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Temporary reassignments: Detail benefits to you, us, and them

Posted by Dr. Dana | Jul 24, 2017 | Career Advice , Staying sharp |

Temporary reassignments are known to most government employees as details. For the most part, details are seen as an opportunity to meet workforce needs of the agency and a developmental opportunity for employees for hands-on work experience. Unofficially, details are also seen as a way to manage poor performers out of an organization.

It’s that third intent that most government employees think of when they hear of someone being detailed. And it is for that reason, that many employees do not see details as a positive developmental opportunity. So, in this post, I cover the broad benefits of a detail or temporary reassignment. And why YOU should apply to one if you see an opportunity.

Myth of temporary reassignments and poor performers

In my experience in government, I often hear about detailing poor performers. The hope was that the receiving organization would take them on as permanent employees. But, in the short term, the agency sending them (i.e., loosing office) would have relief from performance management.

Despite this common myth, a quick google search of details, temporary reassignments, and poor performers yields no relevant results. With no search results, I have to wonder whether this myth is as widespread as my experience suggests. Given that 3 of 4 agencies I’ve worked in unofficially used these methods I have to believe that it’s just not something people openly discuss.

All that being said, I do want to offer one hole in this myth of using temporary reassignments to manage poor performers. In order to qualify for a detail, an employee must have a satisfactory performance rating during their prior rating cycle. Thus, if the employee truly is a poor performer, they will not be able to apply to a detail.

What is the true intent of details?

Let’s first be clear about what a detail is. Oddly enough, I couldn’t find much detail about the intent of details on OPM’s site . The best description I could find was instead through an Army’s page.

According to the Army, a detail is a temporary assignment to a different position for a specified period when the employee is expected to return to his or her regular duties at the end of the assignment. Details are intended for meeting temporary needs of the agency’s work, program or mission requirements when necessary services cannot be provided by other means. Details can be used in situations such as temporary shortage of military or civilian personnel or emergency work situations.

What I find most fascinating about this description is that it does not mention that details are used for, nor opportunities for, developing employees.

And yet, the benefits of details can reach beyond just meeting a temporary work requirement.

3 benefactors of details and temporary reassignments

Depending on your perspective, the benefit of temporary reassignments may be limited. When in fact, using details can have wide reaching benefits to not only you, us, and them – but to the government as a whole. Let me explain.

Benefit to the employee (i.e., you)

In a prior post, we talked about the limited benefits of classroom training . The benefits are limited because unused knowledge is quickly lost. Another limitation is that classroom training typically lacks real world context to perform in your own work environment. So what better opportunity to develop new skills than to learn them while doing the job?

Beyond that, temporary reassignments also offer you opportunities to broaden your professional network. In working in another office or agency, you gain stronger connections than you could in a setting like a classroom (assuming other agencies are represented) or a conference (if your agency allows you to go). These connections will prove especially valuable if you ever need them again for something like a job reference or access to materials/information.

Temporary reassignments also provide you an opportunity to gain new perspectives. Even if you detail into a position similar to your current permanent position, you will learn new ways of doing work. For better or worse. You may learn new processes that you can bring back with you. Or, identify processes you should definitely NOT bring back with you. Further, you may discover linkages between your current office and your temporary reassignment that could improve the functioning of both.

Benefit to the losing office (i.e., us)

It’s typically a tough sell to the losing office to allow a high performing employee to be detailed to another office. This is because the loss of the employee means that there will be work left undone or transferred to other employees that remain. When a manger is faced with impossible timelines and already short-handed, it’s hard to see the benefit of temporary reassignments.

I could tell you that the employee will come back with new skills and new connections. Because that is true. I could tell you that the employee will think more broadly in ways that will benefit you. Because that is also true. But, I understand those benefits are not top of mind when you have a hole in your team.

So here are some other benefits of temporary reassignments:

High performers often take up a lot of the job responsibilities of the team. In their departure, hidden gems of employees may surface when they take on those responsibilities. Underutilized employees can rise to the challenge and shine. In a sense, those who didn’t take a detail will benefit by taking on new responsibilities and develop new skills. Unexpectedly, the strengths of your team actually show greater than you previously realized. Further, the morale of your team may actually rise with their added opportunities to shine and stretch.

Hidden inefficiencies may surface, allowing you to improve existing processes.

Finally, by allowing your high performer to take a temporary reassignment, you may retain them. You may retain them by showing that you care in their development and growth. Retention may also come by giving them a break from work that had become boring to them. And, you may prevent a resignation by letting that employee see that the grass isn’t greener in the other office.

