The global recession continues to takes its toll on American companies and workers. Revised projections for U.S. Salary increase budgets in 2010 have dipped below 3 percent for the first time in more than two decades, barely staying ahead of The Conference Board’s forecasted inflation rate. The revised median forecast for salary increase budgets for 2010 now stands at 2.80 percent for all employee groups except executives (2.75 percent). Responses from 285 organizations are included in the winter update.