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EO 12944Executive OrderClinton · D Quiet signal

Executive Order 12944

Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay and Allowances

This executive order adjusts federal pay rates across multiple government pay systems effective January 1, 1995, including the General Schedule, Senior Executive Service, Executive Schedule, congressional and judicial salaries, uniformed services pay and allowances, and interim geographic adjustments for certain federal employees.

Federal Register Open PDF 60 FR 309

Impact dates

  1. uniformed services monthly basic pay and allowances for subsistence and quarters take effect

  2. first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after this date for all other schedules

Key directives

  • Set General Schedule basic pay rates (Schedule 1)
  • Set Foreign Service Schedule rates (Schedule 2)
  • Set Veterans Health Administration schedules (Schedule 3)
  • Set Senior Executive Service basic pay rates (Schedule 4)
  • Set Executive Schedule rates (Schedule 5)
  • Set Vice President and congressional pay rates (Schedule 6)
  • Set judicial salaries (Schedule 7)
  • Set uniformed services pay and allowances (Schedule 8)
  • Establish interim geographic adjustments for specified areas (Schedule 9)
  • OPM to prescribe regulations for geographic adjustments to General Schedule employees
  • Secretary of State to prescribe regulations for Foreign Service geographic adjustments
  • Secretary of Veterans Affairs to prescribe regulations for VHA geographic adjustments

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • EO signed December 28, 1994
  • supersedes prior executive orders 12826 and 12886

Near term (90d)

  • uniformed services pay and allowances effective January 1, 1995
  • other schedules effective first day of first applicable pay period on or after January 1, 1995
  • agency heads to prescribe regulations for geographic adjustments

Long term

  • ongoing application of new pay schedules until next adjustment

Risks & tensions

  • No explicit deadline specified for agency regulations on geographic adjustments; 'shall prescribe' obligation is open-ended
  • Interim geographic adjustments create administrative complexity across multiple agencies with need for regulatory consistency
  • Pay adjustments for Congress and senior officials may attract public scrutiny despite low procedural visibility
Executive Order 12944: Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay and Allowances · Executive Orders