Fed IT job classification imminent

The Office of Personnel Management is putting the finishing touches on a new job family created specifically for federal information technology workers.

The single GS-2200 job family will replace the computer specialist (GS-334) position when it debuts within days. An OPM spokeswoman said Wednesday that the agency intends to have the classification project completed by the end of May. When it is ready for official release, it will appear on the OPM Web site, she said.

IT workers in other positions, such as telecommunications specialists (GS-391) and computer engineers (GS-854), potentially could be reclassified under the new GS-2200 family if they are performing work where "the paramount requirement is IT," OPM officials said earlier this year.

The 33,000 IT workers who received OPM's special IT salary rates, which went into effect in January, will continue to receive them when the workers are moved to the GS-2200 family.

Observers say having one IT series should make pay more equitable among people who are doing similar jobs and should give agencies a better picture of the IT workforce, such as how many information security employees there are.