Benefit to the receiving office (i.e., them)

The benefits to the receiving office seem the most obvious. They have a work requirement, and they have an employee to meet the requirement. But, when used effectively, the benefits of temporary reassignments are huge.

First, if you are considering hiring the person who is temporarily reassigned, you get to test out whether they fit with low commitment. That is, if the person doesn’t fit well, they will return to their ‘losing office’ only a few months later.

Other benefits which were mentioned for the employee and losing office are also benefits to the receiving office. For example, the network connections and outsider’s perspective of the work being performed.

But most importantly, you are setting groundwork for future recruitment. If the temporarily reassigned employee has a positive experience, he/she will talk about it with their friends and colleagues. And, since people tend to spend time with people similar to themselves – those friends and colleagues are likely other high performers. So when you put out a job announcement in the future, your detailee is likely to recommend working for you or for your agency.

In close, whether you are considering a detail or your employee is asking for a temporary reassignment, I hope this article provides a bit of insight into why it would be beneficial for all involved.

About The Author

My mission is to help people think about things differently. With equal footing between research and actual government experience - I offer actionable career advice that works in the government environment. I received my doctorate in Industrial Organizational Psychology in 2009 from the University of Central Florida.

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Be sure to document temporary federal assignments.

It is not uncommon for federal employees to be detailed to a higher grade or different position and then want to use that detail or temporary assignment as creditable experience when applying for a new position or a promotion, but you must document it properly in order to include in your application.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) assumes that employees gain experience by performing duties and responsibilities appropriate to their official position description, occupational series, and grade. If you want to be credited for experience outside your official position description, whether at a higher grade or in a different job series, your temporary work must be appropriately documented.

Such documentation could include a SF-52 or SF-50 that documents an official detail or assignment. It could also include a signed letter from the employee’s supervisor.

That letter must state the nature and length of the temporary assignment / detail, whether the duties performed were full- or part-time, and the percentage of time other duties were performed. The documentation should be included in an employee’s Official Personnel Folder (OPF).

Employees should submit the official documentation, along with their resume, when applying for positions where the temporary experience may be needed to support their application.

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• 6.334.1.1 Overview of Temporary Assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA)
• 6.334.1.2 Definitions and IRS Support for the IPA
• 6.334.1.3 Guidelines
• 6.334.1.4 Assignment Procedures
• 6.334.1.5 Functions and Responsibilities of Advisors
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Part 6. Human Resources Management

Chapter 334. 4 temporary assignments under the intergovernmental personnel act (ipa), section 1. temporary assignments under the intergovernmental personnel act (ipa), 6.334.1 temporary assignments under the intergovernmental personnel act (ipa), overview of temporary assignments under the intergovernmental personnel act (ipa).

This IRM provides guidance and requirements for temporary assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) in the IRS. The legal authority for assignments under the IPA is 5 USC § 3371 through 3376; the regulation is in 5 CFR Part 334. Additional information can be found on the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) website at: http://www.opm.gov/ .

One of many employment programs used by the IRS to achieve its mission within and outside the Service is the IPA Mobility Program assignment. The Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 authorized this temporary assignment through the Federal system to strengthen the personnel resources of state and local governments and others and to enhance intergovernmental cooperation in the administration of programs of mutual interest.

The IRS provides technical advice and assistance in tax administration or areas of mutual concern and benefit to states, local governments, commonwealths, territories, U.S. possessions, institutions of higher education, and other organizations in accordance with the IPA of 1970, Title IV (Pub. L. No. 91-648, dated January 5, 1971), commonly referred to as IPA, and IRC § 7516 of 1954, as amended. Technical advice and assistance to IRS from the above entities may also be provided under IPA regulations. Assignments may vary from a few weeks to a period of two years.

The IPA provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal government and state and local governments for work of mutual concern and benefit. Delegation Order No. 122 outlines the approving officials ( IRM 1.2.45, Delegation of Authority for Human Resource Management Actions).

The IPA provides that cost-sharing arrangements for mobility assignments are negotiable between the participating governments or organizations. To ensure that Federal and non-Federal organizations share equitably in the costs associated with assignments, OPM guidelines state that cost-sharing arrangements should be based on the extent to which the participating organizations benefit from the assignment. Rare exceptions might occur when an organization’s resources do not permit costs to be shared on a relative benefit basis.

Definitions and IRS Support for the IPA

The phrase "state and local government" in this IRM will be treated as including commonwealths, territories, U.S. possessions, institutions of higher education and other organizations certified by OPM as eligible to participate in the mobility program.

