PART II. THE SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING BASIC PAY AND ALLOWANCE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00530R000501070004-0
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 12
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 27, 2013
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: August 19, 1988
• Content Type: MISC

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Response Due: August 19, 1988
In this part, the questions seek descriptive information on
the system or systems of the agency for determining the basic pay
of employees. _ - .
Since the~General Schedule classification and pay system for
while collar work is well known, some of the questions are framed
in a way that asks for a comparison of the agency system or
systems with the main features of the General-Schedule.
The NAPA study team already-has information.on some of these
questions from some of the agencies under study. Where the team
has sufficient information from specific agencies, that fact is
noted and those agencies do not have to supply any additional
information on those points. If no statement is made about this
matte r, with respect to a particular question, NAPA needs a
response to the question from all of the agencies involved in the
study.
Some of the agencies are devoted exclusively to
intelligence and counterintelligence missions (e.g, CIA, NSA,
DIA). Those agencies should interpret the questions to apply to
the whole agency. With respect to other agencies included in the
study, i.e., the military intelligence services, the FBI, the
State Department, the questions should be interpreted to apply
only to the portions of the agencies that are devoted to
intelligence or counterintelligence missions, and then only to the
civilian staff devoted to those functions or to supporting those
functions.
Question 5. Does the agency maintain a rank-in- erson pay system
for any of its employees?
No. Agency pay systems are all rank-in-job systems.
(If no, move on to Question 6.) -
/ / If yes, please describe the rank-in-person system or
systems.
- What .employees does the system cover?
- What are the ranks and pay levels within the
system?
- Is there a method to match employees and their
personal ranks with billets, positions, or duty
assignments?
3
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- Does the rank in person system have an up-or-out
advancement feature?
(NAPA has sufficient information on Question 5 from STATE.
NAPA needs information on this question from CIA, NSA, DIA,
the MILITARY IN`T'ELLIGENCE AGENCIES, and FBI.)
BASIC PAY FOR NONSUPERVISORY EMPLOYEES IN RANK-IN-JOB SYSTEMS
i
Question b. .Determining Basic Pay for Nonsu ervisory Employees:
Witn a rank-in-fob system the first step in pay
determination is to classify the position. Since the
salary rate taol? is linked directly with the
position classification structure .of the system, the
rate of basic pay for the employee follows
automatically prom the classification of the
position. Question 6 is split into two parts..
Question 6a. inquires about the structure of the
position classification scheme in the agency, by
comparison with the General Schedule classification
scheme. question 6b. inquires about the structure of
the salary rates in the agency, by comparison with
the salary rate table o? tk~e General Schedule.
Question 6a. Position ~:lassification: How does the position
classification scheme of the agency compare with the
classification scheme of the General Schedule?
In the General Schedule, the unit that is to be
classified in the position. (Definition: the duties
and responsibilities assigned to one employee.) The
position is to be placed in a class. (Definition:
all positions sufficiently similar as to kind of work
and level of difficulty and responsibility and
qualifications required as to be treated alike in pay
setting and all other personnel management functions.)
The classification scheme of the General Schedule
Subdivides work first into occupations and second
into grade levels. The universe of work is
subdivided into 22 Occupational Groups, and then into
44G specific occupational series, which are defined
by OPM. The levels of difficulty and responsibility
are subdivided into 18 grades (15 for nonsupervisory
work), wnicn are defined in statute and further
described in OPhi classification standards.
What is the structure of the classification scheme or
schemes used in the agency?
/~ The agency uses the General Schedule occupational
structure as specified by OPM and the General
Schedule grade structure. (If no, move on to
Question oo.)
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The agency uses a classification scheme that differs
from the General Schedule structure. If so, please
describe how the agency classification scheme differs
from the General Schedule in terms of occupational
(kind-of-work) subdivisions and grade (level-of-work)
subdivisions. Please indicate whether the
occupations and the grades are defined in a-document
that is available to employees, to supervisors, or to
o t.ti a r~s .
