(a) Notwithstanding sections 1341, 1342, and 1349–1351 and subchapter II of chapter 15 of title 31—

(1) the rates of pay of—

(A) employees in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of the Government of the United States (except employees whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives) and of the government of the District of Columbia, whose rates of pay are fixed by administrative action under law and are not otherwise adjusted under this subchapter;

(B) employees under the Architect of the Capitol, whose rates of pay are fixed under section 166b–3a ¹ of title 40, and the Superintendent of Garages, House office buildings; and

(C) persons employed by the county committees established under section 590h(b) of title 16; and

(2) and minimum or maximum rate of pay (other than a maximum rate equal to or greater than the maximum rate then currently being paid under the General Schedule as a result of a pay adjustment under section 5303 (or prior corresponding provision of law)), and any monetary limitation on or monetary allowance for pay, applicable to employees described in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (1);

may be adjusted, by the appropriate authority concerned, effective at the beginning of the first applicable pay period commencing on or after the day on which a pay adjustment becomes effective under section 5303 (or prior provision of law), by whichever of the following methods the appropriate authority concerned considers appropriate—

(i) by an amount or amounts not in excess of the pay adjustment provided under section 5303 for corresponding rates of pay in the appropriate schedule or scale of pay;

(ii) if there are no corresponding rates of pay, by an amount or amounts equal or equivalent, insofar as practicable and with such exceptions and modifications as may be necessary to provide for appropriate pay relationships between positions, to the amount of the pay adjustment provided under section 5303; or

(iii) in the case of minimum or maximum rates of pay, or monetary limitations of allowances with respect to pay, by an amount rounded to the nearest $100 and computed on the basis of a percentage equal or equivalent, insofar as practicable and with such variations as may be appropriate, to the percentage of the pay adjustment provided under section 5303.

(b) An adjustment under subsection (a) in rates of pay, minimum or maximum rates of pay, the monetary limitations or allowances with respect to pay, shall be made in such manner as the appropriate authority concerned considers appropriate.

(c) This section does not authorize any adjustment in the rates of pay of employees whose rates of pay are fixed and adjusted from time to time as nearly as is consistent with the public interest in accordance with prevailing rates or practices.

(d) This section does not impair any authority under which rates of pay may be fixed by administrative action.

(e) Pay may not be paid, by reason of any exercise of authority under this section, at a rate in excess of the rate of basic pay payable for level V of the Executive Schedule.