5 CFR § 591.202 - Why does the Government pay COLAs?

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t5/s591.202"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "5 CFR § 591.202 - Why does the Government pay COLAs?"
title_number: 5
title_name: "Administrative Personnel"
section_number: "591.202"
section_name: "Why does the Government pay COLAs?"
chapter_name: "OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT"
subchapter_number: "B"
subchapter_name: "CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS"
part_number: "591"
part_name: "ALLOWANCES AND DIFFERENTIALS"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
cfr_part: "591"
---


# 591.202 Why does the Government pay COLAs?

The Government pays COLAs as additional compensation to certain civilian Federal employees in specified nonforeign areas in consideration of higher living costs in the local area compared with living costs in the Washington, DC, area.