2021 Annual Review of Special Rates (Results)

December 22, 2021 CPM 2021-26 Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies From: Kiran A. Ahuja Director Subject: 2021 Annual Review of Special Rates (Results)

The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) conducts an annual review of special rates established under 5 U.S.C. 5305 to determine the disposition of special rate schedules when General Schedule (GS) pay is adjusted under 5 U.S.C. 5303. Based on OPM’s annual review, special rate tables may be terminated, decreased, or increased. (See OPM’s October 5, 2021, data call memorandum (CPM 2021-20) for further information.) Agencies were informed in the October 2021 data call memorandum that the default January 2022 adjustment for special rates would be equal to the January 2022 across-the-board adjustment for GS base rates. That memorandum also noted that the across-the-board adjustment for GS base rates would be 2.2 percent, as specified in the President’s alternative plan for January 2022 pay adjustments. Further, pursuant to OPM’s instructions, each agency conducted a review of its special rate schedules. No agency requested a January 2022 adjustment for special rates different from the default amount. Accordingly, based on the 2021 annual review of special rates, I have determined that the January 2022 adjustment for existing special rates will be 2.2 percent. The effective date for January 2022 pay adjustments is the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2022 (January 2, 2022, based on the standard biweekly payroll cycle). Please note that agencies having existing or likely staffing problems can submit special rate requests any time throughout a calendar year. Information on how agencies can make special rate requests is posted on the OPM website at https://apps.opm.gov/SpecialRates/srsrequest.aspx. Additional information regarding the 2021 annual review and January 2022 special rates is provided below.

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Special Rates in Nonforeign Areas For the 2021 Annual Review, we reminded agencies of the results of our analysis of special rates in nonforeign areas during the 2012 annual review, and that special rates in nonforeign areas would be reexamined yearly as part of our overall annual review of special rates. During the 2021 Annual Review, no agencies requested termination of special rates or a pay adjustment different from the base GS increase for positions in nonforeign areas. Accordingly, special rates in nonforeign areas will receive the 2.2-percent increase. Also, special rate tables currently receiving Nonforeign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act of 2009 (NAREAA) additional adjustments will receive the NAREAA additional adjustments shown in Attachment 1. Capped Special Rates Under 5 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1), the maximum special rate is the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule (EX-IV), which is $176,300 in 2022. Some special rates for 2022 are capped at that EX-IV rate. Attachment 2 lists capped special rates by table, grade, and step. Terminated Special Rates Special rates are terminated based on OPM’s annual review of special rates when covered agencies report to OPM that applicable special rates are no longer necessary or when GS locality rates of pay exceed special rates at the same grade and step due to increases in locality pay. (Under 5 U.S.C. 5305(h), an employee’s entitlement to a special rate ends if the employee is entitled to a higher rate of basic pay, such as a locality rate of pay under 5 U.S.C. 5304.) No agencies reported to OPM in response to the annual review that any special rate tables would no longer be necessary in 2022. However, some special rates will terminate effective January 2, 2022 due to higher applicable locality rates of pay. Five special rate tables will terminate effective January 2, 2022, because higher locality rates apply at all steps of each covered grade due to January 2022 increases in locality pay percentages. Those five special rate tables are Tables 0139, 0140, 0256, 0346, and 0377. In addition, some special rate tables that will not entirely terminate will have one or more pay rates that terminate because applicable 2022 locality rates of pay are higher due to January 2022 increases in locality pay percentages. In such cases, the special rate tables will not show a special rate at affected grades and steps because higher locality pay rates apply. Also, for some special rate tables that cover multiple locations, certain locations will be removed from coverage because the 2022 locality rates in those locations are higher than the special rates at all grades and steps. Termination of special rates in these situations will not result in a loss of pay for covered employees because they will receive a higher locality rate of pay.

