The Office of Personnel Management has started its annual review of special rates for occupations, grades, and locations to address recruitment or retention problems, an opportunity for managers to make a pitch for higher salaries for worker categories where they are having such problems.
This year agencies do not need to submit a certification form for each special rate schedule and instead must submit information to OPM only if they are requesting a special rate adjustment greater than or less than the January 2007 general schedule annual pay adjustment, the agency said.
It said review materials are due to OPM by October 13 — a firm deadline — and special rate schedules will automatically be adjusted in January by the GS percentage adjustment without any agency action.
Adjustments take effect on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2007.
