Limitation on premium pay
An employee may be paid premium pay under sections 5542, 5545(a), (b), and (c), 5545a, 5545c, 5546(a) and (b), and 5550 only to the extent that the payment does not cause the aggregate of basic pay and such premium pay for any pay period for such employee to exceed the greater of—
the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or
the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule.
Subject to regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, subsection (a) shall not apply to an employee who is paid premium pay by reason of work in connection with an emergency (including a wildfire emergency) that involves a direct threat to life or property, including work performed in the aftermath of such an emergency.
Notwithstanding paragraph (1), no employee referred to in such paragraph may be paid premium pay under the provisions of law cited in subsection (a) if, or to the extent that, the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay under those provisions for such employee would, in any calendar year, exceed the greater of—
the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 in effect at the end of such calendar year (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or
the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule in effect at the end of such calendar year.
Subject to regulations prescribed by the Office of Personnel Management, the head of an agency may determine that subsection (a) shall not apply to an employee who is paid premium pay to perform work that is critical to the mission of the agency. Such employees may be paid premium pay under the provisions of law cited in subsection (a) if, or to the extent that, the aggregate of the basic pay and premium pay under those provisions for such employee would not, in any calendar year, exceed the greater of—
the maximum rate of basic pay payable for GS–15 in effect at the end of such calendar year (including any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 or similar provision of law and any applicable special rate of pay under section 5305 or similar provision of law); or
the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule in effect at the end of such calendar year.
The Office of Personnel Management shall prescribe regulations governing the methods of applying subsection (b)(2) and (b)(3) to employees who receive premium pay under section 5545(c) or 5545a, or to firefighters covered by section 5545b who receive overtime pay for hours in their regular tour of duty, and the method of payment to such employees. Such regulations may limit the payment of such premium pay on a biweekly basis.
This section shall not apply to any employee of the Federal Aviation Administration or the Department of Defense who is paid premium pay under section 5546a.
Any supplemental pay resulting from receipt of the level 1 border patrol rate of pay or the level 2 border patrol rate of pay under section 5550 shall be considered premium pay in applying this section.
Source
(Pub. L. 89–554,Notes
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Historical and Revision Notes |
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1966 Act |
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Derivation | U.S. Code | Revised Statutes and Statutes at Large |
5 U.S.C. 943. | June 30, 1945, ch. 212, § 603, 59 Stat. 302. May 24, 1946, ch. 270, § 7(a), 60 Stat. 218. | |
July 3, 1948, ch. 830, § 303(a), 62 Stat. 1268. | ||
Sept. 1, 1954, ch. 1208, § 209, 68 Stat. 1112. |
1967 Act
Editorial Notes
References in Text
Codification
Amendments
Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries
Effective Date of 2025 Amendment
Effective Date of 2014 Amendment
Effective Date of 2001 Amendment
Effective Date of 1994 Amendment
Effective Date of 1992 Amendment
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Effective Date of 1984 Amendment
Effective Date of 1982 Amendment
Short Title of 1988 Amendment
Premium Pay Exemption for APHIS Employees Engaged in Services in Response to an Animal Disease Outbreak
Overtime Pay Exception for Protective Services
Covered Employee Defined.—
In this section, the term ‘covered employee’ means any individual employed by, and conducting protective services on behalf of, the Diplomatic Security Service for an individual.
Exception to the Limitation on Premium Pay for Protective Services.—
Notwithstanding the restrictions contained in section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, any covered employee may receive premium pay for overtime officially ordered or approved and performed while conducting protective security functions in excess of the annual equivalent of the limitation on the rate of pay contained in section 5547(a) of such title, except that such premium pay shall not be payable to an employee to the extent that such aggregate amount would exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of such title.
Treatment of Additional Pay.—
If the application of subsection (b) results in the payment of additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other purpose, that additional pay shall not—
be considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for any purpose; or
be used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552 of title 5, United States Code.
