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Announcements
January 11, 2009
Pay and Benefits
- What is the Library's pay system?
- If selected for a Library vacancy, how will my pay be set within the annual salary range shown in the vacancy announcement? Is salary negotiable within this range?
- What benefits are available to me as a Library of Congress Employee
- I am a current employee at another Federal agency. If selected for a Library vacancy, will my benefits transfer?
Pay and Benefits
1. What is the Library's pay system?
Each vacancy announcement specifies the type of pay system and salary range for the position being advertised. Most Library of Congress staff are paid according to the standard Federal “General Schedule” (GS) pay system. Library staff who occupy positions involving trade, craft, and manual labor are paid according to the Federal “Wage Grade” (WG) pay system. Library executives are paid according to the Federal “Senior Level” (SL) pay scale. For more information on the Federal pay systems, you may visit the Office of Personnel Management Website at www.opm.gov.
2. If selected for a Library vacancy, how will my pay be set within the annual salary range shown in the vacancy announcement? Is salary negotiable within this range?
Federal salaries are not negotiable in the same manner as private sector salaries; there are a number of rules and regulations that prescribe how Federal salaries may be set, and agencies must comply with these directives. If you are selected for a Library vacancy, the Library's Office of Human Resources Services will review your qualifications and credentials and assign you a salary. If you have never worked for the Federal Government before, or you have, but you had a break in service of 90 days or more, your pay most likely will be set at the lowest end of the advertised salary range (entry-level Step 1). However, if the hiring organization determines that you possess “superior qualifications” for the position, the organization may request that your pay be set at a higher rate. If you are a current employee of another Federal agency and you are transferring to the Library at the same grade level, your pay will usually remain the same; if you are transferring into a higher graded position, the Library's Office of Human Resources Services will assign your pay in accordance with standard Federal pay regulations.
3. What benefits are available to me as a Library of Congress Employee?
The Library offers a comprehensive Federal benefits package. Details
4. I am a current employee at another Federal agency. If selected for a Library vacancy, will my benefits transfer?
It depends on the type of benefit. Certain benefits are available to all Federal employees and will transfer with you from agency to agency, including to the Library of Congress. These benefits are: health insurance, life insurance, retirement benefits/thrift savings plan allocations, sick and annual leave, long-term care insurance, and any flexible spending accounts you have established for health or dependent care expenses through the FSAFeds Program. Certain other benefits (e.g., Metrocheck/transit subsidy, Alternative Work Schedules, and Telecommuting) are unique to particular agencies and may or may not be the same at the Library. These benefits do not automatically transfer; as a new Library of Congress employee, you will have to apply for these types of benefits when you report to work at the Library.