OPM Authority |
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may establish higher rates of basic payspecial ratesfor a group or category of General Schedule (GS) positions in one or more geographic areas to address existing or likely significant handicaps in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees. OPM may establish special rates for nearly any category of employeei.e., by series, specialty, grade-level, and/or geographic area. |
Criteria |
OPM may establish special rates to address staffing problems caused by
Additional information on establishing and adjusting special rates is contained in OPM regulations at 5 CFR 530.304. |
Agency Headquarters Approval |
Special rate requests must include the information required by OPM's Worksheet for Special Rate Requests, Form 1397 . The requests must come to OPM through agency headquarters (list of agency headquarters contacts). |
Resources |
5 U.S.C 5305 and 5 CFR part 530, subpart C |