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Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP)

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OFCCP Directive

Transmittal Number: 280
DATE: June 26, 2008
OFCCP ORDER NO.: FCCM Notice/CH 7

  1. SUBJECT: Revision of the Worksheets in Appendix 7A for Calculating Interest on Back Pay.
  2. PURPOSE: To update the table of interest rates on back pay based on the Internal Revenue Service's underpayment formula.
  3. BACKGROUND: Appendix A to Chapter 7 provides the IRS underpayment rates used to calculate interest on back pay. This Appendix was last revised in April 2008 (reference Transmittal #278) to update those rates. This Notice provides a new update on the IRS underpayment rate. li>INSTRUCTIONS: From Manual Chapter 7, remove and discard Appendix 7A page 7A-1/7A-2 and insert in its place the attached revision of that Appendix (page 7A 1/7A 2).
  4. INSTRUCTIONS: From Manual Chapter 7, remove and discard Appendix 7A page 7A-1/7A-2 and insert in its place the attached revision of that Appendix (page 7A 1/7A 2).
  5. All changes made in this Notice are indicated by shading.

  6. OBSOLETE DATA: Page 7A 1/7A 2 of Appendix 7A.
  7. ATTACHMENT:Revised page 7A 1/7A 2.
  8. DISTRIBUTION:A, B (both hard copy and electronically); C (hard copy only).
  9. EXPIRATION DATE:This Notice expires when implemented and may be discarded or retained for reference, at your option.

(Signed)
CHARLES E. JAMES, SR.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Federal Contract Compliance

Date


Appendix 7A

APPENDIX 7A: INTEREST RATES ON BACK PAY

OFCCP's policy is that interest on back pay is calculated at the same percentage rate as the Internal Revenue Service's underpayment formula on interest -- from the first date that is covered by the back pay award.

Interest rates for back pay calculations based on IRS calculations since 1983 are as follows:

Time Period
(A)
Annual
(Q)
Quarterly
January 1, 1983 - June 30, 1983
16%
4%
July 1, 1983 - December 31, 1984
11%
2.75%
January 1, 1985 - June 30, 1985
13%
3.25%
July 1, 1985 - December 31, 1985
11%
2.75%
January 1, 1986 - June 30, 1986
10%
2.5%
July 1, 1986 - September 30, 1987
9%
2.25%
October 1, 1987 - December 31, 1987
10%
2.5%
January 1, 1988 - March 31, 1988
11%
2.75%
April 1, 1988 - September 30, 1988
10%
2.5%
October 1, 1988 - March 31, 1989
11%
2.75%
April 1, 1989 - September 30, 1989
12%
3%
October 1, 1989 - March 31, 1991
11%
2.75%
April 1, 1991 - December 31, 1991
10%
2.5%
January 1, 1992 - March 31, 1992
9%
2.25%
April 1, 1992 - September 30, 1992
8%
2%
October 1, 1992 - June 30, 1994
7%
1.75%
July 1, 1994 - September 30, 1994
8%
2%
October 1, 1994 - March 31, 1995
9%
2.25%
April 1, 1995 - June 30, 1995
10%
2.5%
July 1, 1995 - March 31, 1996
9%
2.25%
April 1, 1996 - June 30, 1996
8%
2%
July 1, 1996 - March 30, 1998
9%
2.25%
April 1, 1998 - December 31, 1998
8%
2%
January 1, 1999 - March 31, 1999
7%
1.75%
April 1, 1999 - March 31, 2000
8%
2%
April 1, 2000 - March 31, 2001
9%
2.25%
April 1, 2001 - June 30, 2001
8%
2%
July 1, 2001 - December 31, 2001
7%
1.75%
January 1, 2002 - December 31, 2002
6%
1.5%
January 1, 2003 - September 30, 2003
5%
1.25%
October 1, 2003 - March 31, 2004
4%
1%
April 1, 2004 - June 30, 2004
5%
1.25%
July 1, 2004 - September 30, 2004
4%
1%
October 1, 2004 - March 31, 2005
5%
1.25%
April 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005
6%
1.5%
October 1, 2005 - June 30, 2006
7%
1.75%
July 1, 2006 - December 31, 2007
8%
2%
January 1, 2008 - March 31, 2008
7%
1.75
April 1, 2008 - June 30, 2008
6%
1.5%
July 1, 2008 - Present(*)
5%
1.25%

*/To at least the date of this revision.

Revised July, 2008

7A-1


Appendix 7A

Periodically the IRS issues press releases giving updated information on updates to interest rates. To access recent press releases on this subject go to www.irs.gov. Go to "Search for..." at the upper left hand corner of the IRS home page and type "interest rates for underpayment" and click on "go." The list of the most recent press releases on changes in IRS interest rates will then be displayed.

METHOD OF CALCULATING COMPOUND INTEREST ON BACK PAY

In a compound interest calculation, the interest due on back pay (or any other debt) for a one time period is included in the money on which interest is figured for the next time period--i.e., you pay "interest on your interest." In a simple interest calculation, on the other hand, the interest due on back pay (or any other debt) for a one time period is not included in the money on which interest is figured for the next time period i.e., you don't pay "interest on your interest."

Title 41 CFR 60-1.26(a)(2) requires that interest on back pay be compounded quarterly in Executive Order cases. Similarly, 41 CFR 60 250.65(a)(1) requires that interest on back pay be compounded quarterly in VEVRAA cases. Further, 41 CFR 60 741.65(a)(1) requires that interest on back pay be compounded quarterly in Section 503 cases. Therefore, in determining the amount of back pay due, first determine the amount of back pay due for each quarter. Then use column Q on the previous page to find the interest rate applicable to each quarter. For example, if the back pay period were 12/4/97 through 5/25/98 and $12,000 back pay were due, distribute back pay by quarter as follows:

Year
Quarter
Back Pay Due
for Quarter
IRS Quarterly
Interest Rate
1997
10/1-12/31
$2,000
2.25%
1998
1/1-3/31
6,000
2.25%
1998
4/1-6/30
4,000
2.00%

 

Quarterly compound interest is applied to the average amount of back pay due during each quarter. This average is the total amount of back pay plus interest due at the beginning of each quarter, plus half the amount of back pay due for the quarter itself, plus the interest accrued during the previous quarter. The following worksheet displays the result for the above example:

Reissued July, 2008

7A-2

 

 



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