2 U.S.C. § 294 — Position standards and descriptions

Page 132 TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS §§ 293a to 293c sitions under the Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Inspec- tor General of the House of Representatives, the compensation for which, in the judgment of the committee, should be fixed and adjusted from time to time in accordance with prevailing rates, a compensation schedule providing for per annum or per hour rates, or both, established in accordance with prevailing rates and consisting of such number of compensation levels and steps as the committee deems appropriate, which shall be known as the ‘‘House Wage Schedule’’ and for which the symbol shall be ‘‘HWS’’. The rates of compensation for such positions shall be in accordance with such schedule. Notwith- standing any other provision of this chapter, for purposes of applying the adjustment made by the committee under this subsection for 2002 and each succeeding year (other than any period during which a memorandum of understanding described in section 2168(a) of this title is in ef- fect), positions under the Chief Administrative Officer shall include positions of the United States Capitol telephone exchange under the Chief Administrative Officer. (Pub. L. 88–652, § 4, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1079; Pub. L. 104–53, title I, § 108(2), Nov. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 522; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 209(1), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1743; Pub. L. 107–68, title III, § 310, Nov. 12, 2001, 115 Stat. 592; Pub. L. 108–447, div. G, title II, § 215(d), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 3198.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 88–652, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1079, known as the House Employees Position Classification Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 291 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 2004—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 108–447 in last sentence sub- stituted ‘‘succeeding year (other than any period dur- ing which a memorandum of understanding described in section 2168(a) of this title is in effect),’’ for ‘‘suc- ceeding year,’’. 2001—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–68 inserted at end ‘‘Not- withstanding any other provision of this chapter, for purposes of applying the adjustment made by the com- mittee under this subsection for 2002 and each suc- ceeding year, positions under the Chief Administrative Officer shall include positions of the United States Cap- itol telephone exchange under the Chief Administrative Officer.’’ 1996—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted ‘‘House Oversight’’ for ‘‘House Administration’’. 1995—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–53 substituted ‘‘Chief Administrative Officer, and the Inspector General’’ for ‘‘Doorkeeper, and the Postmaster,’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries CHANGE OF NAME Committee on House Oversight of House of Rep- resentatives changed to Committee on House Adminis- tration of House of Representatives by House Resolu- tion No. 5, One Hundred Sixth Congress, Jan. 6, 1999. EFFECTIVE DATE OF 2004 AMENDMENT Amendment by Pub. L. 108–447 applicable with re- spect to fiscal year 2005 and each succeeding fiscal year, see section 2168(f) of this title. EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Jan. 1, 1965, see section 17 of Pub. L. 88–652, set out as a note under section 291 of this title. INCREASES IN COMPENSATION Increases in compensation for House officers and em- ployees under authority of Federal Salary Act of 1967 (Pub. L. 90–206), Federal Pay Comparability Act of 1970 (Pub. L. 91–656), and Legislative Branch Appropriations Act, 1988 (Pub. L. 100–202), see sections 4531 and 4532 of this title, and Salary Directives of Speaker of the House, set out as notes under those sections. §§ 293a to 293c. Omitted Section 293a, Pub. L. 89–301, § 11(c), Oct. 29, 1965, 79 Stat. 1120, required compensation of employees of House of Representatives whose compensation is fixed under this chapter to be increased by amounts equal to increases provided by section 60e–12(a) of this title. Section 293b, Pub. L. 89–504, title III, § 302(c), July 18, 1966, 80 Stat. 295, required compensation of employees of House of Representatives whose compensation is fixed under this chapter to be increased by amounts equal to increases provided by section 60e–13(a) of this title. Section 293c, Pub. L. 90–206, title II, § 214(c), Dec. 16, 1967, 81 Stat. 636, required compensation of employees of House of Representatives whose compensation is fixed under this chapter to be increased by amounts equal to increases provided by section 60e–14(a) of this title. § 294. Position standards and descriptions (a)(1) It shall be the duty of the committee to prescribe, revise, and (on a current basis) main- tain position standards which shall apply to po- sitions (in existence on, or established after, January 1, 1965) under the House of Representa- tives to which this chapter applies. (2) The position standards shall— (A) provide for the separation of such posi- tions into appropriate classes for pay and per- sonnel purposes on the basis of reasonable similarity with respect to types of positions, qualification requirements of positions, and levels of difficulty and responsibility of work, and (B) govern the placement of such positions in their respective appropriate compensation levels of the appropriate compensation sched- ule. (b)(1) Subject to review and approval by the committee, the Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Inspector General of the House of Representatives, shall prepare, revise, and (on a current basis) main- tain, at such times and in such form as the com- mittee deems appropriate, position descriptions of the respective positions (in existence on, or established after, January 1, 1965) under the House of Representatives to which this chapter applies which are under