Federal agencies are being directed to raise the minimum wages for government employees to $15 an hour, according to new guidance from the Office of Personnel Management shared first with Axios.

Why it matters: The guidance will impact almost 70,000 federal employees, most of which work at the Departments of Agriculture, Defense and Veterans Affairs. OMP is directing agencies to implement the new wage by Jan. 30.

• The largest share of employees, more than 56,000 people, currently paid below $15 work at the DOD.

Catch up fast: During his first week in office, President Biden signed an executive order directing OPM — which serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager for the federal government — to provide a report to the president with recommendations to promote a $15 per hour minimum wage for federal workers.

• In the report, which was submitted to the White House, OPM officials indicated that the majority of the 2.2 million federal employees are already earning at least $15 an hour.

State of play: In the memorandum issued today, OPM lays out next steps and guidance to all executive branch agencies and departments to increase minimum pay rate for all employees stationed in the U.S. (including its territories and possessions) to $15 per hour "beginning on the first day of the first applicable pay period commencing on or after Jan. 30, 2022."

• The new guidance excludes the U.S. Postal Service and Postal Regulatory Commission since they are legally...

Read Full Story: https://www.axios.com/minimum-wage-increase-federal-workers-biden-5806be19-a7...