Title 5 › PART III — EMPLOYEES › Subpart D — Pay and Allowances › CHAPTER 53 — PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS › SUBCHAPTER I — PAY COMPARABILITY SYSTEM › § 5302
Defines the main words used in this part. A statutory pay system covers pay under subchapter III (the General Schedule), section 403 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (Foreign Service), or chapter 74 of title 38 (Veterans Health Administration), but not positions under section 7451 of title 38. ECI means the Employment Cost Index (wages and salaries, private industry workers) published quarterly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The base quarter is the three months ending September 30 of that year. Pay agent means the agent the President names under section 5304(d)(1). Locality or pay locality means any area set or changed under section 5304. Pay disparity means how much General Schedule pay is lower than local non‑Federal pay, shown as a single percentage that would make aggregate pay roughly equal. Comparability payment means a payment under section 5304. Rates of pay under the General Schedule are the basic GS pay set by section 5332, excluding section 5304 pay and any other extra pay. A General Schedule position is any job covered by subchapter III.
Full Legal Text
Government Organization and Employees, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
Legislative History
Reference
Citation
5 U.S.C. § 5302
Title 5, Government Organization and Employees
Last Updated
Aug 21, 2026
Release point: 119-102