2024 Annual Review of Special Rates (Results)

CPM 2024-24 December 23, 2024 Memorandum for Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies From: Robert H. Shriver, III Acting Director

Subject: 2024 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 September 20, 2024, data call memorandum (CPM 2024-19) for further information.) Agencies were informed in the September 2024 data call memorandum that the default January 2025 adjustment for special rates would be equal to the January 2025 across-theboard adjustment for GS base rates. That memorandum also noted that the across-theboard adjustment for GS base rates would be 1.7 percent, as specified in the President’s alternative plan for January 2025 pay adjustments. Further, pursuant to OPM’s instructions, each agency conducted a review of its special rate schedules. No agency requested a January 2025 adjustment for special rates different from the default amount. Accordingly, based on the 2024 annual review of special rates, I have determined that the January 2025 adjustment for existing special rates will be 1.7 percent. The effective date for the January 2025 pay adjustment is the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2025 (January 12, 2025, 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. Additional information regarding the 2024 annual review and January 2025 special rates is provided below.

Special Rates in Nonforeign Areas For the 2024 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 2024 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 1.7-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 $195,200 in 2025. Some special rates for 2025 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 special rates no longer exceed GS locality rates of pay 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 2025. However, some special rates will terminate effective January 12, 2025, due to special rates no longer exceeding applicable locality pay. Five special rate tables will terminate effective January 12, 2025, because as of that date none of the authorized special rates would exceed applicable locality pay. Those five special rate tables are Tables 0425, 0433, 0644, 0713, and 0716. In addition, some special rates tables will remain in effect but have one or more pay rates that terminate effective January 12, 2025, because those special rates no longer exceed applicable 2

locality pay due to January 2025 increases in locality pay percentages. In such cases, the special rate tables will not show a special rate at affected grades and steps because equal or higher locality pay rates apply. Also, for some special rate tables that cover multiple locations, certain locations will be removed from coverage because the 2025 locality rates in those locations equal or exceed 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 an equal or higher locality rate of pay. Additional Information Agency headquarters-level human resources offices may contact OPM at paypolicy@opm.gov. Employees should contact their agency human resources office for further information on this memorandum. Attachment 1: 2025 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in Nonforeign Areas Attachment 2: Capped Special Rates in 2025 cc: Chief Human Capital Officers (CHCOs) Deputy CHCOs Human Resources Directors Attachment 1

2025 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 ($195,200 in 2025). The EX-IV cap will be reflected in published special rate schedules. 2025 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in the State of Alaska (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 7,236 7,478 7,719 7,959 8,199 8,339 8,577 8,817 8,827 9,051 8,136 8,329 8,599 8,827 8,926 9,188 9,451 9,713 9,976 10,238 8,878 9,173 9,469 9,765 10,061 10,356 10,652 10,948 11,244 11,540 9,965 10,298 10,630 10,962 11,295 11,627 11,959 12,292 12,624 12,956 11,149 11,521 11,892 12,264 12,635 13,007 13,378 13,750 14,121 14,493 12,429 12,843 13,257 13,671 14,085 14,500 14,914 15,328 15,742 16,156 13,811 14,271 14,732 15,192 15,653 16,113 16,574 17,034 17,495 17,955 15,295 15,805 16,315 16,825 17,335 17,845 18,355 18,865 19,375 19,885 16,894 17,457 18,020 18,583 19,146 19,709 20,272 20,835 21,398 21,961 18,603 19,223 19,843 20,463 21,084 21,704 22,324 22,944 23,564 24,184 20,440 21,121 21,802 22,483 23,164 23,845 24,527 25,208 25,889 26,570 24,498 25,315 26,132 26,949 27,766 28,582 29,399 30,216 31,033 31,849 29,132 30,103 31,074 32,045 33,017 33,988 34,959 35,930 36,901

