# OPM Adjusts Federal Pay Rates

OPM memo CPM 2026-13 sets special-rate adjustments effective January 10, 2027, for specified federal law-enforcement personnel: employees already covered are generally slated for a 3.8% increase, while newly covered groups may receive about 6.68%, subject to coverage review and statutory pay caps. Agencies may opt out or submit comments by November 25, 2026 (14 days from November 11). Separately, the President’s alternative pay plan submitted to Congress proposes no 2027 General Schedule increase for most federal employees; FEHB premium changes are plan-specific, not a uniform 10.9% increase. No solicitation or contract award is identified, but the pay changes may affect agencies’ staffing and retention plans and contractors’ workforce assumptions on federal programs.

- Agencies assessing whether to opt out or comment should account for the November 25 deadline and review which law-enforcement positions are covered; the adjustments are not presented as universal across federal employees.
- Procurement teams and contractors supporting law-enforcement operations can factor potential federal employee pay differences into staffing, retention, and transition planning, without treating them as automatic changes to contract rates.
- The proposed 0% GS adjustment remains separate from the special-rate changes and is part of a plan submitted to Congress. The signal does not establish a final 2027 pay determination for most GS employees.

**Jurisdictions:** federal
**Industries:** Public Safety
**Topics:** Policy
**Published:** November 10, 2026

### Government Entities
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
- Congress

### Key Quotes
> The new coverage applies automatically unless an agency asks to be excluded, using a letter signed by the agency head or a designee.
> — Original poster

> for 2027, base pay and locality pay for civilian Federal employees will not change from the 2026 rates.
> — StandWatch page, quoting the alternative pay plan in House Document 119-189

### Sources
- [Why these federal workers will get 6.7% pay raise in 2027](https://www.reddit.com/r/fednews/comments/1xs0gc2/why_these_federal_workers_will_get_67_pay_raise) - reddit-fednews
- [Trump’s 0% Pay Freeze, Your 10.9% Insurance Increase. Make It Make Sense.](https://www.reddit.com/r/FedEmployees/comments/1xslwex/trumps_0_pay_freeze_your_109_insurance_increase) - reddit-fedemployees