D.C. area tops with 2.2% planned for salary raises

Employers in the D.C. area have budgeted 2.2 percent of their total salary budgets for raises in 2009, highest among the 25 top metro areas included in WorldatWork’s annual Salary Budget Survey.

Washington also has the highest projected budget for 2010 increases at 3 percent.

The relatively high expectations for Washington area raises may help local workers cope with the otherwise gloomy picture of the WorldatWork report which found that the national average of salary budget increases, also 2.2 percent, was the lowest in the 36-year history of the survey. The news is even worse for the executive suite. At least 40 percent of salary budgets have been frozen for officers and executives.

The survey was compiled by polling 2,600 WorldatWork members employed in the compensation and benefits departments of various companies, representing a total of 16 million U.S. employees.

WorldatWork is a global human resources association focused on compensation, benefits, work-life and other incentives to attract, motivate and retain a talented workforce.

Source: Business Journal