37,872 34,425 35,573 36,720 37,868 39,015 40,163 41,310 42,458 43,605 44,753 40,493 41,843 43,193 44,542 45,892 47,242 48,591 49,941 51,291 52,641 2025 Additional Adjustments for Special Rate Tables in the State of Hawaii (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 4,966 5,133 5,298 5,462 5,627 5,724 5,887 6,052 6,058 6,212 5,584 5,717 5,902 6,058 6,126 6,306 6,486 6,667 6,847 7,027 6,093 6,296 6,499 6,702 6,905 7,108 7,311 7,514 7,717 7,920 6,840 7,068 7,296 7,524 7,752 7,980 8,208 8,436 8,664 8,892 7,652 7,907 8,162 8,417 8,672 8,927 9,182 9,437 9,692 9,947 8,530 8,814 9,099 9,383 9,667 9,952 10,236 10,520 10,804 11,089 9,479 9,795 10,111 10,427 10,743 11,059 11,375 11,691 12,007 12,323 10,498 10,848 11,198 11,548 11,898 12,248 12,598 12,948 13,298 13,648 11,595 11,981 12,368 12,754 13,141 13,527 13,913 14,300 14,686 15,073 12,768 13,194 13,619 14,045 14,470 14,896 15,322 15,747 16,173 16,598 14,029 14,496 14,964 15,431 15,899 16,366 16,834 17,301 17,769 18,236 16,814 17,375 17,935 18,496 19,057 19,617 20,178 20,738 21,299 21,860 19,995 20,661 21,328 21,994 22,661 23,327 23,994 24,660 25,327 25,993 23,627 24,415 25,203 25,990 26,778 27,565 28,353 29,140 29,928 30,716 27,792 28,718 29,645 30,571 31,498 32,424 33,350 34,277 35,203 36,129 2025 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 3,815 3,943 4,069 4,196 4,322 4,396 4,522 4,648 4,653 4,772 4,289 4,391 4,533 4,653 4,706 4,844 4,982 5,121 5,259 5,397 4,680 4,836 4,992 5,148 5,304 5,460 5,616 5,772 5,928 6,084 5,254 5,429 5,604 5,779 5,954 6,130 6,305 6,480 6,655 6,830 5,878 6,074 6,270 6,465 6,661 6,857 7,053 7,249 7,445 7,640 6,552 6,771 6,989 7,207 7,426 7,644 7,862 8,081 8,299 8,518 7,281 7,524 7,767 8,009 8,252 8,495 8,738 8,980 9,223 9,466 8,063 8,332 8,601 8,870 9,139 9,408 9,677 9,945 10,214 10,483 8,906 9,203 9,500 9,797 10,094 10,390 10,687 10,984 11,281 11,578

9,808 10,134 10,461 10,788 11,115 11,442 11,769 12,096 12,423 12,749 10,776 11,135 11,494 11,853 12,212 12,571 12,930 13,289 13,649 14,008 12,915 13,346 13,777 14,207 14,638 15,068 15,499 15,930 16,360 16,791 15,358 15,870 16,382 16,894 17,406 17,918 18,430 18,942 19,454 19,966 18,149 18,754 19,359 19,964 20,569 21,174 21,778 22,383 22,988 23,593 21,348 22,059 22,771 23,482 24,194 24,906 25,617 26,329 27,040 27,752 Attachment 2 Capped Special Rates in 2025 Under 5 U.S.C. 5305(a)(1), the maximum special rate is the rate payable for level IV of the Executive Schedule ($195,200 in 2025). A total of 540 special rates are capped in 2025 and these are shown in the table below by special rate table code, grade, and step. Special Rate Table Code 0565 0566 0571 0576 0576 0701 0702 0703 0704 0705 0706 0710 0711 0712 0714 0715 0717 0718 0719 0720 0721 0722 0734 0735 0736 0737 0738 0739 0740 0741 0742 0743 0744 0745 0746 0747 0748 0748 Grade 15 15 15 14 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 Capped Steps 7-10 9-10 6-10 9-10 4-10 7-10 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 8-10 8-10 8-10 7-10 7-10 7-10 7-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 6-10 5-10 5-10 5-10 10 4-10 1 Special Rate Table Code 0749 0749 0750 0750 0752 0759 0759 0759 0760 0760 0761 0761 0762 0762 0763 0763 0764 0764 0765 0766 0767 0771 0777 0777 0778 0785 0788 0788 0789 0789 0790 0790 0791 0791 0792 0793 0794 0795 0796 0797 0797 0798 0799 0804 0804 0805 0806 0806 0807 Grade 14 15 14 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 14 15 14 15 14 15 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 15 15 14 15 15 14 15 14

Capped Steps 10 4-10 8-10 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 6-10 1-10 8-10 3-10 9-10 3-10 10 4-10 5-10 6-10 6-10 7-10 7-10 9-10 4-10 7-10 5-10 8-10 5-10 8-10 9-10 6-10 10 2 Special Rate Table Code 0807 0808 0808 0809 0810 0811 0812 290A 290A 290H 290P 499A 499A 499H 499P 558A 558A 558H 558H 558P 565A 565A 565F 565H 565H 566A 566A 566F 566H 566H 700H 700H 811F 812F Grade 15 14 15 15 15 15 15 14 15 15 15 14 15 15 15 14 15 14 15 15 14 15 15 14 15 14 15 15 14 15 14 15 15 15 Capped Steps 6-10 10 7-10 8-10 9-10 5-10 6-10 8-10 4-10 7-10 8-10 10 5-10 8-10 10 8-10 4-10 10 7-10 8-10 5-10 1-10 7-10 8-10 2-10 6-10 1-10 9-10 9-10 3-10 10 4-10 5-10 6-10