---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 5346"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "5346"
heading: "Job grading system"
release: "119-102"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/5346"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart D — Pay and Allowances"
  - "Chapter 53 — Pay Rates and Systems"
  - "Subchapter IV — Prevailing Rate Systems"
---

# §5346. Job grading system

- (a) The Office of Personnel Management, after consulting with the [agencies](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) and with [employee](/usc/5/5361.md?p=1) organizations, shall establish and maintain a job grading system for [positions](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) to which this subchapter applies. In carrying out this subsection, the Office shall—
  - (1) establish the basic occupational alinement and grade structure or structures for the job grading system;
  - (2) establish and define individual occupations and the boundaries of each occupation;
  - (3) establish job titles within occupations;
  - (4) develop and publish job grading standards; and
  - (5) provide a method to assure consistency in the application of job standards.
- (b) The Office, from time to time, shall review such numbers of [positions](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) in each [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) as will enable the Office to determine whether the [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) is placing [positions](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) in occupations and grades in conformance with or consistently with published job standards. When the Office finds that a [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) is not placed in its proper occupation and grade in conformance with published standards or that a [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) for which there is no published standard is not placed in the occupation and grade consistently with published standards, it shall, after consultation with appropriate officials of the [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) concerned, place the [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) in its appropriate occupation and grade and shall certify this action to the [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1). The [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) shall act in accordance with the certificate, and the certificate is binding on all administrative, certifying, payroll, disbursing, and accounting officials.
- (c) On application, made in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Office, by a [prevailing rate employee](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-2) for the review of the action of an employing [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) in placing his [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) in an occupation and grade for pay purposes, the Office shall—
  - (1) ascertain currently the facts as to the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements of the [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3);
  - (2) decide whether the [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) has been placed in the proper occupation and grade; and
  - (3) approve, disapprove, or modify, in accordance with its decision, the action of the employing [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) in placing the [position](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-3) in an occupation and grade.

  The Office shall certify to the [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) concerned its action under paragraph (3) of this subsection. The [agency](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-1) shall act in accordance with the certificate, and the certificate is binding on all administrative, certifying, payroll, disbursing, and accounting officials.


## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 90–206, title II, § 223(a), Dec. 16, 1967, 81 Stat. 641, § 5345; renumbered § 5346 and amended Pub. L. 92–392, § 1(a), Aug. 19, 1972, 86 Stat. 570; Pub. L. 95–454, title IX, § 906(a)(2), (3), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1224.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1978—Subsecs. (a) to (c). Pub. L. 95–454 substituted “Office of Personnel Management” and “Office” for “Civil Service Commission” and “Commission”, respectively, wherever appearing.

1972—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 92–392 added subsecs. (a) and (b).

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 92–392 designated existing provisions as subsec. (c) and substituted in introductory text “Commission”, “a prevailing rate of employee” and “in placing his position in an occupation and grade” for “Civil Service Commission”, “an employee subject to section 5341(a) of this title” and “in classifying his position”, respectively, in par. (2) “placed in the proper occupation and grade” for “properly classified”, in par. (3) “in placing the position in an occupation and grade” for “in classifying the position” and in last sentence “subsection” for “section”.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

### Effective Date of 1972 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 92–392 effective on first day of first applicable pay period beginning on or after 90th day after Aug. 19, 1972, see section 15(a) of Pub. L. 92–392, set out as an Effective Date note under section 5341 of this title.