Interest is paid when it is ordered in the judgment pursuant to a statutory, contractual or constitutional waiver of sovereign immunity. Such waivers may include interest as set forth under 41 U.S.C. 611 (Contract Disputes Act), 5 U.S.C. 5596 (Back Pay Act), or Title VII, 42 U.S.C. 2000e-16 (Civil Rights Act of 1991). In addition, post-judgment interest is paid on awards eligible for interest under 31 U.S.C. 1304(b) (unsuccessful appeal by the Government).

Fiscal Service computes interest according to the terms of the statute that waives sovereign immunity for interest to be awarded against the Federal government. The statute that allows interest must be cited on the appropriate Judgment Fund form.

31 U.S.C. 1304(b) specifies that a “transcript of the judgment” must be filed with the Secretary of the Treasury. This means that a copy of the judgment must be filed with the Judgment Fund Branch for interest to accrue on a judgment of a federal district court, the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, or the United States Court of Federal Claims. By practice, the successful plaintiff files a copy of the judgment. Whoever submits the judgment should include a cover letter explaining that it is being submitted to preserve interest rights under 31 U.S.C. 1304. A copy of the judgment and cover letter must be sent to the Bureau of the Fiscal Service, Judgment Fund Branch, at the address indicated on the Judgment Fund Web site at http://www.fiscal.treasury.gov/judgefund.

Interest is computed from the date that Fiscal Service receives the copy of the judgment until the date preceding the appellate court's affirmative ruling. If the United States files a Notice of Appeal which it later withdraws, interest is paid on the award through the date before the withdrawal of the Notice of Appeal.

Fiscal Service certifies for payment only those costs that are enumerated in the cost statute, 28 U.S.C. 1920, or as set forth under a statute that specifically governs payment of the award.