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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Meetings address possible shift in federal workers' pay

Advertiser Staff

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

Sen. Daniel Akaka

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Federal workers' compensation will be the subject of public informational meetings across the state next week by a U.S. Senate subcommittee.

U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka's Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce will take up matters such as recent proposals to phase out cost-of-living adjustments and phase in "locality pay" for federal employees in Hawai'i, Alaska and U.S. territories.

About 19,500 federal and Postal Service employees in Hawai'i receive cost-of-living allowances, amounting to up to 25 percent of their pay. "Locality pay" is tied to prevailing private-sector wages.

Specialists, including staff from the Senate Subcommittee on the Federal Workforce, Office of Personnel Management, Department of Defense and U.S. Postal Service, will go over the various proposals and answer questions.

Additionally, a formal subcommittee field hearing chaired by Akaka will be held 1 p.m. May 29 at the O'ahu Veterans Center in Honolulu.

The specialists will hold meetings at the following locations and times:

  • Hilo, Tuesday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Department of Labor Conference Room, 1990 Kino'ole St.

  • Kona, Tuesday 5-7 p.m., Royal Kona Resort, 75-5852 Ali'i Drive, Kailua.

  • Maui, May 28, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Maui Community College, Kalama 103.

  • Kaua'i, May 30, 11 a.m.-1 p.m., Moikeha Building, Room 2A, 4444 Rice St., Lihu'e.

  • O'ahu, May 29, Oahu Veterans Center, 1298 Kukila St. Subcommittee field hearing at 1 p.m.; public informational meeting on workers' compensation at 3 p.m.

    Panel members will include Akaka; Charles "Chuck" D. Grimes, deputy associate director of Performance and Pay Systems in the Office of Personnel Management; Bradley Bunn, program executive officer for the Defense Department; and Jo Ann Mitchell, manager of accounting services for the U.S. Postal Service.