(NAPA has sufficient information on Question 6a from CIA and
STATE. NAPA needs information on this question from NSA,
DIt1, the MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, and FBI.)
question 6b. Salary Determination: The grade level of the
position determines the pay level of the employee.
The salary table of the General Schedule has 18 pay
grades (15 for nonsupervisory work), and each grade
is further subdivided into pay steps. The pay rates
embodied in the table are revised periodically, and a
new table is issued by an Executive order.
What is the structure of the salary table used in the
agency for nonsupervisory work?
The agency adheres to the General Schedule salary
table. (If so, move on to Question 6c.)
/ / The agency uses a salary schedule for some or all of
- its employees that differs from the General
Schedule. If so, please describe the major
difference in terms of structure -- the number of pay
levels, the steps within grades, the size of the
differentials between steps, or other differences.
Indicate the coverage of the non-GS pay schedule.
Indicate how the pay rates in the non-GS schedules
compare with the GS rates. Indicate whether the
rates are revised from time to time. how frequently,
and on what basis.
(NAPA has sufficient information on Question 6b from CIA and
STATE. NAP; needs information on this question from NSA,
DIti, the MILITARY INTr:LLIGENCE SERVICES, and FBI.)
Question 6c. Simplification of the Pay Determining Process:
Has the agency taken any steps to simplify the
classification and pay. system?
Under the General schedule, some Federal agencies are
currently experimenting with alternative pay schedule
structures ana methods of deciding on pay for
inaividuais.
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 Some of these experiments involve "pay banding." Two
or more grade levels of the GS pay schedule are
combined into a single pay band, and the separate pay
steps within grades are eliminated. New employees
can be started at any rate within the broader pay
band that will enable the agency to match the
relevant labor market rates. Pay changes of
individual employees are not set by fixed step _
rateb. The supervisor adjusts the pay of each
.employee periodically on the basis of individual
performance.
Other experiments aim at more precision in adjustment
of salary schedules to match labor-market competition
for the Kinds of ~cnowledges, skills, and abilities
the agency needs. Typically, these experiments
involve consideration of data about local pay rates
for work that is comparable to that of the agency,
instead of making the same adjustments nationwide
based on average rates in a nationwide survey.
Has the agency tried these or other measures to
simplify the structure ~f th,e pay schedule, or to
linK movement through pay levels to performance, or
to reflect more precisely local pay-rates for
comparable work?
No. (If no, move on to Question 7.)
Yes. If yes, please respond to the following
additional points:
- Describe the experiments.
- What is the status of any experiments of this
kind?
- Has the agency decided to adopt any changes
in these systems? What benefits does the
agency expect to flow from these changes?
- Has the agency decided not to adopt changes
in these systems? What are the reasons for
deciding not to make changes?
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PERFORi~iANC:E APPRAISAL IN RELATION TO PAY
Performance ~, raisal and Pay Decisions for
Ivonsupervisor~r' workers: How does the agency appraise
the performance of nonsupervisory employees? What
use is mace or performance appraisals in making
personnel management decisions?
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`l~he agency adheres to the OPM regulations for the
Performance Management System for nonsupervisory
workers. (If so, move on to Question 8.)
The agency system for performance appraisal and for
relating performance and personnel management
decisions differs from the Government-wide
Performance Management System. If so, please send a
copy `of the materials that describe the performance
appraisal system, including performance rating
instructions and rating forms. Some key points to
cover:
- 5vhether the agency uses individual,
performance standards of performance plans.
- The oasis for individual performance
standards - e.g....., the duties of the
position, or a work plan for the rating
period, or general statements of the
functions and objectives of the
organizational unit.
- The ways in wtiicli performance ratings are
considered in making decisions on granting or
withholding within-grade step increases, on
promotions to a higher pay level, including
moving trainees up the career ladder, on
selection for-supervisory jobs, etc.
