DoD has asked Congress to extend for another year a special authority waiving
annual premium pay limitations for employees performing work related to an
operation in response to a Presidentially-declared emergency or who are assigned
to an overseas location in the area of responsibility of the U.S. Central Command
–primarily meaning Iraq and Afghanistan. The waiver allows employees to be paid
compensation up to the Vice President’s salary, currently $227,300, although any
compensation above a lower limit is deferred into the following year. The proposal
also would make a change in law to ensure equal treatment regardless of whether
the employee is or isn’t under NSPS. DoD often makes additional proposals later
in the budget cycle; the annual DoD authorization bill, the most likely vehicle
for that and any other policy changes, will be crafted over the next several weeks
in the House.
