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Compensation and Benefits

Overview

Positions offered to honors attorneys are excepted service positions.  For more information regarding the excepted service, please visit www.opm.gov.  The permanent duty station for honors attorneys is Washington, DC. 

Salary

All honors attorneys are hired at the GS-11 or GS-12 pay grade, based on their prior experience, which includes the locality adjustment for the Washington, DC metro area. You may visit www.opm.gov for more information on the GS scale and to get the latest salary information.  All honors attorneys are eligible to receive a promotion to the next pay grade after one year. 

Benefits

Honors attorneys receive all standard benefits currently available to Federal employees, including:

  • Federal Employees Retirement System
  • Thrift Savings Plan
  • Transit Benefits
  • Annual and Sick Leave
  • Health/Vision/Dental Insurance
  • Special discounts offered to Federal employees

Permanent Employment within the Department

The Honors Attorney Program is critical to recruiting and developing the Department's next generation of leaders. Particular consideration is given to honors attorneys when vacancies in the Department’s legal offices become available. However, permanent employment is not guaranteed.  Honors attorneys may accept an offer from a legal office within the Department to begin permanent employment after completion of their sixth rotation.

Kyle Joseph moderating a panel at a DOT Conference
Honors attorney Kyle Joseph moderating a panel at a DOT conference.