Timing of Within-Grade Increases and Promotions

The following information has been prepared in response to frequently asked questions from employees about the timing of within-grade increases and promotions. I recommend that you keep it in your office as a ready reference guide.

Within-Grade Increases

1. Under the General Schedule there are up to 10 pay rates within each grade. New employees usually start at the first step.
   
   
2. An employee is not eligible for within-grade increases while on a temporary appointment of less than 1 year. However, the time served under the temporary appointment counts toward the waiting period if the employee converts to a permanent appointment and becomes eligible for a within-grade increase.
   
   
3. There is a minimum required waiting period before a GS employee can be advanced to the next step of the grade, as follows:
   
   
   
   
4. For employees performing at the fully successful level or higher, a within-grade increase is effective on the first day of the first pay period following completion of the required waiting period. If a waiting period ends in the midst of a two-week pay period, the within-grade increase will be effective the first day of the following pay period. For example, the effective date of the within-grade would be October 23, 1988, for an employee who was appointed on Monday, October 12, 1987. (NOTE: Non-pay status beyond 2 weeks during the waiting period delays the effective date of the within-grade increases.)
   

1. Federal regulations restrict promotions to prevent excessively rapid advancement. This is commonly referred to as "time-in-grade restrictions." At a minimum, a person in the competitive service must have a total of one year of service at or above a particular grade, in order to meet the time-in-grade requirement. Note: Time served in a particular grade is only one of several factors, such as qualifications, duties, and responsibilities that supervisors must take into account when considering employees for promotion.
   
   
2. Candidates for advancement to a position at GS-7, 9, or 11 which is in a line of work properly classified at 2-grade intervals must have completed at least 52 weeks of service in positions no more than 2 grades lower than the position to be filled. Candidates for advancement to a position at grade 12, 13, 14 or 15 must have completed at least 52 weeks of service at the next lower grade.
   
   
3. The effective date of an employee's promotion is established by the Personnel Office upon completion of the appropriate administrative steps. The earliest a promotion can be made effective is the first day of the first pay period following completion of the required waiting period. If a waiting period ends in the midst of a pay period, the promotion will be effective the first day of the following pay period. For example, the effective date of the promotion would be October 9, 1988, for an employee promoted on September 27, 1987.
   
   
4. Employees are informed of effective dates through supervisory channels. The Personnel Office notifies a designee in each program unit on a bi-weekly basis of promotions and reassignments processed during the pay period.