The term "advisor" used herein refers to an IRS employee assigned to a state or local government under the IPA program.

The term "host agency" refers to the governmental or other organization that gains an employee for the duration of the IPA assignment.

IRS will cooperate with requesting organizations and will be responsive to requests for assistance under the Act to the extent feasible.

Except for Tax Practitioner Institute (TPI) and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) assignments, the Directors, Embedded Human Resources, are responsible for determining that requests for IPA assistance are consistent with the intent of the Act and that the "mutual concern and benefit" test required by the Act is met.

The best qualified employee, whose assignment is otherwise consistent with ongoing Service program requirements, will be selected. Efforts will be made to minimize the impact on IRS operations through loss of personnel.

Following are the Servicewide guidelines for administering the provisions of the IPA. Questions on the applicability of the IPA relative to requests from state and local governments for technical assistance involving the assignment of IRS personnel should immediately be forwarded to:

Small Business/Self Employed (SB/SE) Area and Field Director’s for Tax Practitioner Institute IPA assignments

Chief, EEO and Diversity for HBCU IPA assignments

Directors, Embedded Human Resources for all other IPA assignments

To assure a Servicewide viewpoint on the mutual benefits to be derived from IPA assignments, all inquiries or requests for assistance not involving Tax Practitioner Institutes or HBCUs should be referred to the Human Capital Office (HCO), Employment, Talent and Security (ETS), Policy and Programs Office. Prior to referral, no action should be taken that could be interpreted as a tentative agreement or commitment.

The assignment should meet the "mutual concern and benefit " test of the Act. That is, the assignment should be of mutual concern and benefit to the IRS, and the State or local government in terms of improved tax administration. For example:

A request that an examination training course be organized and conducted by an IRS employee within a state or local tax agency for state or local employees;

Requests for on-site advice or special training courses in taxpayer assistance, receipts and processing, returns compliance, examinations, appeals, criminal investigations, delinquent accounts, master files; and/or

Automatic Data Processing (ADP) applications for tax administration.

Tax Practitioner Institute and HBCU IPA assignments have already been determined to be of mutual benefit to the IRS and the non-Federal organization.

Assignment Procedures

All assignments under the IPA are made pursuant to individual agreements between the IRS, the appropriate state or local government, and the employee. The specific content of the agreement may vary according to the assignment. The agreement should provide, at a minimum, the following information:

Name, last four digits of the social security number, current job title, salary, classification, and address of the employee;

Parties to the agreement (both Federal and non-Federal organizations);

Position information, including organizational location of both the original position and the position entered into under the agreement;

Type of assignment (e.g., detail or leave without pay; non-Federal to Federal; Federal to non-Federal), and period covered by the assignment agreement;

Goals of the assignment and a brief statement of how the goals are to be achieved;

Relative benefits accruing to each organization and the cost-sharing arrangement based on these benefits;

How increased knowledge, skills and abilities gained by the employee during the assignment will be utilized at the completion of the assignment;

Applicability of Federal conflict-of interest laws;

Decisions of the Federal agency and the non-Federal organization concerning the employee's salary, supervision, payment of travel and transportation expenses, supplemental pay, entitlement to leave and holidays, provisions for reimbursement and the method of reimbursement;

Arrangements for maintaining leave records;

Employee benefits that will be retained; and

Privacy Act Statement (e.g., release of taxpayer information and other disclosure regulations under IRC § 6103).

The agreement should also make clear that if an employee is paid allowable travel, relocation, and per diem expenses, he or she must complete the entire period of the assignment or one year, whichever is shorter, or reimburse the Government for those expenses.

Assignments are temporary in nature and may initially be made for a period of up to two years. Special arrangements may be made to extend the period of assignment for not more than two additional years. OPM places limitations on accepting successive IPA assignments (See 5 CFR § 334.104).

As a condition of accepting an IPA assignment, an IRS employee must agree in writing to serve with the Federal government on completion of the assignment for a period equal to the length of the assignment.

IRS advisors will be assigned to a state or local government either on a detail or leave without pay (LWOP) basis depending on various factors such as the position and duties assigned to the advisor and IRS decisions concerning payment and expenses.

Whether an employee is assigned on detail or LWOP, he/she remains an employee of IRS and retains the rights and benefits attached to that status. The IRS employing office is responsible for documenting the LWOP or detail in accordance with established procedures.

