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Government pay scales and the paying thereof
LadyM
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hey guys, I'm trying to figure out if I'm being underpaid by my employer . . . the feds. I took a job that initially paid $10 an hour. Then I was shifted to another job for the same organization which pays GS-5 on the federal payscale. My understanding was that this would be in about the $15 range. Foolishly, I never got it in writing (or anything "official" acknowledging my shift to this new position, oddly.)
Today I was looking through my old pay stubs and I thought they seemed low. I did the math and I am being paid about $12.95 an hour. I say "about" because they randomly pay me a little less or a little more some weeks, like one week it broke down to $12.79 an hour, another it was $13.60 an hour. o_O (This is all before taxes, SS, and Medicare are taken out, of course.) I called my boss and he contacted the paycheck people (Accounting or whoever), who told him a) $12.95 is the GS-5 pay and b) the amount fluxes week by week, but averages out to $12.95.
Anyway, I am trying to find something online to confirm what the GS-5 pay range is. I know it varies based on the Step you're at, but $12.95 seems low even for Step 1. Maybe I'm just crazy, I don't know. I know my boss DID quote the job at $15 an hour when I applied for it, but I didn't get anything in writing, stupid me. Does GS vary from state to state or from job-type to job-type? I wouldn't think so, because it's FEDERAL not state, but I want to make sure before I pursue this further.
Today I was looking through my old pay stubs and I thought they seemed low. I did the math and I am being paid about $12.95 an hour. I say "about" because they randomly pay me a little less or a little more some weeks, like one week it broke down to $12.79 an hour, another it was $13.60 an hour. o_O (This is all before taxes, SS, and Medicare are taken out, of course.) I called my boss and he contacted the paycheck people (Accounting or whoever), who told him a) $12.95 is the GS-5 pay and b) the amount fluxes week by week, but averages out to $12.95.
Anyway, I am trying to find something online to confirm what the GS-5 pay range is. I know it varies based on the Step you're at, but $12.95 seems low even for Step 1. Maybe I'm just crazy, I don't know. I know my boss DID quote the job at $15 an hour when I applied for it, but I didn't get anything in writing, stupid me. Does GS vary from state to state or from job-type to job-type? I wouldn't think so, because it's FEDERAL not state, but I want to make sure before I pursue this further.
LadyM on
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that is however, before you incorporate in any kind of locality pay which you should also be getting. look here to find out where you live and what you should be getting. http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/2008/2008-22-Attach2.pdf
http://opm.gov/oca/09tables/html/RUS_h.asp
When it says it's for "rest of the US" do they really mean some specific parts of the US?
I'm still not sure why they were paying slightly different hourly rates on some weeks . . . It wasn't due to overtime, as overtime is calculated on a separate line and I was only looking at "regular" hours/pay. But I don't think it's worth fighting over a few pennies either . . .
Also, varying pay sounds very strange. I'd have to go look at my old pay stubs for when I worked in the government, but that doesn't sound like something that should be happening.
EDIT: I'm sure what they mean by "Rest of US" is just every place that isn't specifically mentioned.
this one shows locality pay estimated from where you live.
it isn't always accurate but it is the minimum they have to give you if you live in that area.
http://www.opm.gov/oca/compmemo/2008/2008-22-Attach2.pdf
Island Co. WA
King Co. WA
Kitsap Co. WA
Mason Co. WA
Pierce Co. WA
Skagit Co. WA
Snohomish Co. WA
Thurston Co. WA
Whatcom Co. WA
that equates to 15.67/hr
Nope, not in any of those counties, Dunadan.
13.86% locality on 12.95 is indeed 14.74/hr
just tell accounting that you are not recieving your locality pay that is owed you.
Also, if you changed position/grade/step at ALL you should have gotten a handy dandy "Notification of Personnel Action" invoice, that includes your old and new positions (with salary information and such), and usually a PD (Position Description) for your new position/Grade. Granted, this is the government we're talking about. I've gotten them 4 months after being in a new position. Still, worth asking about if you want it in writing.
The SF50 usually doesn't show up until a few months after the personnel change but you should be able to see a copy online. Not sure what agency LadyM is supporting tho. The agencies use different online systems.
Talk to your HR people and let them take a look at it. Just get ready for the wait.