US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

5 U.S.C. § 5301

Policy

It is the policy of Congress that Federal pay fixing for employees under the General Schedule be based on the principles that—
(1)
there be equal pay for substantially equal work within each local pay area;
(2)
within each local pay area, pay distinctions be maintained in keeping with work and performance distinctions;
(3)
Federal pay rates be comparable with non-Federal pay rates for the same levels of work within the same local pay area; and
(4)
any existing pay disparities between Federal and non-Federal employees should be completely eliminated.

Pub. L. 89–55480 Stat. 458Pub. L. 91–656, § 2(a)84 Stat. 1946Pub. L. 96–465, title II, § 2314(c)(1)94 Stat. 2167Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 101(a)(1)]104 Stat. 1427(, , ; , , ; , , ; , , , 1429.)

Historical and Revision Notes

Derivation

U.S. Code

Revised Statutes and

Statutes at Large

 

5 U.S.C. 1171.

Oct. 11, 1962, Pub. L. 87–793, § 502, 76 Stat. 841.

The words “It is the policy of Congress” are substituted for “The Congress hereby declares”. The words “whereas the functions of a Federal salary system are to fix salary rates for the services rendered by Federal employees so as to make possible the employment of persons well qualified to conduct the Government’s programs and to control expenditures of public funds for personal services with equity to the employee and to the taxpayer, and whereas fulfillment of these functions is essential to the development and maintenance of maximum proficiency in the civilian services of Government, then, accordingly” are omitted as unnecessary.

In the last sentence, the words “and henceforth” are omitted as executed.

Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

Pub. L. 101–5091990— amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section read as follows:

“(a) It is the policy of Congress that Federal pay fixing for employees under statutory pay systems be based on the principles that—

“(1) there be equal pay for substantially equal work;

“(2) pay distinctions be maintained in keeping with work and performance distinctions;

“(3) Federal pay rates be comparable with private enterprise pay rates for the same levels of work; and

“(4) pay levels for the statutory pay systems be interrelated.

“(b) The pay rates of each statutory pay system shall be fixed and adjusted in accordance with the principles under subsection (a) of this section and the provisions of sections 5305, 5306, and 5308 of this title.

“(c) For the purpose of this subchapter, ‘statutory pay system’ means a pay system under—

“(1) subchapter III of this chapter, relating to the General Schedule;

“(2) section 403 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, relating to the Foreign Service of the United States; or

“(3) chapter 73 of title 38, relating to the Department of Medicine and Surgery, Veterans’ Administration.”

Pub. L. 96–4651980—Subsec. (c)(2). substituted “section 403 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980” for “subchapter IV of chapter 14 of title 22”.

Pub. L. 91–6561971— designated provisions of first sentence as subsec. (a), incorporating former cl. (1) in cls. (1) and (2), and former cl. (2) in cl. (3), and inserted “for employees under statutory pay systems” after “Federal pay fixing”; substituted subsec. (b) reading “The pay rates of each statutory pay system shall be fixed and adjusted in accordance with the principles under subsection (a) of this section and the provisions of sections 5305, 5306, and 5308 of this title” for former second sentence providing “Pay levels for the several Federal statutory pay systems shall be interrelated, and pay levels shall be set and adjusted in accordance with these principles”; and added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

Pub. L. 101–509

“(a)

Generally .—

Pub. L. 101–509Pub. L. 101–509Except as otherwise provided in this Act, this Act and the amendments made by this Act [this Act means section 529 [titles I–III, §§ 1–306] of , but does not include section 529 [title IV, §§ 401–412] of , see Short Title of 1990 Amendment; Rules of Construction note below, and see Tables for classification] shall take effect on such date as the President shall determine [see Ex. Ord. No. 12748, , 56 F.R. 4521, set out below], but not earlier than 90 days, and not later than 180 days, after the date of enactment of this Act [].
“(b)

Special Rule .—

section 5304 of title 5The first calendar year in which comparability payments under , United States Code (as amended by this Act), are paid shall be the calendar year beginning on .”
Section 529 [title III, § 305] of provided that:

Effective Date of 1980 Amendment

Pub. L. 96–465section 2403 of Pub. L. 96–465section 3901 of Title 22Amendment by effective , except as otherwise provided, see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Foreign Relations and Intercourse.