An advisor on leave without pay to a state or local government is given an appointment in accordance with the terms of the written agreement and the personnel policies of the state or local government. The advisor is paid by the state or local government and will be entitled to supplemental pay from IRS if, the state salary is less than the rate of basic pay the employee would have received in his or her IRS position. The advisor is entitled to annual and sick leave to the same extent as if he/she had continued in the regular IRS position. The advisor is also entitled to receive full service credit for retirement purposes while on LWOP and is entitled to continuation of life insurance and health benefits coverage for the duration of the assignment so long as he/she makes the required employee contributions to the appropriate funds.

The advisor will be accountable to the host agency for the working details of the assignment.

State and local employees may receive IPA assignments to IRS on either a detail or excepted appointment basis. An appointment to IRS may be made without regard to the provisions governing appointment in the competitive service; IRS temporary funds may be required for these assignments.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will provide guidance on the establishment of reimbursable projects, reporting reimbursable earnings, and billing procedures, as necessary.

Each servicing HCO, ETS, Employment Office (EO) is responsible for obtaining pertinent processing information and preparing IPA assignment packages before submitting them for approval by the Directors, Embedded Human Resources (5 CFR § 334.103(b)). IPA mobility assignments for HBCUs and the TPI will be approved by the Chief, EEO and Diversity and Area and Field Directors, respectively.

Servicing HCO, ETS, EOs are required to forward a copy of the assignment agreement to the HCO, ETS, Policy and Programs Office, after the agreement is signed by all parties.

Functions and Responsibilities of Advisors

The function of advisors assigned under IPA is to help the host agency improve its tax administration or, in the case of assignments to institutions of higher education, to help the institution improve its tax educational program. The responsibilities of each participating employee will be set forth in the Assignment Agreement. Generally, they will operate in an advisory role, similar to management consultants. However, there may be instances where the employee serves in a managerial capacity, organizing and directing a new program and training a local understudy, or in an instructor capacity.

The duties and responsibilities must be clearly defined in the Agreement between the IRS, the state or local government, and the advisor before they are undertaken. If at any time during the temporary assignment there are significant changes in the employee’s duties, responsibilities, salary, work assignment location or supervisory relationships, the appropriate official(s) should be notified by the advisor and the agreement modified before such duties and/or responsibilities are undertaken.

When two or more IRS advisors are assigned to work in closely related fields together, the appropriate official(s) will designate one advisor as team leader.

In addition to his/her role as an advisor, the responsibilities of the IRS team leader are to:

Plan and execute the tax administration improvement program in collaboration with host agency officials;

Supervise and assign projects to advisors and evaluate their performance;

Coordinate projects;

Provide monthly narrative reports to the Director; and

Upon completion of the assignment, prepare a completion of assignment report indicating the impact and accomplishments of the assignment.

IRS advisors on IPA assignments to state and local governments will be subject to IRS rules and policies, including security and disclosure rules and regulations, conflicts of interest, and employee conduct, as well as the rules and policies of the state or local agency to which they are assigned. Exceptions to the above should be covered in the Assignment Agreement.

IRS advisors should avoid personal publicity, referring the news media to the host tax agency, and should especially avoid becoming publicly identified with any policy or sensitive tax issues or cases of the host government.

IRS advisors should avoid direct involvement in the selection and recommendation of individuals for key positions in the host tax agency, even if they are specifically invited to offer recommendations.

Reporting Requirements

Federal agencies which assign an employee to a state, local, institution of higher education, or other eligible organization in accordance with this part must document all IPA assignments and report to OPM upon request.

OPM requires that all details under the authority of the IPA be documented on an SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action.

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370.300.8 - Details and Temporary Assignments

OPR: Office of Personnel

1. Purpose.  This chapter describes U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) policy and procedural guidelines for processing details and temporary reassignments. Unless otherwise noted, these requirements relate only to permanent and temporary employees in the competitive or excepted service within the Department of the Interior (DOI) serving in, detailed to, or temporarily reassigned to competitive service positions regardless of pay system (i.e., General Schedule (GS), General Manager (GM), Wage Grade (WG), etc.).

2. Authority.  5 CFR Chapter 300.301, Subpart C, states that an agency may detail an employee in the competitive service to a position in either the competitive or excepted service; an agency may detail an employee in the excepted service to a position in the excepted service; and an agency may detail an excepted service employee serving under Schedule A, Schedule B, or the Veterans Readjustment Act, to a position in the competitive service. Any other detail of an employee in the excepted service to a position in the competitive service may be made only with the prior approval of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or under a delegated agreement between the agency and OPM.

