HRM: 2024 maximum pay limits for employees on fire assignment
Below is information about the 2024 maximum pay earnings limitation for employees who participate in fire assignments.
Biweekly earnings limit: You may exceed the GS-15, step 10 biweekly earnings limitation when on fire assignment. This does not apply when working overtime for other situations.
Yearly earnings limit: You may not exceed the basic pay of Executive Schedule Level II, which is $221,900 annually. If you exceed $221,900 at the end of pay period 24, which is the last pay period of tax year 2024, you will receive a bill for overpayment. Bills are expected to be sent in late spring 2025.
Items Included in the Pay Earnings Limitation
Other premium pay, such as Sunday, night differential and holiday premium pay.
Items Excluded from the Pay Earnings Limitation
Wildland firefighter supplemental pay (an additional $20,000 per year or 50% of your base pay, whichever is less).
Fair Labor Standards Act overtime pay and FLSA compensatory time off in lieu of overtime pay.
What You Need to Do
It is every employee’s responsibility to review their earnings & leave statements each pay period. Review your statements on the Employee Personal Page to make sure you don't exceed the annual earnings limit.
Once you reach or exceed the annual pay cap of $221,900, 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 are in an exempt position.
Review the information on the Office of Personnel Management’s website about the 2024 pay cap by locality area and premium pay.
Help is available
Open an HR Help case:
Call: 1-877-372-7248, option 2
Email: hrm_contact_center@usda.gov
Self-Service: ConnectHR, then select HR Help. For detailed instructions, visit the self-service portal user guide