ExecutiveOrdersEO
MemoMemorandumObama · D

Presidential Memorandum

Advancing Pay Equality in the Federal Government and Learning From Successful Practices

This memorandum directs the Office of Personnel Management to develop a government-wide strategy within 180 days to address gender pay gaps in the federal workforce, and requires all agencies to submit within 90 days detailed analyses of their pay-setting, promotion, and caregiver-related compensation policies. It focuses on transparency, merit system principles, and identifying best practices rather than mandating immediate pay changes.

Federal Register Open PDF 78 FR 28717

Impact dates

  1. OPM Director submits government-wide strategy to President

  2. Agencies submit pay and promotion policy analyses to OPM

Key directives

  • OPM Director to submit government-wide strategy to address gender pay gap within 180 days
  • Strategy must include General Schedule classification analysis, guidance on starting salary transparency, and recommendations for further actions
  • All agencies to provide OPM with information and analysis on pay-setting, promotion, and caregiver-related policies within 90 days
  • Agencies to report best practices for improving gender pay equality

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • Memorandum issued to agency heads

Near term (90d)

  • Agencies must submit pay and promotion policy analyses to OPM (90 days)
  • OPM to provide guidance to agencies on information requests

Long term

  • OPM Director must submit government-wide pay equality strategy to President (180 days)
  • Potential future administrative or legislative actions based on strategy recommendations

Risks & tensions

  • No enforcement mechanism or binding pay adjustments; effectiveness depends on voluntary agency compliance and subsequent action
  • Strategy recommendations may require legislation that faces uncertain congressional support
  • Classification system changes (General Schedule) could face bureaucratic and union resistance
  • Caregiver-focused provisions may raise tensions between equity goals and merit-based pay principles
  • Vague on metrics for measuring success or accountability
Presidential Memorandum: Advancing Pay Equality in the Federal Government and Learning From Successful Practices · Executive Orders