3. Policy.  It is the policy of the USGS to meet the temporary manpower needs of the bureau through the use of details and temporary reassignments. Details and temporary reassignments are intended for meeting temporary needs of the agency’s work program when necessary services cannot be provided by other means. Details and temporary reassignments can be used in situations such as temporary shortage of employees or in emergency work situations. However, details and temporary reassignments will be limited to the shortest possible duration, will be used only when no other practical means are available, and will not be used to circumvent established OPM, departmental, or bureau rules and regulations. Except for brief periods, employees should not be detailed to perform work of a permanent nature or a higher grade unless there are compelling reasons for doing so.

4. Responsibilities.

A.  Management officials, supervisors, and administrative officers  are responsible for the timely initiation of documentation for details and temporary reassignments as required in this chapter. In addition, it is the responsibility of these officials to ensure that details and temporary reassignments:

(1) Do not compromise open competitive principles of the USGS merit promotion plan.

(2) Are not used to circumvent the use of a more appropriate personnel action to obtain necessary employee services.

(3) Are kept to the shortest possible duration.

B.  The individual who serves as the rating official for the position to which an employee is detailed or temporarily reassigned  must provide a written Employee Work Plan (performance standards and elements) to the employee within 30 days provided the assignment is within the Department of the Interior and is expected to last 90 days or more.

C.  Servicing personnel officials  are responsible for:

(1) Advising managers, supervisors, and employees of the conditions and requirements under which details and temporary reassignments may be made.

(2) Assuring compliance with all OPM, DOI and bureau policy and procedural requirements applicable to the detail or temporary reassignment of employees.

5. Definitions.

A. A  detail  is a temporary assignment of an employee to a classified position (i.e., established position) or statement of duties (i.e., unestablished position) for a specified period. During the detail, an employee continues to encumber and receive the salary and entitlements of the position from which detailed (i.e., the official position of record). At the end of the detail, the employee returns to the official position of record.

B. A  temporary reassignment  is an assignment to another classified position, at the same grade and step or, if applicable, rate above the maximum step of the grade currently held, for a specified period. At the end of the temporary reassignment, the employee returns to the position from which temporarily reassigned or to a position of comparable status, tenure, and pay.

C. A  competitive position  is one that is not specifically excepted from the competitive service by statute or regulation. In the USGS, this includes most general schedule and wage grade positions.

D. An  excepted position  is one that is specifically excluded from the competitive service. This includes some GS positions and positions in the GG (grade similar to general schedule) and Foreign Compensation (FC) pay systems.

6. Approval of Details and Temporary Reassignments.  All details and temporary reassignments require management approval according to the delegated authorities of the organization and, in some instances, approval of the Servicing Personnel Officer prior to effecting the action. (See  Survey Manual, Part 205.1, Appendix B - USGS Delegations of Personnel Management Authority  and  Appendix D - Delegation of Authority – Details , which specify the USGS, departmental, and OPM approval requirements and authorities.)

7. Uses of Details and Temporary Reassignments.

A.  Details

(1) Details may be made to either established (classified position descriptions) or unestablished (unclassified statement of duties) positions under the following circumstances:

(a) To meet emergencies, excessive workload of limited duration, shortage of personnel, special projects, or studies that are short-term or temporary in nature, changes in mission or organization, or unanticipated employee absence for an extended period of time.

(b) To provide the necessary time for management to officially document new work assignments, rewrite position descriptions and classify new positions, or obtain employee security clearances.

(c) To provide for short-term training, orientation, or other developmental purposes.

(2) An employee may not be detailed to a position in a different line of work or geographical location for at least 90 days after the latest nontemporary competitive appointment or conversion from an OPM register, except for an emergency detail of 30 days or less.

(3) For detail actions to classified or unclassified positions at the same or lower grade level, the supervisor of the work to be performed is responsible for determining whether the employee is fully able to perform the duties of the position. When the detail action is to an occupational series for which OPM has established minimum educational requirements, and/or to a position for which there is a licensure or certification requirement, the servicing personnel office must verify that the employee meets the minimum educational, licensure, and/or certification requirements.

(4) In computing time limitations for detail actions, service under details of less than 120 calendar days in the same or similar position or duties will be counted when the proposed action represents an immediate continuation of an undocumented detail.

(5) A detail to a higher-graded position or to a position with greater promotion potential for a cumulative period of more than 120 days must be made under merit promotion procedures (see SM 370.335). In computing the 120-day period, service performed during the preceding 12-month period under noncompetitive time-limited promotions, noncompetitive details to higher-graded positions, and noncompetitive temporary reassignments and details to positions with greater promotion potential is counted.

