Very specifically, I’m trying to write about which level (GS-xx) a speechwriter (officially a “Special Assistant”) for a Cabinet official in the early 1960s would be at, approximately. I don’t need precision, but if you know whether such a person would likely be a GS-9 or GS-13 or whatever, that would be great. Any information telling me if my guess (GS-10) is right will be appreciated
GS salaries were adjusted upward in 1962. Minimum salary for a GS-1 in 1962 was $3,185, to $18,500 for a GS-18. (See page 47 of the pdf) A GS-10 had a minimum salary of $6,995. Those were minimums, not maximums.
I strained my eyes to look at ppg 990-991 of the 1962 U.S. Budget. It looks like several of the President’s Special Assistants were paid $20,000-$21,000 per year. I tried to look up individual departments, but all I could figure out was once you get to GS-13 or so, you’re into Assistant/Associate Director territory.
IIRC, those used to be called “GS Oh My God!” paygrades. Then there’s the SES (Senior Executive Service) now, which came into being in 1979. Anyway, there’s another bit to the GS (General Schedule) grades: steps and locality pays. Like anything else involving the government, it gets complicated quickly.
Does the federal employment system still include the Wage Grade system? These were hourly, not salaried, federal civil employees that did “blue-collar-like” work (typically supervised by low-grade GS foreman-types)
Plus specialty rates. I was a mechanical engineer but since everyone that was working on the Space Station power system was considered an Electrical Engineer that became my job title. It paid an increase over the regular engineer rate through the lower steps but faded out by the time you were a GS-12.
I bet a special assistant would get regular rate + special rate increase and locality pay which would be high for DC.
Yes, WG positions are still used.
I honestly don’t know how much of the following would have been true in the early 1960s, but under current law:
A speech writer would fall under the Domestic Policy Staff section of the White House Office, which in turn falls under the Executive Office of the President. 3 U.S. Code § 107 sets the pay scales for Presidential staff.
A speechwriter would not have a GS rating. GS personnel are civil servants, protected by the Civil Service Act. Speechwriters, Special Assistants, and the like are the President’s personal staff, and are political appointees that serve at the pleasure of the President. That means they fall outside of the GS system - and not incidentally are largely exempt from Congressional oversight. However, they are paid at a GS equivalent.
The Domestic Policy Staff of the White House Office is authorized six positions at a level of pay not to exceed the base pay for Level III of the Executive Schedule (which is off the GS scale; it’s the pay for positions two levels below Cabinet Secretaries, who receive Level I pay); 18 staff at a level of pay not to exceed the base pay for GS-18; and “such number of other employees as [the President] may determine to be appropriate” at a level of pay not to exceed the base pay for GS-16. The President is also authorized to pay “experts and consultants” on an “intermittent or temporary” basis daily pay not to exceed the base daily pay of Level III.
A speech writer is probably not in one of the top two categories, so probably GS-16 equivalent pay at best. But that’s the maximum authorized, and the President has to pay everyone’s salaries out of a fixed budget, so a lot of staffers earn less than the theoretical maximum.
GS-10 equivalent pay for a junior speech writer is certainly plausible, but it could be as high as Level III pay, depending on the whim of the President.
https://www.federalpay.org/articles/civilian-to-military-rank
Sorry for the wall of text. Just wanted to share what l know from what my Dad told me.
Don’t know about other agencies, but my Dad was in supply and had to move to Japan for almost 4 years in 1960 to get a promotion from GS-10 to GS-11. Then despite being promised a promotion to GS-12 several times, he got passed over every time. In the early 70’s, he was offered a promotion if he moved to Japan again, but it was poo-pooed at the last minute. He took early retirement shortly after because a a big RIF (Reduction In Force) that would have been demoted in rank, but keep his pay. Meaning he would probably never be a GS-12.
AFAIK and according to the link I gave, GS only goes up to GS15, which my Dad said was very rare. The highest ranking civilian, his manager was GS13 who was replaced by an full Army Colonel. Moving (for others) from GS11-to GS12 was fairly quick. But my Dad was in civil service for 25+ years, but was stuck for over a decade at GS11 despite promises.
He said moving from GS12 to GS13 was rare, especially in the 70’s when he said that the move was towards having upper management being shifted to military personnel. .
Engineers in NASA are GS-13s after the required time with positive performance reviews. Took me 17 years to get there after being a fresh-out although I was fast tracked at first due to my technical experience. Scientists (engineers or physicists with doctorates) can be GS-14 without being management but most GS-14s were lower lever managers like a deputy branch chief. Lower division level managers were GS-15 and I think the Division Chief went into the Executive Service. EDIT That might have been Directorate Chiefs that were Executive Service.