Pay Philosophy: Performance-Oriented and Market-Based

• Historically

  • Pay ranges followed the GS schedule
  • Everyone could advance to the pay cap irrespective of their performance - not a matter of if, but when

• New Approach

  • Pay ranges set to be competitive with the labor markets in which GAO competes for talent
  • Everyone can advance to the pay cap - but they must have performance in excess of a certain level to advance beyond a certain point of the pay range (e.g., 75th percentile)
  • Pay ranges may overlap in upper part of band pay range to adequately reward expertise, leadership, and performance