(6) An employee serving on a temporary appointment may be detailed to a position that meets the criteria for temporary employment. An employee serving on a term appointment may be detailed, within the time limit of their appointment, only to a position appropriate for term employment.

B.  Temporary Reassignments.

(1) Temporary reassignments may be made only to classified positions and will normally be for periods of 1 year or less. Requests for temporary reassignments must be documented to support the need for a temporary rather than permanent reassignment. Temporary reassignments will only be approved for those situations in which no other personnel action is appropriate and under the following conditions:

(a) To lend particular expertise to the completion of a project assignment of extended duration.

(b) To conduct in-house special assignments on behalf of another bureau or agency.

(c) To provide full-time services on a task force or special committee of unspecified duration.

(d) To provide for long-term training as part of an established promotion or career development program.

(e) To backfill positions that are being vacated for extended periods of time (i.e., leave of absence approved for up to 1 year).

(2) An employee who is temporarily reassigned to a position with a different pay plan assumes the pay plan and entitlements of that position, i.e., from GS to WG.

(3) To be eligible for a temporary reassignment, the employee must meet established OPM qualification standards for the position.

(4) Temporary reassignments to positions with greater promotion potential may be made noncompetitively for a maximum cumulative period of 120 days during any consecutive 12-month period. Temporary reassignment of an employee for a cumulative period of more than 120 days to a position with greater promotion potential, must be made under merit promotion procedures. In computing the 120-day period, service during the preceding 12-month period under noncompetitive temporary promotions, noncompetitive details to higher graded positions, and noncompetitive temporary reassignments and details to positions with greater promotion potential is counted.

(5) A temporary reassignment to a position with greater promotion potential may be made permanent provided the reassignment was originally made under merit promotion procedures and the merit promotion announcement stated that the temporary reassignment may be made permanent without further competition or if it meets the requirements of exceptions to competition as outlined in 5 CFR 335 and internal merit promotion procedures.

8. Documentation and Procedural Requirements.

A.  Requirements for documenting details and temporary reassignments.

(1) The automated request for personnel action (SF-52) is required to document:

(a) All details to organizations outside of the USGS.

(b) Details of 30 calendar days or more to a higher graded position or positions with greater promotion potential than the official position of record.

(c) All other details of 120 days or more except as indicated in SM 370.300.8.A(3).

(d) All temporary reassignments.

(2) Written documentation.

(a) Details.

(i) A statement of duties or position description is required to document all details to international organizations regardless of the length of the detail or whether or not the detail is made on a reimbursable basis.

(ii) A position description is required to document all details of 30 calendar days or more to a higher graded position or positions with greater promotion potential than the official position of record.

(iii) A statement of duties or position description is required to document all other details of 120 days or more except as indicated in SM 370.300.8.A(3).

(b) Temporary Reassignments.

(i) A position description is required for all temporary reassignments.

(ii) A written justification is required documenting the purpose of the temporary reassignment.

(iii) A statement of understanding is required for a temporary reassignment.

(3) SF-52 documentation is not required when an employee is detailed to perform duties of an identical position or a position of the same grade, series, and basic duties as the position to which regularly assigned.

(4) In situations where SF-52 documentation is not required for a detail action, management should prepare a memorandum to the record to recognize and credit employee service. The memorandum should contain a brief description of the duties and the duration of the detail. In this way, an accurate determination can be made regarding: documentation requirements for subsequent detail actions (e.g., extension of the detail); qualification requirements for other positions; and performance appraisal requirements for a detail which exceeds 120 days. This documentation should be forwarded to the servicing personnel office for filing on the left side of the employee's Official Personnel Folder (OPF).

(5) Details must be documented in increments of 120 days or less.

(6) Temporary Reassignments must be documented for the expected duration of the assignment.

B.  Procedures for documenting details and temporary reassignments.

(1) The gaining office to which an employee is detailed or temporarily reassigned is responsible for:

(a) Initiating an automated SF-52 to obtain necessary concurrences and management approvals and routing the request to the servicing personnel office having jurisdiction over the position to which the employee is being detailed or temporarily reassigned. For a detail, a position description for an established position or a statement of duties for an unestablished position and a justification for the detail must be forwarded to the servicing personnel office when the automated SF-52 is initiated. For a temporary reassignment, a position description and a justification to support the temporary nature of the action must be forwarded to the servicing personnel office when the automated SF-52 is initiated.