Aggregate Limit.—
With respect to the application of section 5307 of title 5, United States Code, the payment of any additional premium pay to a covered employee as a result of subsection (b) shall not be counted as part of the aggregate compensation of the covered employee.
Report.—
In general.—
Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this division [
Elements.—
The report required under paragraph (1) shall include the following elements:
An analysis of the current operational demands and staffing levels.
Recommended strategies for reducing overtime requirements, including—
hiring additional personnel;
solutions such that sufficient resources are available throughout each year without the need for waivers of premium pay limitations;
redistribution of workload; and
other improvements in operational efficiency.
Appropriate committees of congress defined.—
In this subsection, the term ‘appropriate committees of Congress’ means—
the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives];
the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs and the Committee on Appropriations of the Senate; and
the Committee on Oversight and Accountability and the Committee on Appropriations of the House of Representatives.
Effective Date.—
This section shall take effect as if enacted on Jan[uary] 1, 2023.
Sunset.—
This section shall terminate on
Premium Pay Waiver for Certain Employees Engaged in Emergency Wildland Fire Suppression Activities
If services performed by the designated employees under paragraph (2) of this subsection at the Department of the Interior or the Department of Agriculture during 2021 or 2022 or 2023 or 2024 are determined by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as applicable, to be primarily related to emergency wildland fire suppression activities, any premium pay for such services shall be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of such employee’s basic pay and premium pay for purposes of a limitation under section 5547(a) of title 5, United States Code, or under any other provision of law, whether such employee’s pay is paid on a biweekly or calendar year basis. Any Services [sic] during a given calendar year that generate payments payable in the subsequent calendar year shall be disregarded in applying this subsection[.]
The premium pay waiver under paragraph (1) of this subsection shall apply to individuals serving as wildland firefighters and as fire management response officials, including regional fire directors, deputy regional fire directors, agency officials who directly oversee fire operations, and fire management officers, and individuals serving on incident management teams (IMTs), at the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC), at Geographic Area Coordinating Centers (GACCs), and at Operations centers.
The Departments of the Interior and Agriculture shall provide a report to Congress detailing the number of positions, including by occupation, grade, and the aggregate pay by type of pay for each individual who receives pay authorized under subsection (a)(1).
Any overtime pay for services described in subsection (a) that is payable under an authority outside of title 5, United States Code, shall be disregarded in calculating any annual limit on the amount of overtime pay payable in 2021 or 2022 or 2023 or 2024.
Any pay that is disregarded under either subsection (a) or (b) shall be disregarded in calculating such employee’s aggregate pay for purposes of applying the limitation in section 5307 of title 5, United States Code, during 2021 or 2022 or 2023 or 2024.
Pay that is disregarded under subsection (a) or (b) shall not cause the aggregate of the employee’s basic pay and premium pay for the applicable calendar year to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code, as in effect at the end of such calendar year.
For purposes of applying this subsection to an employee who would otherwise be subject to the premium pay limits established under section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, ‘premium pay’ means the premium pay paid under the provisions of law cited in section 5547(a).
For purposes of applying this subsection to an employee under a premium pay limit established under an authority other than section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, the agency responsible for administering such limit shall determine what payments are considered premium pay.
For the purpose of applying this subsection, ‘basic pay’ includes any applicable locality-based comparability payment under section 5304 of title 5, United States Code, any applicable special rate supplement under section 5305 of such title, or any equivalent payment under a similar provision of law.
This section shall take effect as if enacted on
If application of this section results in the payment of additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other purpose, that additional pay shall not—
be considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for any purpose; or
be used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552 of title 5, United States Code, or other similar provision of law.
Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act [
Premium Pay Authority for Services Related to Preparation, Prevention, or Response to Coronavirus
If services performed by an employee during 2020 and 2021 are determined by the head of the agency to be primarily related to preparation, prevention, or response to coronavirus, any premium pay for such services shall be disregarded in calculating the aggregate of such employee’s basic pay and premium pay for purposes of a limitation under section 5547(a) of title 5, United States Code, or under any other provision of law, whether such employees pay is paid on a biweekly or calendar year basis.
