COMDTINST 12531.11B — Environmental Differential Pay Under The Federal Wage System (fws)

COMDTINST 12531.11B governs environmental differential pay for Coast Guard Federal Wage System employees exposed to hazards and hardships.

Search COMDTINST 12531.11B

  • Publication number: COMDTINST 12531.11B
  • Title: ENVIRONMENTAL DIFFERENTIAL PAY UNDER THE FEDERAL WAGE SYSTEM (FWS)
  • Date: 7/2/2024
  • Proponent: CG-1C2

View COMDTINST 12531.11B on armypubs.army.mil


It defines environmental differential pay and identifies authorized categories involving hazards, physical hardships, and unusual working conditions. It establishes payment calculations, treatment during leave and other pay types, and procedures for requesting additions to the schedule of differentials.

Applies to: This Instruction applies to any Coast Guard FWS civilian personnel requesting environmental differentials payments for exposure to various degrees of hazards, physical hardships, working conditions of an unusual nature per References (a) through (d).

Topics covered

  • Environmental differential pay
  • Federal Wage System employees
  • Hazard and physical hardship categories
  • Actual exposure payments
  • Hours in pay status
  • Differential payment computation
  • Paid leave treatment
  • Additions to the schedule of differentials

Questions and answers

What is environmental differential pay?

Environmental Differential Pay: Additional pay authorized as specified in Reference (b) or a category of situations involving exposure to a hazard, a physical hardship, or working conditions of unusually severe nature.

What qualifies as an unusually severe hazard for environmental differential pay?

Unusually Severe Hazard: A hazard that could result in significant injury, illness, or death when the hazard is not practically eliminated.

How is environmental differential pay handled when an employee faces multiple hazards at the same time?

An employee subjected, at the same time, to more than one hazard, physical hardship, or working condition of an usually severe nature shall be paid for that exposure which results in the highest differential but shall not be paid more than one differential for the same hours of work.

How is the amount of environmental differential pay calculated?

In accordance with Reference (a), the amount of differential payable shall be determined by multiplying the percentage rate authorized in Reference (b) for the category in which the working condition or hazard falls, multiplied by the rate for the WG-10, step 2, taken from the current regular nonsupervisory wage schedule applicable to the area in which the employee has an official duty station.

What is the minimum environmental differential payment for actual exposure?

When an employee is entitled to an environmental differential which is paid on an actual exposure basis, a minimum of one hour differential pay is paid for the exposure.

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