Federal employees doing Ok in recession.

Obama announced a two year pay freeze a while back but Federal Employees still get the
"step increase". 2.6-3.3 percent. Congress has not approved that freeze yet.
In addition to the General scheduled employees receiving step increases, some of the governments 187,000 "wage grade" employees also will get the "step increase".
Also in June the government paid $408 million in bonuses to 359,400 people the average being $1,135 each, in physical 2009.

Seems to me the recession has not hurt federal employees all that much. I have not seen any one I know in the private sector get 2.6 percent pay increase per year.