rates take effect January 1, 2026; all civilian pay schedules take effect on the first pay period starting on or after January 1, 2026. The Director of the Office of Personnel Management is separately directed to evaluate whether to give certain federal civilian law enforcement personnel a total pay increase of up to 3.8 percent (counting the general raise already provided). This order replaces the prior year’s equivalent order (EO 14132, dated December 23, 2024).
Federal civilian employees across most pay systems — including General Schedule workers, Foreign Service officers, VA medical professionals, Senior Executive Service members, and Administrative Law Judges — will see their base pay and locality pay adjusted under the new schedules. Active-duty military members and cadets/midshipmen are also affected through the updated uniformed services pay table. High-level government officials including members of Congress, the Vice President, and federal judges receive updated salaries under separate schedules in the same order.