[Federal Register: August 16, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 157)]
[Notices]
[Page 48210-48211]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr16au05-122]
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OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
January 2005 Pay Adjustments
AGENCY: Office of Personnel Management.
ACTION: Notice.
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[[Page 48211]]
SUMMARY: The President adjusted the rates of basic pay and locality
payments for certain categories of Federal employees effective in
January 2005. This notice documents those pay adjustments for the
public record.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carey Johnston, Center for Pay and
Performance Policy, Division for Strategic Human Resources Policy,
Office of Personnel Management; (202) 606-2858; FAX (202) 606-0824; or
e-mail to pay-performance-policy@opm.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On December 30, 2004, the President signed
Executive Order 13368 (70 FR 1147, January 5, 2005), which implemented
the January 2005 pay adjustment. The President made these adjustments
consistent with Public Law 108-447, December 8, 2004, which authorized
an overall average pay increase of 3.5 percent for General Schedule
(GS) employees.
Schedule 1 of Executive Order 13368 provides the rates for the 2005
General Schedule and reflects a 2.5 percent across-the-board increase.
Executive Order 13368 also includes the percentage amounts of the 2005
locality payments. (See Section 5 and Schedule 9 of Executive Order
13368).
The publication of this notice satisfies the requirement in section
5(b) of Executive Order 13368 that the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) publish appropriate notice of the 2005 locality payments in the
Federal Register.
GS employees receive locality payments under 5 U.S.C. 5304.
Locality payments apply in the 48 contiguous States and the District of
Columbia. In 2005, locality payments ranging from 11.72 percent to
26.39 percent apply to GS employees in 32 locality pay areas. These
2005 locality pay percentages, which replaced the locality pay
percentages that were applicable in 2004, became effective on the first
day of the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2005. An
employee's locality-adjusted annual rate of pay is computed by
increasing his or her scheduled annual rate of basic pay (as defined in
5 U.S.C. 5302(8) and 5 CFR 531.602) by the applicable locality pay
percentage. (See 5 CFR 531.604 and 531.605.)
Executive Order 13368 establishes the new Executive Schedule, which
incorporates the 2.5 percent increase required under 5 U.S.C. 5318
(rounded to the nearest $100). By law, Executive Schedule officials are
not authorized to receive locality payments.
Executive Order 13368 establishes the range of rates of basic pay
for senior executives in the Senior Executive Service (SES), as
established pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 5382. The minimum rate of basic pay
for the SES may not be less than the minimum rate payable under 5
U.S.C. 5376 for senior-level positions ($107,550 in 2005), and the
maximum rate of basic pay may not exceed the rate for level III of the
Executive Schedule ($149,200 in 2005). The maximum rate of the SES rate
range will increase to level II of the Executive Schedule ($162,100 in
2005) for SES members covered by performance appraisal systems that are
certified under 5 U.S.C. 5307(d) as making meaningful distinctions
based on relative performance. By law, SES members are not authorized
to receive locality payments. Agencies with certified performance
appraisal systems in 2005 for senior executives and/or senior-level
(SL) and scientific or professional (ST) positions must also apply a
higher aggregate limitation on pay--up to the Vice President's salary
($208,100 in 2005).
The Executive order adjusted the rates of basic pay for
administrative law judges (ALJs) by 2.5 percent (rounded to the nearest
$100). The maximum rate of basic pay for ALJs is set by law at the rate
for level IV of the Executive Schedule, which is now $140,300. (See 5
U.S.C. 5372).
The rates of basic pay for members of Contract Appeals Boards are
calculated as a percentage of the rate for level IV of the Executive
Schedule. (See 5 U.S.C. 5372a.) Therefore, these rates of basic pay
were increased by approximately 2.5 percent. Also, the maximum rate of
basic pay for SL/ST positions was increased by approximately 2.5
percent (to $140,300) because it is tied to the rate for level IV of
the Executive Schedule. The minimum rate of basic pay for SL/ST
positions is equal to 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay for
GS-15 and thus was increased by 2.5 percent (to $107,550). (See 5
U.S.C. 5376).
On December 13, 2004, the President's Pay Agent extended the 2005
locality-based comparability payments to certain categories of non-GS
employees. The Governmentwide categories include employees in SL/ST
positions, ALJs, and Contract Appeals Board members. The maximum
locality rate of pay for these employees is the rate for level III of
the Executive Schedule ($149,200 in 2005).
OPM published ``Salary Tables for 2005'' (OPM Doc. 124-48-6) in
June 2005. This publication provides complete salary tables
incorporating the 2005 pay adjustments, information on general pay
administration matters, locality pay area definitions, Internal Revenue
Service withholding tables, and other related information. The rates of
pay shown in this publication are the official rates of pay for
affected employees and are hereby incorporated as part of this notice.
You may purchase copies of ``Salary Tables for 2005'' from the
Government Printing Office (GPO) by calling (202) 512-1800 (outside the
DC area: 1-866-512-1800) or FAX (202) 512-2250. You may order copies
directly from GPO on the Internet at http://bookstore.gpo.gov In addition, you can find pay tables on OPM's Internet Web site at http://.
http://www.opm.gov/oca/payrates/index.asp.
Office of Personnel Management.
Linda M. Springer,
Director.
[FR Doc. 05-16225 Filed 8-15-05; 8:45 am]
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