Pay Plan Descriptions
General Schedule (GS)
The General Schedule pay system is the main pay system of the federal government and covers most "white collar" positions. The General Schedule consists of 15 grades, each broadly defined in law in terms of difficulty and responsibility of the work and the qualifications required for its performance.
Each grade has 10 steps that are set at increments of approximately three percent. Starting in 1994, locality pay was implemented for GS employees to address a gap between federal and non-federal salaries. Locality pay is a differential added to the employee's GS base pay rate. GS employees in the Clinical Center (except those receiving special salary rates under Title 38) receive the locality pay differential applicable to the Washington-Baltimore area.
Federal Wage System (FWS)
The Federal Wage System (FWS) is the major pay system covering trade, craft, and labor occupations in the Federal Government. The categories of pay plans in the FWS are Wage Grade (WG), Wage Leader (WL), and Wage Supervisor (WS). The pay for these employees is set in accordance with local prevailing rates. The WG pay schedule, which covers most non-supervisory wage system employees, contains 15 grades. Each of the grades includes five steps that are set at four percent increments.
Administratively Determined (AD)
Administratively Determined (AD) pay systems are those established under Title 42 for which the NIH has the authority to fix the compensation for particular groups of positions without regard to the General Schedule. Title 42 appointees may be clinicians, scientists, or trainees in the Intramural Research Training Awards (IRTAs) program. These positions are of a defined duration but can be renewed. Pay for Title 42 scientists and clinicians ranges from a rate equivalent to the minimum of the GS-13 to a maximum equal to Level IV of the Executive Schedule. Stipends for trainees in the IRTA program vary depending on the program component.
Senior Executive Service (ES)
The Senior Executive Service (also referred to as SES) covers most managerial, supervisory, and policy positions in the executive branch which are classified above GS-15. There are currently six salary levels in the SES: ES-1 through ES-6. The rates are set by the President at the same time as the annual increases are authorized for the GS. (The pay cap for SES base pay plus locality adjustments is set at the Level III rate of the Executive Schedule which governs the pay of Cabinet Officers and other top federal executives.)
Commissioned Corps (CC)
The Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) is an all officer organization comprised entirely of health professionals. It is one of the seven Uniformed Services of the United States. In the event of a national emergency as declared by the President, the Commissioned Corps may be designated as a military service. Within the Commissioned Corps, each officer holds a permanent grade and may also hold a similar or higher temporary grade. Officers holding temporary grades above 0-6 are referred to as flag grade officers. Following are the various components which may be included in a Commissioned Officer’s pay: base pay, basic allowance for subsistence, basic allowance for housing, variable special pay, board certified pay, retention special pay, multiyear retention bonus, and incentive special pay.
Senior Biomedical Research Service (RS)
The Senior Biomedical Research Service (also referred to as SBRS) is excepted service employment of outstanding scientists who possess a doctoral level degree in biomedicine or a related field. In the Clinical Center, the SBRS may be used to employ tenured independent investigators who have substantial research accomplishments. SBRS pay ranges from a rate equivalent to the minimum of the GS-15 rate and a maximum level equal to Level I of the Executive Schedule. The total number of SBRS positions at the NIH is limited.
Scientific and Professional (ST)
Positions in the Scientific and Professional pay plan carry out research and development functions that require the services of specially qualified personnel. The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) manages the maximum number of these positions that can be established government-wide. Pay for these positions ranges from the minimum rate of the GS-15 level and to a maximum equal to Level IV of the Executive Schedule. There are no grades or steps.
Special Experts (EE) and Consultants (EG)
Special Experts and Consultants are individuals with special scientific and professional qualifications who serve in an advisory capacity. They are appointed in the Excepted Service for 1-4 years under renewable temporary appointments. Special Experts and Consultants are paid on an hourly or daily basis at a rate that may not exceed Level IV of the Executive Schedule. Special Experts and Consultants may be Full-Time, Part-Time, or Intermittent.
