The Office of Government Ethics has issued an update on the impact of the 2014 federal general schedule pay raise on several ethical requirements that are tied to pay rates. Here’s how OGE explains the impact:
“The statutory threshold to determine which officers and employees must file public financial disclosure reports under title I of the Ethics Act, see 5 U.S.C. § 101(f)(3), is 120% of the minimum rate of the basic pay for grade GS-15 of the General Schedule.Effective January 12, 2014, that level will be $120,748.80.
“The statutory threshold to determine which employees are subject to the post-employment conflict of interest restrictions of 18 U.S.C. § 207(c)(1) is provided at 18 U.S.C. § 207(c)(2)(ii).That threshold level is 86.5% of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule.Effective January 12, 2014, that level will be $156,997.50.
“Title V of the Ethics Act, see 5 U.S.C. § 501(a), sets forth outside employment and outside earned income restrictions for certain covered noncareer employees, barring them from earning in any calendar year outside earned income that exceeds 15 percent of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule.Both section 501(a) and OGE’s regulation at 5 C.F.R. § 2636.304 require the use of the Executive Schedule pay level in effect on January 1 of the year in consideration.Effective January 1, 2014, 15% of the annual rate of basic pay for level II of the Executive Schedule will continue to be $26,955.00.”
