Federal Correctional Officer Paycheck Protection Act of 2026

This legislation seeks to enhance the recruitment and retention of Federal correctional officers by implementing **special base rates of pay**. It amends title 5 of the U.S. Code to provide a **35 percent increase** to the applicable General Schedule base rate or Law Enforcement Officer (LEO) special base rate for these officers. This increase applies to Bureau of Prisons employees whose primary duties involve the custody, control, or supervision of inmates, or who routinely have direct inmate contact in a custodial setting, and it is considered basic pay for all purposes, including benefits. The bill also extends a similar 35 percent wage increase to certain **prevailing rate employees** within the Bureau of Prisons who perform similar custodial duties. These new pay authorities are subject to a **five-year sunset provision**. However, the Department of Justice Inspector General is mandated to conduct a review before the sunset date to assess the program's effectiveness in reducing the use of non-custodial employees for officer duties (augmentation) and excessive mandatory overtime. If the Inspector General determines that measurable progress has been made, the special pay rates will continue indefinitely.