ExecutiveOrdersEO
EO 13033Executive OrderClinton · D

Executive Order 13033

Executive Order 13033 of December 27, 1996

This executive order adjusts federal pay rates for civilian employees, senior executives, political officeholders, judges, and uniformed service members for 1997. It implements congressionally authorized pay adjustments through updated schedules and specifies effective dates for military pay (January 1, 1997) and other federal pay systems (first pay period on or after January 1, 1997).

Federal Register Open PDF 61 FR 68987

Impact dates

  1. OPM Director to publish locality pay notice in Federal Register

  2. Schedule 8 (uniformed services pay and allowances) effective

  3. Other schedules effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after this date

Key directives

  • Set adjusted rates for General Schedule, Foreign Service Schedule, and VA schedules (Sec. 1)
  • Set Senior Executive Service basic pay rates (Sec. 2)
  • Set Executive Schedule, Vice President/Congress, and judicial salaries—note these remain unchanged (Sec. 3)
  • Set military basic pay, subsistence and quarters allowances, and cadet/midshipman pay (Sec. 4)
  • Implement locality-based comparability payments per attached Schedule 9 (Sec. 5)
  • OPM Director to implement payments and publish Federal Register notice (Sec. 5(b))

Who is ordered

Timeline

Immediate

  • EO signed December 27, 1996
  • supersedes prior executive orders 12984 and 12990

Near term (90d)

  • Schedule 8 (military pay) effective January 1, 1997
  • other schedules effective first pay period on or after January 1, 1997 (typically early January 1997)
  • OPM to publish locality pay notice in Federal Register

Long term

  • establishes baseline pay rates for 1997 affecting future comparability calculations and retirement benefits

Risks & tensions

  • Judicial and political salaries 'remain unchanged' due to statutory freeze—may create tension with inflation affecting real compensation
  • Vague deadline for OPM Federal Register notice: 'shall take such actions as may be necessary' without specific date
  • Locality pay implementation depends on OPM administrative action with unclear urgency
Executive Order 13033: Executive Order 13033 of December 27, 1996 · Executive Orders