Grading the Government Pay System

Grading the Government Pay System

Should the "General Schedule" pay scale for federal employees be scrapped, and if so, what would replace it?

The "General Schedule" pay system is ingrained into the culture of the Beltway, where legions of government employees identify themselves by their "G.S." levels. But after 60 years, the system needs an overhaul. We explore how the nation's largest employer should be paying its workforce.

Guests

John Palguta

VP for Policy, Partnership for Public Service. Formerly branch chief, Office of Personnel Management, and Director of Policy and Evaluation for the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board.

Bob Tobias

Director, Key Executive Leadership Programs at American University

Comments

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Mr Tobias referred to the NSPS pay pool process at "totally wrong." In the report it described the process as lacking transparency and unfair. I'm interested in his comments on two topics:

1. the transparency of the promotion and bonuses under the GS. Does that system not have the same problems?

2. Why should salary increase decisions be completely transparent...is it not a management responsibility?

Mon, 11/09/2009 - 1:40pm
The Kojo Nnamdi Show is produced by member-supported WAMU 88.5 in Washington DC.