Any overtime pay for such services shall be disregarded in calculating any annual limit on the amount of overtime pay payable in a calendar or fiscal year.
With regard to such services, any pay that is disregarded under either subsection (a) or (b) shall be disregarded in calculating such employee’s aggregate pay for purposes of the limitation in section 5307 of such title 5.
Pay that is disregarded under subsection (a) or (b) shall not cause the aggregate of the employee’s basic pay and premium pay for the applicable calendar year to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code, as in effect at the end of such calendar year.
For purposes of applying this subsection to an employee who would otherwise be subject to the premium pay limits established under section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, ‘premium pay’ means the premium pay paid under the provisions of law cited in section 5547(a).
For purposes of applying this subsection to an employee under a premium pay limit established under an authority other than section 5547 of title 5, United States Code, the agency responsible for administering such limit shall determine what payments are considered premium pay.
This section shall take effect as if enacted on
If application of this section results in the payment of additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other purpose, that additional pay shall not—
be considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for any purpose; or
be used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552 of title 5, United States Code.”
Premium Pay Authority.—
If services performed during fiscal year 2020 are determined by the head of the agency to be primarily related to preparation, prevention, or response to coronavirus, any premium pay that is funded, either directly or through reimbursement, by the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be exempted from the aggregate of basic pay and premium pay calculated under section 5547(a) of title 5, United States Code, and any other provision of law limiting the aggregate amount of premium pay payable on a biweekly or calendar year basis.
Overtime Authority.—
Any overtime that is funded for such services described in subsection (a), either directly or through reimbursement, by the Federal Emergency Management Agency shall be exempted from any annual limit on the amount of overtime payable in a calendar or fiscal year.
Applicability of Aggregate Limitation on Pay.—
In determining whether an employee’s pay exceeds the applicable annual rate of basic pay payable under section 5307 of title 5, United States Code, the head of an Executive agency shall not include pay exempted under this section.
Limitation of Pay Authority.—
Pay exempted from otherwise applicable limits under subsection (a) shall not cause the aggregate pay earned for the calendar year in which the exempted pay is earned to exceed the rate of basic pay payable for a position at level II of the Executive Schedule under section 5313 of title 5, United States Code.
Effective Date.—
This section shall take effect as if enacted on
Overtime Pay for Protective Services
SHORT TITLE.
PREMIUM PAY EXCEPTION DURING 2016 THROUGH 2028 FOR PROTECTIVE SERVICES.
Definitions.—
In this section—
the term ‘covered employee’ means any officer, employee, or agent employed by the United States Secret Service who performs protective services for an individual or event protected by the United States Secret Service during any of calendar years 2016 through 2028; and
the term ‘protective services’ does not include routine administrative or technical work that supports the daily operations of the United States Secret Service.
Exception to the Limitation on Premium Pay for Protective Services.—
In general.—
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, including section 5547(a) of title 5, United States Code, and only to the extent that an appropriation is provided specifically in an appropriations Act for premium pay for a given calendar year in excess of the annual equivalent of the limitation on the rate of pay contained in section 5547(a), any covered employee may receive premium pay for protective services during each of calendar years 2016 through 2028, to the extent provided under section 118 of the Treasury and General Government Appropriations Act, 2001 (5 U.S.C. 5547 note).
Technical and conforming amendment.—
Treatment of Additional Pay.—
If subsection (b) results in the payment of additional premium pay to a covered employee of a type that is normally creditable as basic pay for retirement or any other purpose, that additional pay shall not—
be considered to be basic pay of the covered employee for any purpose; or
be used in computing a lump-sum payment to the covered employee for accumulated and accrued annual leave under section 5551 or section 5552 of title 5, United States Code.
Aggregate Limit.—
With respect to the application of section 5307 of title 5, United States Code, the payment of any additional premium pay to a covered employee as a result of subsection (b) shall not be counted as part of the aggregate compensation of the covered employee.
Effective Date.—
This section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect as if enacted on