(b) Requesting an extension of the detail or temporary reassignment well in advance of the expiration date to ensure adequate time for obtaining required approvals for processing the personnel action.

(c) Requesting that the employee's official office of record initiates the termination of detail or temporary reassignment action well in advance of the expiration date to ensure adequate time for obtaining required approvals for processing the personnel action.

(d) Providing time and attendance information for employees on detail to the office responsible for maintaining these records.

(2) The Servicing Personnel Office is responsible for:

(a) Processing all personnel actions (SF-52, SF-50) relating to details and temporary reassignments to positions within their delegated servicing responsibility.

(b) Preparing and sending all departmental preclearance correspondence to DOI for approval of detail or temporary reassignment actions requiring higher-level approval.

(c) Preparing and sending all preclearance correspondence to the Bureau Personnel Officer for approval of details/transfers to international organizations.

(d) Processing all personnel actions (SF-52, SF-50) relating to details/transfers to international organizations for employees assigned under their delegated appointing authority. (Also see “c” above.)

(e) Processing all termination actions (SF-52 and SF-50) relating to details and temporary reassignments for employees permanently assigned under their delegated appointing authority.

(f) Forwarding all required documentation relating to details and temporary reassignments to the servicing personnel office that maintains the employee's OPF.

(3) The Headquarters Personnel Office is responsible for:

(a) Processing personnel actions (SF 52, SF-50) for all details and temporary reassignments relating to Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level (SL), Scientific and Professional (ST), and Schedule C positions, and all details to FC (Agency for International Development) - grade positions overseas.

(b) Preparing and sending all DOI preclearance correspondence to DOI for approval of detail or temporary reassignment actions relating to SES, SL, ST, and Schedule C positions.

9. Reimbursable and Non-reimbursable Details.  All intra-agency and interagency details must be made on a reimbursable basis unless a nonreimbursable detail is specifically authorized by statute (64 CG 370, March 20, 1985). Under conditions in which a reimbursable detail is not required, the intra-agency or interagency organization officials with delegated authority to approve the detail decide whether the detail should be reimbursable or nonreimbursable.

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Pay, Leave, & Work Schedules

Certain location-based pay entitlements (such as locality payments, special rate supplements, and nonforeign area cost-of-living allowances) are based on the location of the employee's official worksite associated with the employee's position of record. The official worksite generally is the location where the employee regularly performs his/her duties.  

An agency must determine and designate the official worksite for a teleworking employee on a case-by-case basis using the following criteria:

• The official worksite for an employee covered by a telework agreement is the location of the regular worksite for the employee's position (e.g., the place where the employee would normally work absent a telework agreement), as long as the employee is scheduled to report physically at least twice each bi-weekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to that regular worksite.
• In the case of a telework employee whose work location varies on a recurring basis, the employee need not report at least twice each bi-weekly pay period to the regular worksite established by the agency as long as the employee is performing work within the same geographic area (established for the purpose of a given pay entitlement) as the employee's regular worksite.  For example, if a telework employee with a varying work location works at least twice each bi-weekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis in the same locality pay area in which the established official worksite is located, the employee need not report at least twice each bi-weekly pay period to that official worksite to maintain entitlement to the locality payment for that area.
• The official worksite for an employee with a telework agreement who is not scheduled to report at least twice each bi-weekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to the regular worksite is the location of the telework site (e.g., home or other alternative worksite), except in certain temporary situations.

Pay During Temporary Telework Arrangements

In certain temporary situations, an agency may designate the location of the regular worksite as the official worksite of an employee who teleworks on a regular basis at an alternative worksite, even though the employee is not able to report at least twice each bi-weekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis to the regular worksite.

• The intent of this exception is to address certain situations where the employee is retaining a residence in the commuting area for the regular worksite but is temporarily unable to report to the regular worksite for reasons beyond the employee's control.
• A key consideration is the need to preserve equity between the telework employee and non-telework employees who are working in the same area as the telework location. Also, the temporary exception should generally be used only in cases where (1) the employee is expected to stop teleworking and return to work at the regular worksite in the near future, or (2) the employee is expected to continue teleworking but will be able to report to the regular worksite at least twice each bi-weekly pay period on a regular and recurring basis in the near future.

For more information on official worksite, please see  OPM's Fact Sheet on Official Worksite for Location-Based Pay Purposes. (external link)

Premium Pay

Typically, the same premium pay rules apply to employees who telework as to those employees who report to their regular worksites.