Short Title of 2000 Amendment

Pub. L. 106–554, § 1(a)(4) [div. B, title IX, § 901]114 Stat. 2763

section 204 of Title 3section 5305 of this title“This title [enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 5304 and 5305 of this title and , The President, and amending provisions set out as a note under ] may be cited as the ‘Law Enforcement Pay Equity Act of 2000’.”
, , , 2763A–303, provided that:

Short Title of 1993 Amendment

Pub. L. 103–89, § 1107 Stat. 981

section 731 of Title 31section 5304 of this title“This Act [amending sections 3372, 4501, 4502, 5302, 5332, 5334 to 5336, 5361 to 5363, 5410, 5948, and 8473 of this title, sections 1602, 1732, and 1733 of Title 10, Armed Forces, and , Money and Finance, repealing sections 4302a and 5401 to 5410 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 3372, 5335, 5401, and 5410 of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under ] may be cited as the ‘Performance Management and Recognition System Termination Act’.”
, , , provided that:

Short Title of 1990 Amendment; Rules of Construction

Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [§ 1]104 Stat. 1427

“(a)

Short Title .—

Pub. L. 101–509This section, and the sections immediately following this section through section 412, inclusive [section 529 [§§ 1–412] of , see Tables for classification], may be cited as the ‘Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990’ (hereinafter in this section referred to as ‘FEPCA’).
“(b)

Rules of Construction .—

(1)
Except as otherwise expressly provided, any reference (actual or implicit) in FEPCA (outside of this section) to ‘this Act’ (or to any title, section, or other designated provision of ‘this Act’) shall be construed to be a reference to FEPCA (or the corresponding provision within FEPCA).
“(2)
Pub. L. 101–509 Except as otherwise expressly provided, any reference (actual or implicit) in any provision of this Act outside of FEPCA to ‘this Act’ (or to any title, section, or other designated provision of ‘this Act’), and any reference made in any provision of law outside of this Act to the ‘Treasury, Postal Service and General Government Appropriations Act, 1991’ [] (or to any title, section, or other designated provision of such Act), shall be construed disregarding the provisions of FEPCA.”
, , , provided that:

Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title III, § 306]104 Stat. 1427

Pub. L. 101–509Pub. L. 101–509section 237 of Title 42section 212 of Title 42section 5304 of this titlesection 212 of Title 42section 529 of Pub. L. 101–509Pub. L. 101–509Pub. L. 101–509section 5541 of this title“Notwithstanding section 1(b) [section 529 [§ 1(b)] of , set out above], a reference in any of the preceding provisions of this title [section 529 [title III, §§ 301–305] of , enacting , The Public Health and Welfare, amending , and enacting provisions set out as notes under this section, , and ] to ‘this Act’ [] (other than a reference in section 301) [section 529 [title III, § 301] of , set out below] shall not be considered to include any provision of title IV [section 529 [title IV, §§ 401–412] of , enacting sections 4521 to 4523 of this title, amending sections 5541, 5542, 5547, 8335, and 8425 of this title, enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 4521, 5305, 5541, and 8335 of this title, and amending provisions set out as a note under ].”
, , , 1464, provided that:

Short Title

Pub. L. 91–656, § 184 Stat. 1946

section 410 of Title 39section 5302 of this titlesection 60a of Title 2section 410 of Title 39“This Act [enacting sections 5305 to 5308 and 5947 of this title, amending this section, sections 5108 and 5942 of this title, and , Postal Service, repealing , and enacting provisions set out as notes under sections 5303 and 5942 of this title, , The Congress, and ] may be cited as the ‘Federal Pay Comparability Act of 1970’.”
, , , provided that:

