{"data":{"id":"us/5-cfr-534.504","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"5 CFR 534.504","heading":"Pay range.","body":"(a) A rate of basic pay under this subpart must be—\n(1) Not less than 120 percent of the minimum rate of basic pay payable for GS-15 of the General Schedule, and\n(2) Not greater than—\n(i) The rate of basic pay payable for level III of the Executive Schedule (EX-III), or\n(ii) In the case of an SL or ST employee who is covered by a certified performance appraisal system or whose established rate of basic pay is preserved under § 534.509, the rate of basic pay payable for level II of the Executive Schedule (EX-II).\n(b) An agency may not set or adjust the rate of basic pay for an SL or ST employee higher than the maximum in—\n(1) Paragraph (a)(2)(i) of this section (i.e., EX-III) when the SL or ST employee is covered by a performance appraisal system that is not certified or when the SL or ST employee is not subject to a performance appraisal system, except as provided in § 534.509; or\n(2) Paragraph (a)(2)(ii) of this section (i.e., EX-II) when the SL or ST employee is covered by a certified performance appraisal system.","path":["Title 5—Administrative Personnel","CHAPTER I—OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT","SUBCHAPTER B—CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS","PART 534—PAY UNDER OTHER SYSTEMS","Subpart E—Pay for Senior-Level and Scientific or Professional Positions"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-5.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:23:53Z","sha256":"bd602ddff1f4dc053671bc3b9b21d38365cb05c22890a449e6523190d52fb989","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/5-cfr-534.503","next":"us/5-cfr-534.505"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}