Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay

This executive order implements annual pay adjustments for federal employees, military personnel, and certain officials across all three branches of government, effective January 1, 2021 or the first applicable pay period thereafter. It supersedes the prior year's pay adjustment order (EO 13901) and delegates implementation authority to the OPM Director for locality-based comparability payments.

Federal Register Open PDF 86 FR 421

Impact dates

Date TBD
OPM Director to publish locality pay notice in Federal Register
Jan 1, 2021
Schedule 8 (uniformed services pay) effective
Jan 1, 2021
All other schedules effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2021
Jan 1, 2021
Executive Order 13901 superseded

Key directives

Set statutory pay system rates via attached Schedules 1-3
Set Senior Executive Service pay ranges via Schedule 4
Set Executive, Legislative, and Judicial salaries via Schedules 5-7
Set uniformed services monthly basic pay via Schedule 8
Implement locality-based comparability payments via Schedule 9
Set administrative law judge pay rates via Schedule 10
OPM Director to publish locality pay notice in Federal Register
Supersede Executive Order 13901 as of effective dates

Who is ordered

OPM Director · OPM

Timeline

Immediate

EO signed December 31, 2020
Schedule 8 (military pay) effective January 1, 2021

Near term (90d)

All other schedules effective first day of first applicable pay period on or after January 1, 2021
OPM Director to publish locality pay notice in Federal Register

Long term

Annual pay rates established for 2021
Supersedes prior pay order going forward

Risks & tensions

Timing uncertainty: 'first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2021' varies by agency pay cycle, creating staggered implementation
No specific deadline provided for OPM Federal Register publication—vague on timing
Routine annual adjustment; no policy disputes or structural reforms embedded