Title 38Veterans' BenefitsRelease 119-73

§7454 Physician assistants and other health care professionals: additional pay

Title 38 › Part PART V— - BOARDS, ADMINISTRATIONS, AND SERVICES › Chapter CHAPTER 74— - VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION—PERSONNEL › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - PAY FOR NURSES AND OTHER HEALTH-CARE PERSONNEL › § 7454

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Physician assistants and expanded-function dental helpers must get extra pay the same way nurses do under section 7453. When the Secretary decides it is needed to hire or keep people in the jobs listed in section 7401(3), the Secretary may pay other health workers extra, either nationwide or in specific areas. Those health workers get extra pay the same way nurses get it under section 7453(c). Employees hired under section 7408 who work any part of a work period that falls between midnight Friday and midnight Sunday must receive additional pay equal to 25 percent of their hourly basic pay for each hour worked in that period, on top of their regular pay. The Secretary must create rules that explain how these payments and standards will work.

Full Legal Text

Title 38, §7454

Veterans' Benefits — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Physician assistants and expanded-function dental auxiliaries shall be entitled to additional pay on the same basis as provided for nurses in section 7453 of this title.
(b)(1)When the Secretary determines it to be necessary in order to obtain or retain the services of individuals in positions listed in section 7401(3) of this title, the Secretary may, on a nationwide, local, or other geographic basis, pay persons employed in such positions additional pay on the same basis as provided for nurses in section 7453 of this title.
(2)Health care professionals employed in positions referred to in paragraph (1) shall be entitled to additional pay on the same basis as provided for nurses in section 7453(c) of this title.
(3)Employees appointed under section 7408 of this title performing service on a tour of duty, any part of which is within the period commencing at midnight Friday and ending at midnight Sunday, shall receive additional pay in addition to the rate of basic pay provided such employees for each hour of service on such tour at a rate equal to 25 percent of such employee’s hourly rate of basic pay.
(c)The Secretary shall prescribe by regulation standards for compensation and payment under this section.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

Provisions similar to those in this section were contained in section 4107(f) of this title prior to the repeal of that section as part of the complete revision of chapter 73 of this title by Pub. L. 102–40.

Amendments

2010—Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 111–163 amended par. (3) generally. Prior to amendment, par. (3) read as follows: “Employees appointed under section 7408 of this title shall be entitled to additional pay on the same basis as provided for nurses in section 7453(c) of this title.” 2003—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 108–170, § 301(d), substituted “individuals in positions listed in section 7401(3) of this title,” for “certified or registered respiratory therapists, licensed physical therapists, licensed practical or vocational nurses, pharmacists, or occupational therapists,”. Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 108–170, § 303(a), added par. (3). 2002—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–135 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2003 Amendment Pub. L. 108–170, title III, § 303(b), Dec. 6, 2003, 117 Stat. 2058, provided that: “The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall take effect with respect to the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2004.”

Effective Date

of 2002 Amendment Pub. L. 107–135, title I, § 121(b), Jan. 23, 2002, 115 Stat. 2450, provided that: “The

Amendments

made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply with respect to pay periods beginning on or after the date of the enactment of this Act [Jan. 23, 2002].”

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

38 U.S.C. § 7454

Title 38Veterans' Benefits

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73