Pay and Benefits

Salary Information
Health, Life, Retirement Benefits

Salary Information

A number of different pay systems are used for Federal employment; however, the General Schedule (GS), the Federal Wage System (FWS), the Senior Executive Service (SES), or the Administratively Determined (AD) covers most employees within HHS.

The General Schedule (GS) consists of 15 grades, each broadly defined in law in terms of work difficulty, responsibility, and the qualifications required for performance. A salary range of 10 steps is provided for each grade. To qualify for advancement to the next higher step, an employee must demonstrate work at an acceptable level of competence. Advancement to a higher step within a grade is called a Within Grade Increase. The Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) Web site hosts the salary tables.

The Federal Wage System (FWS) pay plan covers trade, craft, and labor occupations in the Federal Government. There are three pay scales within the FWS. The non-supervisory, non-lead employee is considered a Wage Grade employee and the pay designation is WG. The Wage Grade consists of 15 grades, each broadly defined in law in terms of work difficulty, responsibility, and the qualifications required for performance. A salary range of five steps is provided for each grade. To qualify for advancement to the next higher step, an employee must demonstrate work at an acceptable level of competence. The second pay scale within the FWS covers Leader positions (pay designation is WL) and has the same 15 grades and five steps as the WG pay plan. Supervisory positions (pay designation is WS), has 19 grades and five steps. More information about the Federal Wage System is available. When you access the FWS pay tables be sure to choose “Appropriated Fund Pay Schedules” found under the heading “Appropriated Fund Schedules”.

The Senior Executive Service (SES) (pay designation is ES) covers most managerial, supervisory, and policy positions in the DHHS which are classified above the GS-15 pay grade and do not require Senate confirmation. There are currently six salary levels in the SES pay system. There is a maximum rate of basic pay, which is the same as level II of the Executive Schedule. Each year the President sets the salary levels for the SES at the same time as the annual increases are authorized for the General Schedule. When you access the current pay chart for the Senior Executive Schedule, select Senior Executive Service which will be found under the “Salaries and Wages” heading, and then select Basic Rates of Pay for Members of the Senior Executive Service.

The Administratively Determined (AD) pay plan is normally used within HHS for appointments under certain sections of Title 42. Appointments under Title 42 may only be used to fill scientific positions. Not all of the operating divisions of the Department use the same sections of Title 42 for appointments; therefore, regulations of the use of this pay authority may differ from operating division to operating division. There are no standard pay tables for the AD pay plan.

Salary and Wage Tables

The Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM’s) Web site hosts the salary and wage tables for most major pay plans.

The Federal Wage Tables are available through the Department of Defense web site. Visit the Appropriated Fund Pay Schedules, select the state or territory for which you wish to view the pay table and scroll down until you reach the city of interest. Follow the appropriate links to access the required pay table.

The Commissioned Corps pay tables are available through the Department of Defense web site.

Health, life, retirement benefits