Calling the authority underused, OPM has proposed loosening the rules on “critical position pay,” a special pay authority that allows agencies, with OPM approval, to increase the rate of basic pay for federal jobs that require a very high level of expertise in a scientific, technical, professional, or administrative field and are deemed critical to the accomplishment of the agency’s mission. Proposed rules in the April 25 Federal Register would remove the current restriction on granting such pay only above GS-15, and agencies could pay up to the Executive Level II rate (currently $168,000) and in exceptional cases, pay could go up to the Executive Level I rate (currently $186,600) or even higher. Employees receiving such pay would be eligible for further raises up to the ceiling but would need to have a rating of at least fully successful or equivalent, and subsequent adjustments would have to be based on labor market factors, recruitment and retention needs, and individual accomplishments and contributions to an agency’s mission.