Pay-for-Performance Labor-Management Committee

Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 111]104 Stat. 1453

“(a)

Policy .—

It is the policy of Congress that—
“(1)
the Federal Government should institute systems for determining pay for its General Schedule employees under which the linkage between their performance and their pay will be strengthened;
“(2)
the design of such systems should be developed by the Office of Personnel Management, in conjunction with the Pay-for-Performance Labor-Management Committee;
“(3)
the systems should provide flexibility to adapt to the different needs of different agencies and organizational components in the Federal Government; and
“(4)
any legislation needed to implement the systems should be enacted in a timely fashion so as to permit implementation of the system by .
“(b)

Establishment .—

The Office of Personnel Management shall establish a Pay-for-Performance Labor-Management Committee to advise the Office on the design and establishment of systems for strengthening the linkage between the performance of General Schedule employees and their pay.
“(c)

Membership .—

The members of the Committee shall be—
“(1)
a Chairman, who shall be appointed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management on the basis of the appointee’s education, training, and experience as an expert in compensation practices, and after consultation with the Committee on Governmental Affairs [now Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs] of the Senate and the Committee on Post Office and Civil Service of the House of Representatives, respectively;
“(2)
an employee of the Office of Personnel Management, designated by the Director of such Office;
“(3)
an employee of the Department of Defense, designated by the Secretary of Defense;
“(4)
3 individuals, each of whom shall be an employee designated by the head of each of 3 other departments or agencies selected by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management from among departments and agencies having substantial numbers of General Schedule employees; and
“(5)
6 individuals appointed by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to serve as representatives of employee organizations which represent substantial numbers of General Schedule employees, and who shall be selected with due consideration to such factors as the relative numbers of General Schedule employees represented by the various organizations, except that not more than 3 members of the Committee at any one time shall be from a single employee organization, council, federation, alliance, association, or affiliation of employee organizations.
“(d)

Pay for Members .—

The Chairman shall be paid at a rate of basic pay for the Senior Executive Service, to be determined by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. The members of the Committee who are otherwise employees of the Federal Government shall not receive any additional pay by reason of their service on the Committee. The members of the Committee who are not otherwise employees of the Federal Government shall not be paid for their service on the Committee and shall not be considered employees of the Federal Government for any purpose by reason of their service on the Committee.
“(e)

Administrative Support .—

The Office of Personnel Management may provide staff and administrative support for the Committee.
“(f)

Functions .—

The Committee shall review available reports and studies on performance evaluation and performance-based pay systems (including a report to be prepared by the National Academy of Sciences) and any other pertinent information.
“(g)

Report to the Office of Personnel Management .—

No later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act [], the Committee shall submit a report to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, which shall include recommendations as to—
“(1)
the types of pay raises to be covered;
“(2)
guidelines for pay-for-performance systems, including the criteria to be used in determining eligibility for and the amount of increases in basic pay above the midpoint of the pay range;
“(3)
the role organization performance should play in pay-for-performance systems;
“(4)
any differences in pay-for-performance systems for different categories of employees;
“(5)
the role for employee organizations in the implementation and operation of pay-for-performance systems; and
“(6)
whether demonstration projects on pay-for-performance are desirable.”
, , , provided that:

Budget Act Compliance

Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title III, § 301]104 Stat. 1461

Pub. L. 93–34488 Stat. 297“For purposes of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 [titles I through IX, of , , , see Tables for classification], any authority to make payments under this Act or any amendment made by this Act [see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note above] shall be effective only to the extent provided for in advance in appropriation Acts.”
, , , provided that:

Pay Rates for Current Employees

Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title III, § 303]104 Stat. 1463

“Nothing in this Act or in any amendment made by this Act [see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note above] shall have the effect of diminishing the rate of basic pay payable to any individual employed by the United States on the date of the enactment of this Act [] to a rate below the rate payable to such individual on such date, so long as that individual continues in such position without a break in service.”
, , , provided that:

