1/28/2004 - ARLINGTON, Va. (AFPN) -- The additional 2.1-percent pay raise for civilian employees authorized by the president Jan. 23, will be retroactive to Jan. 11. However, before it can take effect, an executive order must be issued addressing how the increase will be split between base and locality pay, said Defense Finance and Accounting Service officials.

After the executive order is issued, the Office of Personnel Management will publish new salary tables based on that guidance. These tables must then be integrated into the personnel system before any retroactive pay adjustment processing can begin, officials said. Once the adjustments are processed by the personnel system, calculation of employee pay increases by payroll systems can begin.

As in 2003, not all employees will receive the retroactive part of the pay increase at the same time. Because of transaction volume, payroll processing of this change must take place over the course of multiple paydays, DFAS officials said.