Compensation 257MENTAL DEMANDS
This factor appraises the amount and continuity of mental demand required to
perform the job. It is a value factor in positions requiring a degree of concentrated
mental effort or constant attention to detail.
Job specifi cation question: What degree of concentration is required by the job?
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
This factor appraises the amount and continuity of physical effort required to per-
form the job. It is a value factor in jobs that require the employee to stand, lift,
carry, bend, or walk for extended periods.
Job specifi cation question: Are there special physical demands on this job?
WORKING CONDITIONS
This factor has value in those positions where excessive heat, noise, use of chemi-
cals, poor ventilation, and so forth are elements in the job environment.
Job specification question: Is there anything in the work environment that is
unusually hazardous or uncomfortable? If so, what percentage of the time is the
incumbent exposed to this?
point value for the job. Positions with higher point values are considered
more valuable to the agency.
In 1949, Congress passed the Classifi cation Act of 1949, which estab-
lished the General Schedule (GS) system. The GS system defi nes the basic
compensation system for nonmanagerial white - collar positions. There
are fi fteen grade levels, with ranges of pay within each grade. There are
approximately 450 categories in the GS, sorted into specialized groups
such as fi nance and accounting, social science, psychology and welfare,
engineering and architecture, and physical science. Each grade contains
examples of the kind of work performed in jobs that would be assigned to
that grade. These examples are referred to as benchmark positions. Benchmark
positions are jobs with characteristics similar enough to jobs performed in
other organizations that can serve as market anchor points using a factor
comparison system called the factor evaluation system. Jobs are described
and placed in grades on the basis of their duties, responsibilities, and the
qualifi cations required to perform them. Nine factors with different levels
and different point values are used to evaluate jobs: knowledge required
by the position, supervisory controls, guidelines, complexity, scope and
effect, personal contacts, purpose of contacts, physical demands, and work
environment. After all nine factors have been evaluated and levels have
been established for the position, the points are summed across each factor