Government / Regulation
OPM sets Nov. 25 deadline for agency input on expanded law-enforcement pay raises
The Nov. 6 memo outlines January increases and broader coverage, subject to pay caps and agency exclusions.
Status: source-checked.
The Office of Personnel Management is asking federal agencies to review expanded special-pay coverage for law enforcement employees ahead of January raises, with requests to opt out due Nov. 25, according to a memorandum issued Nov. 6.
OPM plans to increase its existing law enforcement special-rate tables by 3.8%. Those tables were established for about 140,000 employees in certain law enforcement positions in January 2026, the memo says. The new adjustment takes effect with the first applicable pay period beginning on or after Jan. 1, or Jan. 10 under the standard biweekly cycle.
Additional categories, including certain inspector general positions, would enter the special-rate system in January. OPM says newly covered employees generally would receive an increase of about 6.7%, reflecting both the new adjustment and an added amount intended to bring their pay into line with employees already covered. The coverage changes would not be retroactive.
The expanded categories include qualifying General Schedule law enforcement officers, police officers, criminal investigators and security administrators who regularly perform physical security and law enforcement duties and have arrest authority. The memo sets exclusions, including Veterans Affairs police officers whose pay adjustment will be handled separately under a different special-rate system.
Pay caps can limit the increases. OPM says employees at or near statutory limits may receive less than the stated percentages or no increase. The memo identifies $197,200 as the Executive Schedule level IV ceiling that applies to the General Schedule special rates.
Agencies do not have to respond unless they want an exclusion or have questions or comments. An opt-out request must be signed by an agency head or designee and sent to OPM by Nov. 25. Otherwise, the new coverage applies automatically under the memo’s instructions.
OPM is separately considering a 3.8% special-rate increase for Customs and Border Protection agricultural inspectors and certain firefighters. The memo does not announce approval for those groups; it says agency staffing data will be gathered to assess recruitment or retention needs.
The special-rate changes are distinct from the broader federal pay plan. According to the memo, the president’s August alternative plan leaves General Schedule and other statutory base-pay rates, as well as locality-pay percentages, at 2026 levels for 2027.
What we know / what we don't
What we know
- The Office of Personnel Management is asking federal agencies to review expanded special-pay coverage for law enforcement employees ahead of January raises, with requests to opt out due Nov. 25, according to a memorandum issued Nov. 6.
What we don't know
- Single official document; policy description attributed to OPM. No individual payroll or agency opt-out independently checked.
- August presidential alternative plan described from November memo; original August plan not separately reviewed.
The source record