Frequently Asked Questions about Pay and Benefits

Pay and Benefits FAQs

1. What is the National Archives' pay system?
2. If selected for a job at the National Archives, how will my pay be set within the annual salary range shown in the job announcement? Is salary negotiable within this range?
3. Is it possible to be hired at a grade level that is higher than the one advertised in the job announcement?
4. What benefits are available to me as a National Archives Employee?
5. I am a current employee at another Federal agency. If selected for a job at the National Archives, will my benefits transfer?

1. What is the National Archives' pay system?
   Each job announcement specifies the pay system and salary range for the position being advertised. Most of our staff are paid according to the standard Federal General Schedule (GS) pay system. Staff who occupy positions involving trade, craft, and manual labor are paid according to the Federal Wage System. Our executives are paid according to the Federal Senior Executive Service (SES) pay scale.
   
   
2. If selected for a job at the National Archives, how will my pay be set within the annual salary range shown in the job announcement? Is salary negotiable within this range?
   Federal salaries are not negotiable in the same manner as private sector salaries; there are a number of rules and regulations that prescribe how Federal salaries may be set, and agencies must comply with these directives. If you have never worked for the Federal Government before, your pay most likely will be set at the lowest end of the advertised salary range (Step 1). However, if the hiring organization determines that you possess "superior qualifications" for the position, the organization may request that your pay be set at a higher rate. If you are a current or former employee of another Federal agency and you are transferring to the National Archives at the same grade level, your pay will usually remain the same; if you are transferring into a higher graded position, we will assign your pay in accordance with standard Federal pay regulations.
   
   
3. Is it possible to be hired at a grade level that is higher than the one advertised in the job announcement?
   No. Prior to advertising the job, the hiring organization determines the grade-level at which the position is needed, and that is the only grade-level at which the position can be filled.
   
   
4. What benefits are available to me as a National Archives Employee?
   We offer a comprehensive Federal benefits package.
   Learn More about the Benefits of Working Here
   
   
5. I am a current employee at another Federal agency. If selected for a job at the National Archives, will my benefits transfer?
   It depends on the type of benefit. Certain benefits are available to all Federal employees and will transfer with you from agency to agency, including to the National Archives. These benefits are:
   • health insurance
   • life insurance
   • retirement benefits/thrift savings plan allocations
   • sick and annual leave
   • long-term care insurance
   • flexible spending accounts
   Certain other benefits (e.g., transit subsidy, Alternative Work Schedules, and Telecommuting) are unique to particular agencies and may or may not be the same at the National Archives. These benefits do not automatically transfer — as a new National Archives employee, you will have to apply for these types of benefits when you report to work here.