Sponsors (6)
The bill extends overtime eligibility to mid‑ and senior‑grade federal employees—boosting pay and equity for those workers—at the cost of higher payroll expenses and administrative adjustments for agencies.
GS‑12 through GS‑15 federal employees (including Border Patrol and other law‑enforcement personnel) will become eligible for overtime pay under 5 U.S.C. §5550(h)(1), increasing their pay for covered overtime and reducing pay disparities across grade levels.
Taxpayers and federal agencies will face higher federal payroll costs as more employees become eligible for overtime, potentially increasing government spending or requiring budget reallocations.
Federal agencies will need to adjust scheduling, staffing, payroll systems, and budgets to implement the expanded overtime eligibility, creating short‑term administrative burdens and possible operational disruption.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Expands the grade range in 5 U.S.C. 5550(h) so the pay provision applies to positions from GS-12 through GS-15 instead of only GS-12.
Official title: To expand eligibility for special overtime pay to U.S. Border Patrol agents classified above grade GS-12.
Introduced May 21, 2026 by Garland H. Barr · Last progress May 21, 2026
This bill expands an existing federal pay rule so that the overtime/retention pay provision for certain law-enforcement positions now covers employees in grades GS-12 through GS-15 instead of only GS-12. The change brings mid- and senior-level Border Patrol/other covered federal law-enforcement supervisors into the eligibility range for the specified pay provision, potentially increasing pay/retention options for those positions.