2 U.S.C. § 297 — Appointments and reclassifications to higher compensation levels

(a) When an employee on the House Employees Schedule (HS) is appointed to a position in a higher compensation level, or their position is reclassified into a higher compensation level, they are paid under whichever of the following rules applies first, in this order: (1) the lowest step whose pay rate equals the pay rate, in the level they came from, of the step two steps above the one they held right before the appointment; (2) if (1) doesn't apply, the lowest step whose pay rate is at least two steps higher, in the level they came from, than their pay rate right before the appointment; or (3) if neither applies, the highest step of the new, higher level, or their pay rate right before the appointment — whichever rate is higher. (b) The committee may issue regulations letting each employee on the House Wage Schedule (HWS) who is appointed to a position in a higher compensation level, or whose position is reclassified into a higher compensation level, be paid at an appropriate compensation step determined under those regulations.