Several other provisions of the Defense bills differ as well, although in those cases it’s
not a matter of the House and Senate advocating different approaches but rather one
chamber proposing actions that the other didn’t address. For example, the House version
would lift the pay cap that affects certain managers and supervisors eligible for overtime
pay and allow them to continue earning either their regular rate of pay or one and a half
times the GS-10, step 1 rate, whichever is greater; grant 22 additional workdays of
military leave to federal employees mobilized into military positions that pay less than
their federal positions; give agencies greater control over pay for their senior executives;
set a single standard for both white collar and blue collar federal employees for exposure
to asbestos; eliminate the current six senior executive service pay levels and allow
agencies to set pay of their SES employees based on individual performance,
contributions to agency performance, or both, while raising the pay caps applying to
execs; and exempt flexible spending account enrollees from having to pay fees. The
Senate meanwhile wants to tighten controls over agency-issued travel cards, including a
determination of creditworthiness before an individual is issued one and stricter penalties
for their misuse; and expand certain existing alternative personnel authorities in scientific
and technical fields and in DoD laboratories.
