Information on Federal Pay Issues from the Federal Employees Almanac


Table of Contents

Year in Review 2013

Chapter 1: Pay

Chapter 3: Retirement

Chapter 1, Section 1: Main Federal Pay Schedules and Systems

The General Schedule is the federal government's main pay system that sets the pay rates for employees in most white-collar positions not at the senior executive or other senior levels.

Chapter 1, Section 10: Deductions from Pay

Compensation paid to federal employees is subject to a number of benefit-related deductions. Most types of compensation are subject to federal, state, and local (if applicable) tax withholding.

Chapter 1, Section 11: 2012 Pay Tables and Schedules

Annual Salaries of Top U.S. Government Positions

Chapter 1, Section 2: General Pay Computation Procedures

The General Schedule is the federal government's main pay system that sets the pay rates for employees in most white-collar positions not at the senior executive or other senior levels.

Chapter 1, Section 3: Annual Pay Adjustments

The federal wage system (FWS)--also known as the wage grade or prevailing rate system--is designed to make the pay of federal blue-collar workers comparable to prevailing private sector local rates for similar positions.

Chapter 1, Section 4: Other Pay Increases, Allowances, or Actions

Generally, employees who are not at the highest step of their grade are entitled to receive the within-grade raise authorized for the next step of their position as long as they: complete the required waiting period, have received at least a "fully successful" (or equivalent) rating for their most recent performance appraisal period, and did not receive an equivalent increase during the waiting period.