Pay for Senior-Level and Scientific or Professional Positions

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) proposes to amend rules for setting and adjusting pay of senior-level (SL) and scientific or professional (ST) employees. The Senior Professional Performance Act of 2008 changes pay for these employees by providing for rates of basic pay up to the rate payable for level III of the Executive Schedule (EX-III), or, if the employee is under a certified performance appraisal system, the rate payable for level II of the Executive Schedule (EX-II). Consistent with this statutory emphasis on performance-based pay, these regulations will provide for agencies to set and adjust pay for SL and ST employees based on individual performance, contribution to the agency's performance, or both, as determined under a rigorous performance appraisal system.