Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) Pay Terms

This list provides definitions for various types of pay and details whether they should be included or excluded when calculating wages for the purpose of filling out OEWS survey forms.

[ A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z ]

A

Attendance bonus

Payment for perfect attendance or only missing a specified number of days during a specified period. Exclude as pay.

B

Back pay

Payment for work done in a previous period; or previously earned pay. Exclude as pay.

Base rate

Pay for work performed during a specified unit of time or payment under an incentive system that does not involve the incentive standard. Include as pay.

C

Clothing allowance

Payment for specialized clothing required for employment. Exclude as pay.

Commission

Payment based on an incentive system that is calculated as a percentage of sales. Commission may be combined with salary. Include as pay.

Cost-of-living allowance (COLA)

Payment based on a change in wage using a designated cost of living measure that is set by a given formula with a formal provision. Include as pay.

D

Deadheading pay

Payment for time spent waiting during unloading or loading for a return trip. Include as pay.

Discount

Payment in the form of price reductions offered to employees on selected items and/or locations. Exclude as pay.

Draw

Payment based on expected future wages. Exclude as pay.

G

Guaranteed pay (make up pay)

Minimum payment guaranteed to an employee who is on an incentive system. Include as pay.

H

Hazard pay

Payment based on working conditions; usually an add-on to a base rate. Include as pay.

Holiday bonus

Payment to employees as a holiday gift. Exclude as pay.

Holiday premium pay

Payment for working a designated holiday; usually an add-on to a base rate. Exclude as pay.

I

Incentive pay

Payment that relates earnings to actual individual or group production. Include as pay.

J

Jury duty pay

Payment to an employee for time away from work because the employee has been called to jury duty. Exclude as pay.

L

Lodging payments

Payment to employees for lodging when traveling. Exclude as pay.

Longevity pay

Payment to an employee based on seniority or length of service with an employer. Include as pay.

M

Meal payments

Payments to employees for meals when required to travel or at other designated times. Exclude as pay.

Merchandise discount

Payment in the form of discounts offered to employees on selected items and/or locations. Exclude as pay.

N

Non-production bonus

Payment that is over and above the employee's regular pay and is not directly related to output of an employee or group. Exclude as pay.

O

On-call pay

Payment for time spent awaiting call to work. Exclude as pay.

Over-the-road pay

Payment based on mileage. Include as pay.

Overtime pay

Payment for work over and above the employee's regular pay in excess of a specified number of hours per day or per week. Exclude as pay.

P

Perquisites

Benefits enjoyed by employee not related to employee's work. Exclude as pay.

Piece rate

Payment based on a constant rate of pay for each unit of production. Include as pay.

Portal-to-portal rate

Payment for travel to a job. Include as pay.

Production bonus

Payment based on production in excess of a quota or on completion of a job in less than standard time. Include as pay.

Profit-sharing payment

Payment from employer based on profits on the business. Exclude as pay.

R

Relocation allowance

Payment for expenses incurred when moving for a job. Exclude as pay.

S

Severance pay

Payment for a specified period to employees who lose their job through no fault of their own. Exclude as pay.

Shift differential

Payment over and above an employee's regular pay for working a nonstandard shift. Exclude as pay.

Stock bonuses

Payments to an employee in the form of stock in the company. Exclude as pay.

T

Tips

Voluntary payment over and above an employee's regular pay from the customer (not the employer) for services rendered. Include as pay.

Tool/equipment allowance

Payment for specialized tools and/or equipment required for employment. Exclude as pay.

Tuition repayment

Payment for tuition of a specified course; paid upon completion of course or receipt of accepted grade. Exclude as pay.

U

Uniform allowance

Payment for uniform required by employer. Exclude as pay.

W

Weekend premium pay

Payment over and above an employee's regular pay for working on a Saturday, Sunday, or other non-scheduled workday. Exclude as pay.

Y

Year-end bonus

Payment given to employees at the end of a year in which the employee and/or the company has performed well. Exclude as pay.

 

Last Modified Date: May 8, 2025