I'm currently a vested 10+ year federal government attorney at the equivalent of a GS-15 salary. If selected to be an ALJ, does OPM consider your previous vested federal government salary or do you automatically start at the bottom of the pay range? Also, once starting, how are pay raises determined? Is there a formula based more or less on time like the GS scale? Thanks in advance.
You start at the bottom. Well, technically you could be found to have experience that would allow you to be hired at a classification not at the bottom. Good luck, I have never seen this but maybe someone has.
If you can read it the following lays out the schedule. ALJ 3 are the line judges, i.e. non regional chief and chief. Each site lists the pay in the order of locality pay set forth below.
Pay raises: the first three years you get a step increase every year. Example: you start at AL 3A and one year later go to AL 3B. After you 3D increase you have to wait two years for 3E and two years for 3F. 7 years from hiring to top of scale.
Locality
AL_3/A
AL_3/B
AL_3/C
AL_3/D
AL_3/E
AL_3/F
AL_2
AL_1
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Gainesville, GA-AL
112529
120989
129797
138373
147064
154600
154600
154600
Boston-Worcester-Manchester, MA-NH-ME-RI
117462
126293
135486
144438
153511
154600
154600
154600
Buffalo-Niagara-Cattaraugus, NY
110840
119173
127848
136295
144856
153189
154600
154600
Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI
118258
127149
136405
145417
154552
154600
154600
154600
Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, OH-KY-IN
113976
122545
131466
140152
148955
154600
154600
154600
Cleveland-Akron-Elyria, OH
112597
121062
129875
138456
147153
154600
154600
154600
Columbus-Marion-Chillicothe, OH
111665
120060
128800
137310
145935
154330
154600
154600
Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
113937
122503
131421
140104
148904
154600
154600
154600
Dayton-Springfield-Greenville, OH
110956
119298
127982
136438
145009
153350
154600
154600
Denver-Aurora-Boulder, CO
116539
125301
134422
143304
152305
154600
154600
154600
Detroit-Warren-Flint, MI
118006
126877
136114
145107
154222
154600
154600
154600
Hartford-West Hartford-Willimantic, CT-MA
118889
127827
137133
146193
154600
154600
154600
154600
Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, TX
122977
132223
141848
151220
154600
154600
154600
154600
Huntsville-Decatur, AL
110306
118598
127232
135638
144158
152451
154600
154600
Indianapolis-Anderson-Columbus, IN
109723
117972
126560
134922
143397
151646
154600
154600
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, CA
120433
129487
138914
148092
154600
154600
154600
154600
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL
114869
123505
132496
141250
150123
154600
154600
154600
Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI
112189
120624
129405
137955
146620
154600
154600
154600
Minneapolis-St. Paul-St. Cloud, MN-WI
114743
123369
132350
141095
149958
154600
154600
154600
New York-Newark-Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA
120957
130051
139518
148737
154600
154600
154600
154600
Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, PA-NJ-DE-MD
115403
124079
133112
141907
150821
154600
154600
154600
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ
109937
118202
126806
135185
143676
151941
154600
154600
Pittsburgh-New Castle, PA
110849
119183
127859
136307
144869
153203
154600
154600
Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA
114219
122806
131746
140450
149272
154600
154600
154600
Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC
112811
121292
130122
138719
147432
154600
154600
154600
Richmond, VA
111092
119444
128139
136606
145186
153538
154600
154600
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Truckee, CA-NV
115539
124226
133269
142074
150998
154600
154600
154600
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA
116850
125635
134781
143686
152711
154600
154600
154600
San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA
126550
136065
145970
154600
154600
154600
154600
154600
Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia, WA
115141
123798
132810
141585
150478
154600
154600
154600
Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia, DC-MD-PA-VA-WV
115151
123808
132821
141596
150491
154600
154600
154600
Rest of U.S.
109373
117596
126157
134492
142940
151163
154600
154600
ALJ Base Pay Rates - 2007
AL-3/A
97100
AL-3/B
104400
AL-3/C
112000
AL-3/D
119400
AL-3/E
126900
AL-3/F
134200
AL-2
141900
AL-1
145400
