Definition
Beyond one's level of authority.
Beyond one's capability.
Origins
Possibly from the correspondence of pay grade to level of authority in U.S. civil service and in the U.S. armed forces.
In Context
- "1971, Testimony before U.S. Congress. Senate. Committee on Armed Services, Sir, I think that is a policy decision only the President can make. That is beyond my pay grade."
- "Figuring out how it would work logistically is above and beyond my pay grade and my brain power."