Kilmer Convenes Meeting with Stakeholders to Discuss DOD Policy that Reduces Worker Compensation
Today, Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) convened a meeting with key stakeholders to discuss a Department of Defense (DOD) policy that reduces compensation for federal employees and active-duty service members who travel for work. DOD has enacted a proposal that passes the burden of finding affordable lodging while on assignment onto the individual rather than the department or service.
The policy alters the per diem allowance for long-term temporary duty (TDY) workers. The DOD routinely requires its employees and servicemembers to work at locations other than their primary duty station for extended periods of time. DOD reduced per diem allowances by 25 percent for TDY periods longer than 30 days and by 45 percent for those lasting longer than 180 days.
“I believe the Pentagon should not put the biggest burden of spending cuts on workers backs,” said Kilmer. “We need to ensure that workers and servicemembers can find decent lodging while traveling to support military missions. We brought all the sides together today for a productive conversation and will keep working together on ideas to lighten the load on these men and women.”
At the forum, members of Congress, representatives of labor and business groups, and defense officials discussed the impact on servicemembers and civilian workers along with potential ways to address the per diem reduction.
Kilmer was joined at the meeting by Representatives Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and Sam Farr (D-CA). The members talked with stakeholders from DOD, the U.S. Travel Association, the American Hotel and Lodging Association, Marriott International, the Metal Trades Department, Association of Civilian Technicians, American Federation of Government Employees, Federal Managers Association, National Federation of Federal Employees, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Laborers’ International Union of North America.
“The Department of Defense is placing a $38 million per-year burden on the workers who support our military,” said William R. Dougan, National President of the National Federation of Federal Employees. “The Department is touting this as a prudent financial decision, but it amounts to nothing more than a new tax on defense workers with the misfortune of being assigned on long-term temporary duty.”
"These extreme cuts create undue financial burdens on these dedicated employees who will struggle to meet these per diem requirements, or will be forced to make up any cost differences out of their own pockets, due to the fact that these new rates will price them out of markets,” said Patricia Niehaus, National President for the Federal Managers Association. “Federal workers are still trying to financially recover from the three year pay freeze, furloughs caused by sequestration, a government shutdown, and dwindling employee morale throughout military installations. The Department's budgetary solution should not lie on the backs of its employees.”
In October, Kilmer sent a bipartisan letter to Paige Hinkle Bowles, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Civilian Personnel Policy, calling for changes to the per diem proposal.
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