Ranking of positions

§ 3501. Ranking of positions (a) The Postmaster General shall define the various positions other than the key positions specified in sections 3511–3531 of this title and the standard positions of postmaster in a fourth class office and rural carrier. He shall assign each position to its appropriate salary level in the Postal Field Service Schedule. He shall ascertain the appropriate salary level of a position (1) by comparing the duties, responsibilities, and work requirements of the position with those of key positions described in sections 3511–3531 of this title, and (2) by ranking the position in relation to the key position most closely comparable in terms of the level of duties, responsibilities, and work requirements. (b) In ranking positions, the Postmaster General shall apply the principle of equal pay for substantially equal work and give effect to substantial differences in difficulty of the work to be performed, in the degree of responsibility to be exercised, in the scope and variety of tasks involved, and in the conditions of performance. (d) The Postmaster General’s determinations under this section is the basis for the payment of compensation and for personnel transactions.