Sponsors (16)
The bill improves pay and pay parity for BOP employees (including wage‑grade staff) in remote locations, but increases federal payroll costs and imposes administrative complexity that could cause implementation delays or payroll errors.
Bureau of Prisons (BOP) employees working in remote duty stations will be eligible to be assigned to the nearest pay locality, increasing locality pay and raising take‑home pay for those staff.
Prevailing‑rate (wage‑grade) BOP employees are explicitly included, extending pay‑parity protections to wage‑grade staff who were previously excluded or uncertain.
Taxpayers could face increased federal payroll costs if many BOP staff become eligible for higher locality pay.
The Office of Personnel Management and payroll offices will incur additional administrative burden to determine nearest localities and distance calculations, creating risk of implementation delays and payroll errors that could affect federal employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows certain BOP employees in the "Rest of U.S." locality to receive locality pay based on the nearest established pay locality within 200 miles, taking the highest rate if multiple apply.
Introduced June 12, 2025 by Randy Weber · Last progress June 12, 2025
Amends federal pay rules to let certain Bureau of Prisons employees whose official worksite is assigned to the "Rest of U.S." locality be paid locality pay based on the nearest other established pay locality within 200 miles. If multiple localities fall within 200 miles, the employee receives the highest applicable comparability payment; if none are within 200 miles, the rule does not apply. The change also expressly includes prevailing rate employees and takes effect for pay periods starting on or after 180 days after enactment.