Critical Position, Pay Setting Regs Published

OPM in the August 26 Federal Register issued final regulations to govern the use of the critical position pay authority. The authority allows higher rates of pay for positions that require a very high level of expertise in a scientific, technical, professional, or administrative field and are critical to the agency’s mission. Under this authority, OPM can approve rates of pay up to the rate for level I of the Executive Schedule (currently $191,300). Rates above EX-I can be approved with the written approval of the President.  Agency requests for critical position pay authority must be approved by OPM in consultation with OMB. Meanwhile, OPM published in the August 27 Federal Register proposed rules to carry out several changes enacted last year in the procedures for setting pay of employees of non-appropriated fund functions of DoD and the Coast Guard who switch to GS positions.