Night Shift Differential for Prevailing Rate Employees

The U.S. Civil Service Commission requested a decision concerning the entitlement of prevailing rate employees to night differential pay. GAO held that: (1) payment of night differential was dependent upon whether half or more of the employees' regular scheduled hours fell between specified hours; (2) prevailing rate employees must work 5 hours of a scheduled 8-hour shift during the period covered by night differential to qualify for payment; and (3) meal breaks of 1 hour or less should be included for purposes of determining a prevailing rate employee's entitlement to night shift differential pay.