5 CFR 531.610 -- Treatment of locality rate as basic pay.
(k) Pay administration provisions for prevailing rate employees which consider rates of basic pay under the GS pay system in setting pay (except as otherwise provided in 5 CFR part 532), subject to the requirement that, if the employee's actual locality rate would not apply at the official worksite for the prevailing rate position, that locality rate ...
Administering Locality Rates - U.S. Office of Personnel Management
A locality rate is basic pay for other provisions as specified in other statutes or OPM regulations, and payments or benefits equivalent to those listed above under other legal authorities, as determined by the head of the agency or other authorized official responsible for administering such payments or benefits. (See 5 U.S.C. 5304(c)(2) and 5 ...
How does locality pay actually work, and where did it come from?
It all depends on where a federal employee is located. The federal government currently defines 54 different locality pay areas, each with its own independently calculated percentage-based pay raise for civilian federal employees.. How locality pay started. The federal government established locality pay in 1990, as part of the Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act (FEPCA).
5 CFR § 531.610 - Treatment of locality rate as basic pay.
§ 531.610 Treatment of locality rate as basic pay. A locality rate is considered to be an employee's rate of basic pay only for the purpose of computing or applying— (a) Retirement deductions, contributions, and benefits under 5 U.S.C. chapters 83 and 84;
Better understand locality pay: how it works and what it means for your ...
All other employees not in one of the existing 46 locality pay areas are included in the “rest of U.S.” (RUS) pay area. The Bureau of Labor Statistics conducts other surveys in the “rest of U.S.” areas and combines the results to set the RUS locality pay rate. ... Any position that has basic pay higher than the Executive Schedule level ...
BASIC PAY - United States Office of Personnel Management
The employee's rate of basic pay. ... a law enforcement officer special base rate, or a retained rate. Do not include a locality payment or special supplement. The amount is rounded to the nearest dollar for a PAY BASIS of BW (biweekly), PA (per annum), PM (per month), ST (student stipend), or SY (school year). For any other PAY BASIS, the ...
Understanding What Your “High-3” Means when Calculating Your FERS ...
What pay is included in your High-3? Your High-3 calculation is based off of y our “Basic Pay.” As a Federal Employee, basic pay includes: Base salary, Shift rates, and; Locality Pay . It is important for Federal Employees who are calculating their High-3 to remember that calculating High-3 will NOT include, Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA ...
What is Locality Pay, How Does it Work, and What is its ... - FedSmith
The “Rest of the US” category of locality pay is shrinking. In late 2023, about 69% of federal employees were in a locality pay area outside the “Rest of the U.S.” These figures do not include approximately 33,000 federal employees added to the system for 2024. Lowest Locality Pay Raises for 2025
Defense Finance and Accounting Service > CivilianEmployees ...
Basic Pay Basic Pay is comprised of your Pay Plan and your Locality Pay. It is your pay rate before any deductions or additional pay are added. Premium Pay Premium pays are wages above and beyond Basic Pay. General Schedule (GS) employees whose Basic Pay is less than the maximum GS-15 rate may receive Premium Pay. Total Premium Pay received by ...
How is My “High-3 Average Pay” Calculated? (Part 1) - FedSmith
Rate of basic pay: The “rate of basic pay” used to calculate most employees’ high-3 average pay is shown as the “Adjusted Basic Pay” in Box 20C on the Notification of Personnel Action (SF 50). This rate includes the annual rate of “Basic Pay” plus the “Locality Adjustment,” resulting in the Adjusted Basic Pay.
Does my ‘High-3′ FERS calculation include locality pay boost?
As a rule that includes basic pay and locality pay. You can confirm that this is true for you by looking at your pay slip to see if retirement deductions are taken from both. RELATED.
Federal Benefits Question of the Week: Locality Pay and Retirement
Basic pay includes locality pay. If you retire to a lower locality area, your retirement benefit won’t change since your high-three average was based on your salary rates while employed. Once you are retired, your CSRS or FERS retirement will receive cost-of-living adjustments. However, these adjustments are not linked to locality, and they ...
Employment FAQ - How does the Federal pay system work?
Employees in GS positions in the continental United States also receive locality pay (there are 32 defined locality pay areas). Employees outside the continental United States in non-foreign areas (i.e., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) do not receive locality rates, but rather receive cost-of-living allowances.
Are All Federal Employees Entitled to Locality Pay? - FedSmith
The rate at which locality pay is paid varies depending on the locality pay area in which the position is located. These locality pay areas are defined at 5 C.F.R. 531.603; however, the definitions of some of these areas has changed in recent years, so looking at the OPM website will give you the most current definitions.
Federal Salary Cap, Pay Scale, & Locality Rates Explained - ExecutiveGov
In fiscal year 2024, the wage ceiling, inclusive of basic pay and locality pay, for most federal personnel is set at $191,900. Conversely, federal pay in 2023 peaked at $183,500.
What’s In and Out of Basic Pay - FEDweek
And Basic pay is the amount from which retirement deductions are taken. Included in Basic pay are: • locality pay, including any portion of non-foreign cost-of-living adjustments that has been ...
What’s Included in Your High-3 - FEDweek
So, what’s included in basic pay? * locality pay, including any portion of non-foreign cost-of-living adjustments that has been converted to locality pay under recent legislation;
BASIC PAY - PAY PERIOD - United States Office of Personnel Management
The pay period basic or base pay based upon an employee's pay plan, grade/level, step/rate, and occupational series, before adding any additional supplement. For GS employees, enter GS base pay amount, law enforcement officer special base pay amount, or retained pay amount; do not include locality pay or special rate supplement. Data Format ...
Federal Workforce: Current and Potential Alternatives for Locality Pay ...
To help align federal workers' salaries with their local areas, Congress authorized an annual "locality pay adjustment" starting in 1994. In 2023, 60% of federal employees received a locality pay increase. Even with adjustments over the years, a pay gap persists. Changing how the gap is calculated could make it more credible.