Certain general schedule employees may be approved for a pay increase in 2012 despite the freeze on federal salaries. In a memo by John Berry, director of the Office of Personnel Management, there will be no increases in special pay rate schedules except under “extraordinary circumstances.” Agencies “must make a compelling case that denial of a special increase would result in exceptionally severe recruitment and/or retention difficulties and would have an extremely negative impact on critical agency operations during the coming year,” according to OPM. Read more (Government Executive).