- Whether the agency grants awards to employees
based, on performance, specifically:
o Quality step increases: moving the
employee to a higher pay~step within
grade based on performance.
o Cash awards for sustained superior
performance over a time span.
- The ways in which performance ratings are
considered in taking action on employees
whose work is not satisfacatory - e.g.,
counseling, retraining, reassignment, removal.
(NAPA has sufficient information on Question 7 from STATE.
NAPri needs information on this question from CIA, NSA, DIA,
the MILITARY SEkVICES, and FBI.)
BASIC PAY FOR SUPERVISORS AND MANr-GERS IN RANK-IN-JOB SYSTEMS
Question 8. Basic Pay for Su ervisors and Managers: How does the
agency determine the basic pay for supervisors and
program managers (i.e., those not included in a
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senior executive service)? How does the system for
determining basic-pay for supervisors and managers
compare with the system for determining basic pay for
nonsupervisory work?
- In the General Schedule system, the first step in
determining the pay of supervisors and managers is
classification of t_he job.- The grade levels and
occupational structure for supervisory work are
.included in the same general Schedule as the grade
levels and occupational structure for classifying
nonsupervisory work. OPM has provided a single
classification standard for all supervisory positions
in grades up to vS-15 -- the Su)aer~isory Grade
Evaluation Guide (SGEG). -~
When the grade of the supervisory position has been
determined, the pay rate follows from the same
General Schedule salary table as is used for
nonsupervisory positions. Supervisors up through
grade GS-12, like nonsupervisory employees, receive
annual comparability adjustments (when the whole
schedule is ad3usted); ~nd~they get within-grade step
increases in the same manner and under the same rules
as nonsupervisory employees.
The pay of supervisors and managers in grades GS-13,
14, and 15 is determined and adjusted under separate
rules of the Performance Management and Recognition
System (PMRS), at least until the PMRS legislation
expires on September 30, 1989. This statute (Chapter
54 of Title 5, U.S. Code) prescribes for these
employees a performance appraisal system with five
possible levels of performance (from level 1 --
"Unacceptable" to level 5 -- "Outstanding"), and it
mandates that the middle level -- "Fully successful"
-- is to be defined in writing. The annual
performance rating of the supervisor or manager in
these three grades determines the amount of pay
adjustment the employee will receive. The
performance appraisal con-tro=ls- t-he payraise- in three
categories:
- Annual (Comparability) Pay Adjustment -- full
acjustment for performance at "Fully
Successful" or above; lesser aajustment or no
adjustment for performance below that level.
- Merit increase -- an additional, adjustment of
base pay (equivalent to a within-grade
increase or part of one) based on the
performance rating.
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- Performance Award -- a one-time, lump-sum
"bonus" payment, representing a percentage of
base pay; not added to base pay.
In the agency, how are supervisory and managericl
positions (other than those. in a senior executive
service) classified, and how is basic-pay of
these employees calculated? -
-
~
Tne,agency follows the General Schedule
classification and pay scheme for supervisors and
managers. (If so, move on to Question 9.)
/ / i'he agency uses a different scheme for
classifying supervisory and managerial positions
and for determining basic pay. If so, please
provide a description of the system, including
the classification of supervisory and managerial
positions, and the role, if any, that performance
plays in determining basic pay. If the agency
has considerea but not adopted a merit pay system
or a pay-for-performance system for supervisors
or managers, please 'd.escr.ibe the circumstances
and the reasoning of the decision not to adopt
such a system.
(NAPA has sufficient information on Luestion 8 from STATE.
NAPA needs information on this question from CIA, NSA, DIA,
the MILITARY INTELLIGENi;E SERVICES, and FBI.)
Question 9. Basic Pay in a Senior Executive Service: If the
Agency has a senior executive service, what is the
structure of the system of basic pay, and what are
the rules and procedures for determining the basic
pay of the executive?
