Executive Order 13856: Adjustments of Certain Rates of Pay
President: Donald J. Trump
Set statutory and executive pay schedules for 2019, including the General Schedule, senior executives, judges and uniformed services. The attached schedules, rather than a general raise for every worker, govern the amounts.
Status: Superseded. Is Executive Order 13856 still in effect? No. Executive Order 13866 of March 28, 2019 superseded Executive Order 13856’s pay rates with a retroactive 2019 adjustment. OPM expressly documented that supersession in its June 17, 2019 pay-schedules notice. See OPM January 2019 Pay Schedules notice (opens in a new tab).
What does Executive Order 13856 do?
EO 13856 set 2019 federal pay adjustments under existing statutory pay systems and delegated related administration to agency officials.
Later evidence reviewed September 24, 2026: EO 13866 replaced the earlier pay schedules retroactively for 2019; OPM explicitly documented the supersession. The replacement concerned pay rates, not every unrelated civil-service rule. OPM 2019 pay schedules notice.
Before and after
Before the order
Federal pay schedules followed the prior annual adjustment under statutory pay systems.
After the order
EO 13866 replaced the earlier pay schedules retroactively for 2019; OPM explicitly documented the supersession. The replacement concerned pay rates, not every unrelated civil-service rule.
Who had to do what
| Agency / official | What the signed order directed | Deadline / timing |
|---|---|---|
| OPM Director | Implement the specified locality-based comparability payments and publish notice of those payments in the Federal Register. | Payments apply from the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2019; no separate notice deadline. |
Source: Signed Federal Register text.
What happened next
EO 13856 signed; its Federal Register publication followed.
EO 13866 replaced the earlier pay schedules retroactively for 2019; OPM explicitly documented the supersession. The replacement concerned pay rates, not every unrelated civil-service rule.
Legal and source detail
How it works legally
The Federal Register record identifies EO 13856, its title and signing date. EO 13866 replaced the earlier pay schedules retroactively for 2019; OPM explicitly documented the supersession. The replacement concerned pay rates, not every unrelated civil-service rule. The linked source supports this particular later event; it does not establish every present legal or operational effect.
Sources by type
If a source is unavailable, first check the cited publisher or another official repository. The cited publisher remains the authority.
Primary and official sources
Orders, laws, court records and official implementation material.
- OPM 2019 pay schedules notice (opens in a new tab) Official record
How we checked this
Last checked against the sources above on September 24, 2026. How we research →