---
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"
date: "2026-07-12"
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](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management, after consulting with the [agencies](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) and with [employee organizations](/usc/5/8901.md?p=8), shall establish and maintain a job grading [system](/usc/5/8401.md?p=29) for [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) to which this subchapter applies. In carrying out this subsection, the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall—
  - (1) establish the basic occupational alinement and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) structure or structures for the job grading [system](/usc/5/8401.md?p=29);
  - (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](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3), from time to time, shall review such numbers of [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in each [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) as will enable the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) to determine whether the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) is placing [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in occupations and [grades](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) in conformance with or consistently with published job standards. When the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) finds that a [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) is not placed in its proper occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) in conformance with published standards or that a [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) for which there is no published standard is not placed in the occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) consistently with published standards, it shall, after consultation with appropriate officials of the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) concerned, place the [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in its appropriate occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) and shall certify this action to the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1). The [agency](/usc/5/3132.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](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3), by a [prevailing rate employee](/usc/5/5342.md?p=a-2) for the review of the action of an employing [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) in placing his [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in an occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5) for [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) purposes, the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall—
  - (1) ascertain currently the facts as to the duties, responsibilities, and qualification requirements of the [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3);
  - (2) decide whether the [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) has been placed in the proper occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5); and
  - (3) approve, disapprove, or modify, in accordance with its decision, the action of the employing [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) in placing the [position](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) in an occupation and [grade](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-5).

  The [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) shall certify to the [agency](/usc/5/3132.md?p=a-1) concerned its action under paragraph (3) of this subsection. The [agency](/usc/5/3132.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.