Additional Information Agency headquarters-level human resources offices may contact OPM at pay-leavepolicy@opm.gov. Employees should contact their agency human resources office for further information on this memorandum. Attachment 1 - 2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in Nonforeign Areas Attachment 2 - Capped Special Rates in 2022 cc: Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) Deputy CHCOs Human Resources Directors Attachment 1—2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in Nonforeign Areas Under section 1915(b) of the Nonforeign Area Retirement Equity Assurance Act of 2009 (NAREAA), during the January 2010-January 2012 transition period, special “additional adjustments” were added to the special rates that would have otherwise been payable in nonforeign areas. These additional adjustments were designed to provide special rate increases equal to the locality pay increases received by non-special rate employees during the transition period. They are added to the special rate supplement that would have otherwise applied. Special rate supplements and additional adjustments are payable only to the extent they do not cause the employee’s special rate to exceed the statutory EX-IV cap on special rates ($176,300 in 2022). The EX-IV cap will be reflected in published special rate schedules. For additional information on NAREAA additional adjustments, see Attachment 2 of CPM 2009-27 and Attachment 1 of CPM 2011-22. Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in the State of Alaska (Annual Amounts in Dollars) Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 6,136 6,342 6,546 6,749 6,953 7,072 7,274 7,478 7,486 6,900 7,064 7,293 7,486 7,570 7,793 8,016 8,238 8,461 7,529 7,780 8,031 8,282 8,533 8,783 9,034 9,285 9,536 8,451 8,733 9,015 9,296 9,578 9,860 10,141 10,423 10,705 9,455 9,771 10,086 10,401 10,716 11,031 11,346 11,662 11,977 10,540 10,892 11,243 11,594 11,946 12,297 12,648 13,000 13,351 11,713 12,103 12,493 12,883 13,274 13,664 14,054 14,445 14,835 12,971 13,404 13,836 14,268 14,700 15,133 15,565 15,997 16,430 14,327 14,805 15,282 15,760 16,237 16,715 17,192 17,670 18,148 15,777 16,303 16,829 17,355 17,881 18,407 18,933 19,459 19,985 17,334 17,912 18,490 19,067 19,645 20,223 20,800 21,378 21,956 20,777 21,469 22,162 22,855 23,547 24,240 24,933 25,625 26,318 24,706 25,529 26,353 27,176 28,000 28,823 29,647 30,470 31,294 29,195 30,168 31,141 32,114 33,088 34,061 35,034 36,007 36,980 34,341 35,486 36,631 37,775 38,920 40,065 41,209 42,354 43,499 Step 10 7,676 8,684 9,787 10,986 12,292 13,702 15,225 16,862 18,625 20,511 22,533 27,011 32,117 37,953 44,643 Grade 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in the State of Hawaii (Annual Amounts in Dollars) Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 4,115 4,253 4,390 4,526 4,663 4,743 4,878 5,015 5,020 4,627 4,737 4,890 5,020 5,077 5,226 5,375 5,525 5,674 5,049 5,217 5,385 5,554 5,722 5,890 6,059 6,227 6,395 5,668 5,856 6,045 6,234 6,423 6,612 6,801 6,990 7,179 6,341 6,552 6,764 6,975 7,186 7,398 7,609 7,820 8,032 7,068 7,304 7,540 7,775 8,011 8,246 8,482 8,718 8,953 7,855 8,116 8,378 8,640 8,902 9,163 9,425 9,687 9,948 8,699 8,989 9,279 9,568 9,858 10,148 10,438 10,728 11,018 9,608 9,928 10,248 10,569 10,889 11,209 11,529 11,850 12,170 10,580 10,933 11,286 11,638 11,991 12,344 12,697 13,049 13,402 11,625 12,012 12,399 12,787 13,174 13,562 13,949 14,336 14,724 13,933 14,398 14,862 15,327 15,791 16,256 16,720 17,185 17,649 16,568 17,120 17,673 18,225 18,777 19,329 19,881 20,434 20,986 19,578 20,231 20,884 21,536 22,189 22,841 23,494 24,147 24,799 23,030 23,797 24,565 25,333 26,100 26,868 27,635 28,403 29,171 Step 10 5,148 5,823 6,563 7,368 8,243 9,189 10,210 11,308 12,490 13,755 15,111 18,114 21,538 25,452 29,938 A1-1 Attachment 1—2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in Nonforeign Areas