their respective juris- dictions, including— (A) with respect to the Clerk, positions under the House Recording Studio, (B) with respect to the Sergeant at Arms, the position of minority pair clerk in the House, and (C) with respect to the Chief Administrative Officer, positions under the House Radio and Television Correspondents’ Gallery and the House Periodical Press Gallery. Page 133 TITLE 2—THE CONGRESS § 296 (2) The position descriptions shall— (A) describe in detail the actual duties, re- sponsibilities, and qualification requirements of the work of each of such positions, (B) provide a position title for such position which accurately reflects such duties and re- sponsibilities, and (C) govern the placement of such position in its appropriate class. (c) The Clerk, the Sergeant at Arms, the Chief Administrative Officer, and the Inspector Gen- eral of the House of Representatives, shall transmit to the committee, at such times and in such form as the committee deems appropriate, all position descriptions required by subsection (b) of this section to be prepared, provided, and currently maintained by them, together with such other pertinent information as the com- mittee may require, in order that the committee shall have, at all times, current information with respect to such position descriptions, the positions to which such descriptions apply, and related personnel matters within the purview of this chapter. Such information so transmitted shall be kept on file in the committee. (d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, the committee shall have author- ity, which may be exercised at any time in its discretion, to— (1) conduct surveys and studies of all organi- zation units, and the positions therein, to which this chapter applies; (2) ascertain on a current basis the facts with respect to the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements of any position to which this chapter applies; (3) prepare and revise the position descrip- tion of any such position; (4) place any such position in its appropriate class and compensation level; (5) decide whether any such position is in its appropriate class and compensation level; (6) change any such position from one class or compensation level to any other class or compensation level whenever the facts war- rant; and (7) prescribe such organization and position titles as may be appropriate to carry out the purposes of this chapter. All such actions of the committee shall be bind- ing on the House officer and organization unit concerned and shall be the basis for payment of compensation and for other personnel benefits and transactions until otherwise changed by the committee. (Pub. L. 88–652, § 5, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1080; Pub. L. 104–53, title I, § 108(3), (4), Nov. 19, 1995, 109 Stat. 522; Pub. L. 104–186, title II, § 209(2), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1743.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 88–652, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1079, known as the House Employees Position Classification Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 291 of this title and Tables. AMENDMENTS 1996—Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted ‘‘Chief Administrative Officer’’ for ‘‘Doorkeeper’’. 1995—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 104–53 substituted ‘‘Chief Administrative Officer, and the Inspector General’’ for ‘‘Doorkeeper, and the Postmaster’’. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 104–53 substituted ‘‘Chief Admin- istrative Officer, and the Inspector General’’ for ‘‘Door- keeper, and the Postmaster,’’. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Jan. 1, 1965, see section 17 of Pub. L. 88–652, set out as a note under section 291 of this title. TRANSFER OF FUNCTIONS Certain functions of Recording Studio and Officers of House of Representatives transferred to Director of Non-legislative and Financial Services by section 7 of House Resolution No. 423, One Hundred Second Con- gress, Apr. 9, 1992. Director of Non-legislative and Fi- nancial Services replaced by Chief Administrative Offi- cer of House of Representatives by House Resolution No. 6, One Hundred Fourth Congress, Jan. 4, 1995. § 295. Placement of positions in compensation schedules The committee shall place each position (in existence on, or established after, January 1, 1965) under the House of Representatives to which this chapter applies in its appropriate class, and in its appropriate compensation level of the appropriate compensation schedule, in ac- cordance with the position standards and posi- tion descriptions provided for in section 294 of this title. The committee is authorized, when circumstances so warrant, to change any such position from one class or compensation level to another class or compensation level. All actions of the committee under this section shall be binding on the House officer and organization unit concerned and shall be the basis for pay- ment of compensation and for other personnel benefits and transactions until otherwise changed by the committee. (Pub. L. 88–652, § 6, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1081.) Editorial Notes REFERENCES IN TEXT This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original ‘‘this Act’’, meaning Pub. L. 88–652, Oct. 13, 1964, 78 Stat. 1079, known as the House Employees Position Classification Act, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 291 of this title and Tables. Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries EFFECTIVE DATE Section effective Jan. 1, 1965, see section 17 of Pub. L. 88–652, set out as a note under section 291 of this title. § 296. Step increases; waiting periods; service in Armed Forces; automatic advancement (a) Each employee in a compensation level of the House Employees Schedule (HS), who has not attained the highest scheduled rate of com- pensation for the compensation level (HS level) in which his position is placed, shall be ad- vanced successively to the next higher step of such HS level, as follows: