Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990

Federal Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990 - Creates the Federal Salary Council to define local pay areas and occupational group categories that include professional, administrative, technical, clerical, law enforcement, firefighter, and health care positions. Directs the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to: (1) survey the Federal employees in such occupational categories in each local pay area at least once every three years to compare Federal rates of pay to non-Federal rates of pay for the same work; and (2) prepare appropriate alternative pay schedules. Directs the President, based on the resulting BLS report, to establish alternative pay schedules or adjust existing pay schedules where necessary to ensure the competitiveness of the Government in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees. Requires higher rates under such schedules to be implemented through equal percentage increments over three years.

Prohibits an alternative pay schedule from applying with respect to any employee who is employed outside the continental United States or elsewhere where an allowance based on living costs or environmental conditions may be paid.

Prohibits employees becoming subject to an alternative pay schedule from being paid less than they would otherwise be paid under a statutory pay system schedule. Prohibits any reduction of a rate of pay under an alternative pay schedule as a result of any adjustment under this Act.

Provides that if pay surveys determine that no adjustment in pay rates under an alternative pay schedule is required, such rates shall be adjusted at the same time that any pay adjustment occurs and by the overall average percentage of any adjustment in General Schedule pay rates.

Provides annual pay adjustments for employees under each statutory pay system equal to the annual increase in the Employment Cost Index (a quarterly measure of the cost of labor in the private sector).

Declares that increases in rates of pay under this Act are not equivalent increases in pay under provisions regarding periodic step-increases.

Grants the President authority to provide for special pay rates if the Government's efforts to recruit or retain well-qualified individuals are significantly handicapped by: (1) the remoteness of the area or location involved; (2) undesirable working conditions including exposure to toxic substances; or (3) any other circumstances which the President considers appropriate. Prohibits a minimum special pay rate from exceeding the maximum statutory pay rate for the applicable grade or level.

Authorizes the Director of the Office of Management and Budget to grant authority to executive department and agency heads to fix the basic pay rate of up to 400 Government-wide positions which such heads determine to be critical positions at an annual rate that does not exceed the rate for level I of the Executive Schedule. Directs agency heads, in determining whether a position is critical, to consider to the extent to which: (1) the position requires scientific, technical, professional, or administrative qualifications; and (2) additional compensation is necessary to recruit or retain exceptionally qualified individuals. Allows such authority to be reexercised when such a position becomes vacant and is refilled if: (1) an agency head determines that the position remains a critical position; and (2) the Director reconfirms his or her original allocation of critical-position pay authority among executive departments and agencies.

Eliminates the GS-11 grade requirement for paying new employees above the minimum rate of the appropriate grade.

Creates a new pay system for administrative law judges and contract appeals board members consisting of at least three pay rates to be established and thereafter adjusted by the President. Sets the maximum rate at level IV of the Executive Schedule and the minimum rate at a grade GS-16, Step 1. Requires the Office of Personnel Management to determine which of such rates shall be paid to individual administrative law judges or contract appeals board members according to criteria prescribed by the Office.