2022 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in Other Nonforeign Areas as Defined in 5 CFR Part 591 (Annual Amounts in Dollars) Grade Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Step 6 Step 7 Step 8 Step 9 Step 10 1 3,268 3,378 3,486 3,594 3,703 3,766 3,874 3,982 3,986 4,088 2 3,674 3,762 3,884 3,986 4,032 4,150 4,269 4,387 4,506 4,624 3 4,009 4,143 4,277 4,410 4,544 4,678 4,811 4,945 5,079 5,212 4 4,501 4,651 4,801 4,951 5,101 5,251 5,401 5,551 5,701 5,851 5 5,035 5,203 5,371 5,539 5,707 5,875 6,042 6,210 6,378 6,546 6 5,613 5,800 5,987 6,174 6,362 6,549 6,736 6,923 7,110 7,297 7 6,237 6,445 6,653 6,861 7,069 7,277 7,485 7,692 7,900 8,108 8 6,908 7,138 7,368 7,598 7,829 8,059 8,289 8,519 8,749 8,980 9 7,630 7,884 8,138 8,393 8,647 8,901 9,156 9,410 9,664 9,919 10 8,402 8,682 8,962 9,242 9,522 9,802 10,083 10,363 10,643 10,923 11 9,231 9,539 9,847 10,154 10,462 10,769 11,077 11,385 11,692 12,000 12 11,064 11,433 11,802 12,171 12,540 12,909 13,278 13,647 14,015 14,384 13 13,157 13,596 14,034 14,473 14,911 15,350 15,788 16,227 16,665 17,104 14 15,548 16,066 16,584 17,102 17,621 18,139 18,657 19,175 19,694 20,212 15 18,288 18,898 19,507 20,117 20,727 21,336 21,946 22,555 23,165 23,775 A1-2 Attachment 2—Capped Special Rates in 2022 Under 5 U.S.C. 5305(a)(l), the maximum special rate is the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule ($176,300 in 2022). A total of 384 special rates are capped in 2022 and these are shown in the table below by special rate table code, grade, and step. Special Rate Table Code Grade 0565 0566 0571 0576 0701 0702 0703 0704 0705 0706 0710 0711 0712 0713 0714 0715 0716 0717 0718 0719 0720 0721 0722 0734 0735 0736 0737 0738 0739 0740 0741 0742 0743 0744 0745 0746 0747 0748 0748 0749 0749 0750

15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 14 15 14 A2-1 Capped Steps 8-10 9-10 6-10 7-10 8-10 5-10 5-10 5-10 6-10 5-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 8-10 8-10 8-10 8-10 7-10 7-10 7-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 5-10 5-10 5-10 10 4-10 10 4-10 8-10 Attachment 2—Capped Special Rates in 2022 Special Rate Table Code Grade 0750 0752 0759 0759 0759 0760 0760 0761 0761 0762 0762 0763 0763 0764 0764 0765 0766 0767 0771 0777 0777 0778 0785 290A 290A 290H 290P 499A 499H 499P 558A 558A 558H 558P 565A 565A 565F 565H 565H 566A 566A 566F 566H 566H 700H 15 15 13 14 15 14 15 14 15 14 15 14 15 14 15 15 15 15 14 14 15 14 14 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 15 15 14 15 15 14 15 14 15 15 14 15 15 A2-2 Capped Steps 2-10 5-10 10 6-10 3-10 8-10 4-10 8-10 5-10 9-10 6-10 10 6-10 10 7-10 8-10 8-10 9-10 9-10 8-10 2-10 8-10 9-10 8-10 4-10 7-10 8-10 6-10 9-10 10 8-10 5-10 7-10 9-10 6-10 1-10 8-10 8-10 3-10 7-10 2-10 9-10 9-10 4-10 5-10