Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.),
Chapter 51, governs the classification of General Schedule (GS) positions in the
Federal service. Title 5
U.S.C., Section 5102(c)(7), exempts from coverage under the GS system those
"employees in recognized trades or crafts, or other skilled mechanical crafts, or in
unskilled, semi-skilled, or skilled manual-labor occupations, and other employees
including foremen and supervisors in positions having trade, craft, or laboring experience
and knowledge as the paramount requirement." These positions are covered by the
Federal Wage System. All positions shall be classified based upon duties and
responsibilities assigned and qualifications required to do the work. Federal agencies
bear responsibility for carrying out the Federal position classification system, in
accordance with the principles established by the law.
The classification system plays an integral role in position management and organizational
design. DOI supervisors and managers who direct the work of an organizational unit are
responsible and accountable for organizing work in an efficient, effective manner, and for
optimizing resources to carry out the missions of their organization. Once they structure
their organizations and assign work to positions, the classification system facilitates
placing the positions into the proper pay plans, titles, series, and grades.
This section overview provides basic information on two fundamental appropriated fund
classification systems. It does not provide information on positions covered under the
Senior Executive, Senior Level, or Scientific and Technical Systems.
- General Schedule (GS) System. This system
covers white collar work. Under the GS system, individual positions are classified to an
occupational group, a series representing a specific occupation within that group, and an
appropriate grade which has a salary range provided by law.
- Federal Wage System (FWS). This system covers
blue collar work. Under the FWS, individual positions are also classified to an
occupational group, a series representing a specific occupation within that group, and an
appropriate grade. However, the salary ranges are based on prevailing rates--the rates
paid by private employers for similar work in the wage area. These rates are established
through periodic geographic wage surveys.
The law (Title 5 U.S.C.) directs the
Office of Personnel Management
(OPM), after consulting with Federal agencies, to prepare
classification
standards for agency use in classifying jobs. The Handbook of Occupational Groups and
Series (for GS) and the Job Grading System for Trade and Labor Occupations (for FWS)
defines each occupational group and series established by the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM). Position classification standards, issued by OPM, provide guidance and
criteria for determining the proper classification for positions in specific occupations.
These guides and standards are available for review in servicing personnel
offices/human resource offices in printed copy, on CD ROM, and on the OPM Classification web site. The
classification of GS and FWS positions mean determining the position title, pay plan,
series, and grade by comparing duties and facts about the job with the appropriate OPM
classification standard. OPM writes standards in different formats, depending upon the
type of work covered. Regardless of the format or pay system, standards cover primary
characteristics that are common to all kinds of work. |
