WASHINGTON — A bipartisan bill that would increase base pay for federal correctional officers by 35% is gaining organized labor support as staffing shortages continue to strain Bureau of Prisons facilities nationwide.
The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 aims to boost recruitment and retention by raising pay for eligible BOP employees who work in custodial settings with direct inmate contact.
The proposal, first introduced earlier this year, would make the 35% increase part of officers’ basic pay — meaning it would count toward retirement and other federal benefits.
Union leaders say pay gap is driving officers away
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), which represents many federal correctional officers, voiced support for the legislation, pointing to ongoing retention struggles.
“Retention isn’t just about keeping staff — it’s about valuing the people who show up, day after day, to do the hard work that keeps our institution running. Staffing has been a critical issue for us from the beginning,” Jon Zumkehr, president of AFGE Local 4070, said in a statement. “We’re losing our people to other agencies simply because of pay, and that gap makes it harder every year to keep good people in these jobs. This bill is needed to retain the staff at Thomson and around the Federal Bureau of Prisons.”
Sam Metcalf, president of AFGE Local 0701, said higher wages are necessary to stabilize the workforce and reduce the heavy use of augmentation — a practice in which non-custody staff are reassigned to cover correctional officer posts.
“This bill will make our pay competitive, allowing us to recruit new staff, retain our qualified staff, and finally put an end to our heavy reliance on augmentation,” Metcalf said.
Staffing shortages across BOP facilities have led to excessive mandatory overtime, high turnover and safety concerns raised by both officers and lawmakers, supporters of the bill said.
What the bill would do
The Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026 would:
- Provide a 35% base pay increase for eligible BOP employees working in custodial roles with direct inmate contact
- Ensure the increase counts as basic pay for retirement and other federal benefits
- Require a five-year review to evaluate whether the pay increase improves recruitment, retention and workplace safety, and reduces excessive overtime
The bill has been referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
Is pay the primary issue driving staffing shortages, or are other factors just as critical? Share with us below.
Corrections1 readers respond:
- I believe the pay is part of the problem. The part of retention is the continued base pay increase and not increasing all the way up. At least in Kansas they keep raising the starting wage but never equally increase the current staff. You end up with new staff making what experienced staff are.
- The turning point of the BOP is when COVID happened. We lost a lot of staff, and someone thought it was a good idea to take away the competitive advantage when applying for your GL-8. The officers come in and become senior officer specialists automatically. That takes away from pride in your position and being able to earn something vs being handed something that senior staff members worked very hard to get. When a person has nothing to work towards and can do the same lazy work as the next guy and get paid the same money, then the value of the position fades. Money is not the only factor to why officers leave. There have been people appointed into titles that have not been through enough life experiences or work experiences to be able to lead a shift correctly. Respect and loyalty have gone out the window, and we have very little senior staff left to teach and direct through experience.
- Yes, pay is the primary issue driving staffing shortages. I have been with bureau going on 2 years and I have seen many good staff leave to go to other federal agencies. We are the lowest-paid federal law enforcement agency. With prices going up on everything and some of us driving over an hour to and from work this pay raise is not only it is vital for us to live and support our families it is long overdue. It will a long way in keeping good staff in the bureau and attracting well-qualified applicants.
