Raise Doesn’t Extend to Some

Another provision of the budget measure specified that political appointees under the Executive Schedule are to have their pay frozen, the fifth straight year of a pay freeze for those positions (as well as for the Vice President; the President’s salary is fixed by law and can’t be changed during an incumbent’s time in office). However, the Executive Schedule rates are being increased for purposes of determining the pay caps that apply to the SES and certain other high-level personnel (except for political SES members, whose pay will remain frozen). The cap is rising to $183,300 for agencies that have a performance evaluation system meeting certain standards, as almost all of them do, and $168,700 for the rest. Pay of SES, senior level and senior scientific employees is set within a range based on performance and certain other factors, however, and they don’t necessarily receive a raise of any particular size. A different Executive Schedule rate, which is rising to $158,700, sets a cap on GS salaries that affects employees in most localities in the upper reaches of the GS. The raise also won’t apply to members of Congress; they last received a raise in 2009.