Executive Documents

Ex. Ord. No. 12748. Providing for Federal Pay Administration

Ex. Ord. No. 12748, , 56 F.R. 4521, as amended by Ex. Ord. No. 12883, , 58 F.R. 63281; Ex. Ord. No. 13106, § 8, , 63 F.R. 68152; Ex. Ord. No. 13415, § 2(a), , 71 F.R. 70641, provided:

section 529 of Public Law 101–509By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 (hereinafter “FEPCA”), as incorporated in [see Short Title of 1990 Amendment note above], and sections 3301 and 3302 of title 5, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

SectionAnnual Adjustments to Pay Schedulessection 5303(g) of title 5section 5303 of title 5 1. . The following agencies are designated under , United States Code, as amended by FEPCA, to prescribe conversion rules for the initial adjustment of rates of pay to be applied during each annual adjustment of pay schedules under , United Stated Code:

(a) the Office of Personnel Management, for the General Schedule;

(b) the Department of State, for the Foreign Service Schedule; and

(c) the Department of Veterans Affairs, for the Veterans Health Services and Research Administration Schedules.

SecLocality-based Comparability Paymentssection 5304(d)(1) of title 5section 5304 of title 5. 2. . (a) The Secretary of Labor, the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management are hereby designated under , United States Code, as amended by FEPCA, to serve jointly as the President’s agent under , United States Code, and shall be known in this capacity as the President’s Pay Agent.

section 5302(1) of title 5section 5304 of title 5(b) The head of each executive agency employing personnel under a statutory pay system, as defined in , United States Code, as amended by FEPCA, shall provide such information and assistance as may be requested by the President’s Pay Agent in carrying out the provisions of , United States Code.

5 U.S.C. 5304(g)(c) The President’s Pay Agent, as designated in subsection (a), is hereby authorized and designated to exercise the authorities of the President under section 5304(g)–(h) [, (h)] concerning the extension of locality-based comparability payments to certain categories of positions not otherwise covered.

SecPrevious Order Revoked. 3. . Executive Order No. 11721, as amended, is revoked.

SecAdvance Payments for New Appointees5 U.S.C. 5527. 4. . Section 2(b) of Executive Order No. 10982, as amended [ note], is further amended to read as follows:

section 5527 of title 5section 5525 of title 5section 5524a of title 5section 529 of Public Law 101–509“(b) The Office of Personnel Management is hereby designated and empowered to perform the functions conferred upon the President by the provisions of , United States Code, with respect to allotments and assignments authorized by , United States Code, and advance payments to new appointees authorized by , United States Code, as added by section 107(a) of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990, as incorporated in .”

SecStaffing Differentials5 U.S.C. 5305. 5. . The Office of Personnel Management is hereby designated and empowered to exercise the authority of the President under section 209 of FEPCA [ note] to establish staffing differentials.

SecExecutive Assignment System. 6. . (a) Civil Service Rule 9 (5 CFR Part 9), as established by Executive Order No. 11315, as amended, is revoked.

(b) The Office of Personnel Management shall take such actions as the Office may determine to be necessary to provide for the orderly termination of the Executive Assignment System.

SecEffective DatesPublic Law 101–509. 7. . (a) Except as otherwise provided by , the provisions of subchapter I of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, as amended by section 101 of FEPCA [this subchapter], and the provisions of sections 1 through 4 of this order shall take effect on .

Public Law 101–509(b) Except as otherwise provided by , the remaining provisions of FEPCA and of this order shall take effect on , except that the Office of Personnel Management may establish an earlier effective date, but not earlier than , for any such provisions with respect to which the Office determines an earlier effective date is appropriate. [For effective dates of certain provisions of FEPCA as established by the Office of Personnel Management, see notices and rules issued by the Office of Personnel Management and published in the Federal Register at 56 F.R. 6212, 11059, 12833, 20339, and 20343.]