In the Government-wide Senior Executive Service
(SES), the statute (5 U.S.C. 5382) prescribes at
least five levels'of basic pay, to be established -
initially, and tnen ad~ustea, Lrom time to time, by
the President. ~i?he statute specifies the lower limit
of the SES pay scale (equal to GS-16, step 1 of the
General Schedule), and the upper limit (equal to
level IV of the Executive Schedule).
Within that range, the President has actually
prescribed six pay levels. The head of each agency
decides what pay level to assign to each member of
the SES in the agency. Since the SES is a
rank-in-person system, the pay level is assigned to
the individual and is not necessarily based on the
grading of t:~e job held by t:,e i.^.,:ividual, talthough
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/ /
agency head.
the agency head may elect to consider the level of
the job, or other factors, not specified in the
statute, in determining the pay level of each
individual.) The pay level of the individual may be
adjusted once a year, upward any number of levels,
downward one level a year, at the discretion of the
C{are.er members of the SES are eligible to receive
.performance awards (bonuses) -- a one-time, lump-sum
payment, representing a percentage of basic pay -- at
the discretion of the agency head, based on the
performance of the inaividual. Career members of the
SES may also receive, from time..to time, recognition
by the Presiaent as a Meritorio~i~s Executive (up to
five percent of the career executives per year may
thus receive a one-time stipend of $10,000), or as a
Distinguished Executive (up to one percent of the
career executives per year may thus receive a
one-time stipend of $20,000). Total compensation of
one executive in a year may not exceed the pay of
level I of the Executive Service.
Does the agency have a senior executive service?
No. (Move on to Question 10.)
Yes. _If yes, please describe the pay structure
of the senior executive service and the rules and
procedures for determining and adjusting pay.
See next two items:
/X/ Agency adheres to the Government-wide Senior
Executive Service. (If so, move on to
Question 10.)
/ / Agency has a pay structure and pay-setting
rules that are based on, but different from,
those of the SES. If so, please describe.
{NAPA has sufficient information on Question 9 from STATE.
NAPA needs information on this question from CIA, NSA, DIA,
the MILITARY INTELLIL~ENCE SERVICES, and FBI.)
PAC IN AllDI'rION TO t3ASIC PAY
Question 10. Compensation in Addition to Basic Pay -- Adjustments,
Additions, or Su lements to Basic Pay, or Allowances
not Related to Basic Pay:
Listed below are several types of adjustments or
additions to oasic pay, or allowances that may
supplement the oasic pay of emplo.~ees, supervisors,
or managers. Pi~sse checK crt an.; or ail of these
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types of additional compensation the agency gives to
employees in certain circumstances. Then, for each
type of additional compensation, please provide a
fuller explanation, covering the following:
- Eligibility: who is eligible to receive the
additional compensation and under what---
circumstances?
E
- Amount: what is the rate or amount of additional
compensation and how is it calculated?
- Rationale: why is the additional compensation
considered necessary?
- Extent: does the additional compensation apply
only on domestic assignments, or also overseas?
Does it apply only to nonsupervisory employees,
or also to supervisors, managers, and senior
executives?
(NOTE: Allowances that relate only to overseas assignments
will be covered separately in Part Ill af,this inquiry.)
The categories of possible additional compensation are:
/ / Special pay rates or special pay schedules for
- employees in lines of work that represent critical.
skills, or hard-to-fill jobs, or occupations in which
the agency has difficulty recruiting new employees or
- retaining experienced employees because of salary
competition from the private sector or from other
government entities. (State what employees get these
rates; whether the rates are a flat percentage of
basic pay added onto basic pay, or special rates
superimposed on the regular salary table, or a
separate salary table, or some other form; whether
the rates are geographically restricted or paid
everywhere. Send a copy of any special salary
schedules.)
/~'/ Incentive Awards:
/h/ Cash or honorary awards for one-time special
acts or services, or for superior
accomplishments.
/~ Cash or honorary awards for ideas or
suggestions that improve operational
performance.
