This email provides information to employees who are participating in fire assignments about 2022 Earning Limits.

What You Need to Know

2022 waiver update for biweekly earning limits for fire assignments only:

• Employees can exceed the GS-15, step 10 (GS-15/10) earning limitation while participating in fire assignments for 2022.

2022 yearly earning limits still in effect for fire assignments: 

• Employees cannot exceed the basic pay of the Executive Schedule Level II, which is $203,700, while participating in fire assignments for 2022. 
• You will receive a bill for overpayment if you exceed $203,700 at the end of Pay Period 25. Bills will be sent in the spring of 2023. If you exceed the pay cap, you should hold onto the overpayment until you receive your bill in the spring of 2023. 

2022 biweekly earnings limits earned outside of fire assignments still in effect: 

• Employees who are not participating in fire assignments cannot exceed the basic pay of GS-15/10 (including locality adjustments or applicable special salary rate) or pay rate for Executive Schedule level V.

Important Notes: 

The wildland firefighter pay raise (additional $20,00 per year or 50% of base pay, whichever is less) is excluded from the premium pay earnings limitations for either the yearly earning limits of $203,700 or bi-weekly earning limits of GS-15/10.

Fair Labor Standard Act overtime pay and FLSA compensatory time off in-lieu of overtime pay are excluded from the definition of premium pay. Neither are subject to the annual limits on premium pay. However, other premium pay, such as Sunday, night differential, and holiday premium pay are included in the annual limitation on premium pay.

What You Need to Do

Review the information posted on the Office of Personnel Management’s website about the 2022 pay cap by locality area.

It is an employee’s responsibility to review their earnings & leave statements (each pay period. 

• E&L statements are accessible on the National Finance Center Employee Personal Page website. Please review your E&L statement each pay period to make sure you do not exceed the annual earnings limits.
• Once you reach or exceed the annual pay cap of $203,700, continue to code your timesheet with all hours worked, but do not use the “RSEL 4” feature in Paycheck8 to override the biweekly pay caps.

If you have any questions about this information provided, please contact the HRM Contact Center at 1-877-372-7248, press 2.

Help is available

Open an HR Help case:

1. Call: 1-877-372-7248, Press 2
2. Email: hrm_contact_center@usda.gov
3. Self-Service: ConnectHR > HR Help link

For detailed instructions, visit the HR Help How-to Add a Case Guide.