Audits

At the request of Representatives Frank Wolf and Donald Manzullo, we conducted a review of pay parity within the FAA's Air Traffic line of business. We found that FAA's decision to limit managers, supervisors and specialists (MSS) pay to field facilities has resulted in pay inequities within the Air Traffic line of business. The inequities have been further compounded by FAA policies allowing employees who transfer to headquarters or regional positions from field facilities to retain their higher salaries. Differences in pay are not based on individuals' experience or qualifications, and are not a reflection of the duties and responsibilities of the position itself. FAA's proposed corrective actions address some aspects of the pay inequities, but not the underlying problem of linking pay, position, and performance - key tenets of FAA's personnel reform efforts. We recommend that FAA evaluate all MSS positions and ensure that pay bands are aligned to reflect the position's duties, responsibilities, and importance to FAA's missions.