Cash or honorary awards for inventions.
~% Presi~entisl :yards: Cash or honorary awards for
contricutions to economy, efficiency, or improvement
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of Government, or for meritorious acts or services.
Pay Differentials:
Extra pay for overtime work. (Indicate
whether employees are exempt or non-exempt
under the Fair Labor Standards Act jFLSA).
Indicate the basis for calculating overtime
pay, and limits on overtime pay, if any.)
Extra pay for night shift work.
Extra pay for work on Sundays or holidays.
Extra pay for being on-call, or subject to
call-back.
/ / Extra pay for work in hazardous conditions or
under unusual physical hardships. (Indicate
if hazara pay applies only to irregular or
intermittent hazards or hardships that have
not been considered in classification of the
position, or automatically applies to all
employees in certain occupations or
locations.)
/ / Extra pay for work at remote sites.
/ / Special Allowances:
/ / One-time recruitment bonus to employees in
hard-to-fill job categories.
/ / Extra pay allowance (one-time or continuous)
to retain experienced employees in critical
skills categories.
/ / Incentive payments to employees to learn a
language, or to improve or maintain language
skills. _
Incentive payments to get employees
interested in geographic reassignments.
(Within U.S. only, or also overseas? To any
location, or only to specific locations?
One-time lump-sum, or continuing addition to
compensation?)
/ / Extra pay for living and working in high cost
of living areas. (Which areas? How is it
calculated?)
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Travel and Moving:
f~ Reimbursement for travel in connection with
geographic relocation or training assignments.
f~/ Reimbursement for moving expenses.
/ / Reimbursement for house-hunting trips, for
lease-breaking", or for resi`~ent3al
e E transaction fees.
L/
Extra allowance for expense of relocating
employee to permanent residence at time of
retirement, or for relocating employee's
dependents to permanent~~residence at time of
death of employee in service.
Other kinds of adjustments, additions, supplements,
allowances, or stipends. (please describe.)
(NAPA has sufficient information on Question 10 from STATE.
NAPA needs information on this question from CIA, NSA, DIA,
the MILITARY INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, and FBI.)
DATA ON COSTS RELATING TO COMPENSATION
Question 11. Costs of Pay and Benefits: In gross terms, what are
the costs of compensation in the agency? Please
provide the following data:
What was the total amount spent on human
resources for the staff of the agency in the most
recently completed fiscal year -- embracing all
forms of compensation (basic pay, allowances,
supplements, additions, overseas allowances, plus
employee benefits paid by the agency), for all
employees (nonsupervisory, supervisory,
managerial, executives).
Has the amount spent on compensation been stable,
increasing, or decreasing during the last five
years? Does the amount of change in spending
correlate with changes in staffing levels during
the same period, or is the amount of change
disproportionate with changes in staffing?
Indicate the percent of the total personnel costs
that went into salaries and allowances, i.e., the
payroll of the agency. Has this percentage been
stable, increasing, or decreasing during the last
five years? What accounts for the changes, if
any?
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- Indicate the percent of the total personnel costs
that was spent on performance awards, bonuses, or
other incentive payments related to work
performance. Has this percentage been stable,
increasing, or decreasing, over the last five
years? What accounts for the changes, if any?
- Indicate the percent of total personnel costs
spent on extra day and allowances for employees
~, stationed abroad. Has this percentage been
stable, increasing, or decreasing over the last
five years? What accounts for the changes, if
any?
- Indicate the percent of total ,personnel costs
spent on basic employee benefits -- health
insurance, life insurance, and retirement. (If
possible, break this down further to distinguish
between health insurance spending, life insurance
spending, and retirement spending by the
agency.) Has this percentage been stable,
increasing, or decreasing over the last five
years? what accounts for the changes, if any?
(NAPA needs this data from CIA, NSA, and DIA only; not from
STATE, or the MILITEIRY INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, or FBI.j
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