Night pay is a 10 percent differential paid to employees for  regularly scheduled work  performed at night. It is computed as a percentage of the employee's rate of basic pay (including any applicable locality payment or special rate supplement).  A teleworker may not earn night pay by choosing to work at night. Night pay is paid for regularly scheduled work performed at night. This generally means work scheduled before the beginning of the administrative workweek.  However, night pay is also paid for night work on a temporary assignment to a different daily tour of duty during the administrative work week.

For more information on night pay, please see  OPM's Fact Sheet on Night Pay for General Schedule Employees (external link) .

Sunday Premium Pay

An employee is entitled to 25 percent of his/her rate of basic pay for work performed during a  regularly scheduled   basic 8-hour tour of duty that begins or ends on a Sunday (emphasis added). A teleworker must be regularly scheduled to work on a Sunday in order for that employee to be eligible for the 25 percent Sunday premium pay.

For more information, see  OPM's Fact Sheet on Sunday Premium Pay (external link) .

Evacuation Payments

Evacuation payments are made to employees or their dependents, or both, who are ordered to be evacuated from or within the United States and certain non-foreign areas in the national interest because of natural disasters or for military or other reasons that create imminent danger to the lives of the employees, their immediate family, or their dependents. The applicable non-foreign areas are listed in the definition of "United States area" in 5 CFR 550.402. Evacuation payments may be made to dependents 16 years of age or older, or to designated representatives, only with prior written authorization from the employee.

When an employee has been ordered to evacuate, agency heads may make advance payments of pay, allowances, and differentials to cover a time period of up to 30 calendar days, provided the agency head or designated official determines the payment is required to defray immediate expenses incidental to the evacuation. The initial evacuation payment may cover up to 60 days of pay, allowances, and differentials, including the period covered by the advance payment.

Evacuation payments may be made to cover a total of up to 180 calendar days (including the number of days for which payment has already been made) when employees continue to be prevented from performing their duties by an evacuation order. When feasible, evacuation payments must be paid on the employee's regular pay days.

Employees in an Executive agency may also receive additional allowance payments for travel expenses and subsistence expenses (e.g., per diem) to offset added expenses they incur as a result of their evacuation or the evacuation of their dependents. (See 5 CFR 550.405.)

For more information on evacuation payments, please see  OPM's Fact Sheet on Evacuation Pay (external link)

Leave and Work Schedules

An employee must follow his/her agency's telework policy for requesting leave and work scheduling changes when teleworking.

Just as an employee would do when he/she is at the regular worksite, an employee who is teleworking may request leave for a portion of the day. Agencies may also allow an employee to adjust his/her work schedule during a telework day (e.g., to attend a medical appointment or deal with a household repair) based on the employee's telework agreement.  Both leave and work scheduling flexibilities are not only to assist the employee in balancing his/her personal needs, but also to maintain productivity by allowing the employee to request to work around disruption in his/her work day. For additional information, please visit  OPM's Leave Administration (external link)  &  OPM's Work Schedules (external link) .

5 CFR § 317.903 - Details.

(a) Definition. In this section, detail means the temporary assignment of an SES member to another position (within or outside of the SES) or the temporary assignment of a non-SES member to an SES position, with the expectation that the employee will return to the official position of record upon expiration of the detail . For purposes of pay and benefits, the employee continues to encumber the position from which detailed . The provisions of this section cover details within or outside of the employing agency .

(b) Time limits.

(1) Details within an executive agency or military department must be made in no more than 120-day increments.

(2) An agency may not detail an SES employee to unclassified duties for more than 240 days .

(3) An agency must use competitive procedures when detailing a non-SES employee to an SES position for more than 240 days unless the employee is eligible for a noncompetitive career SES appointment.

(4) An agency must obtain OPM approval for a detail of more than 240 days if the detail is of:

(i) A non-SES employee to an SES position that supervises other SES positions; or

(ii) An SES employee to a position at the GS-15 or equivalent level or below.

(c) SES career reserved positions. Only a career SES appointee or a career-type non-SES appointee may be detailed to a career reserved position.

(d) SES general positions. Any SES appointee or non-SES appointee may be detailed to a general position.

This page can be found on the web at the following url: https://www.pmf.gov/current-pmfs/training-and-development/rotational-opportunities.aspx

PMF - Presidential Management Fellows

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Rotational Opportunities

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Rotational opportunities are assignments often used to allow Fellows to gain a broader perspective of the Federal Government. These opportunities can take you to another bureau, division, office, or program within your agency, or even to another Federal agency. By participating in rotational opportunities, you can gain management experience, work in specific occupational fields, or learn about a program function from another perspective.

You are required to do at least one developmental assignment of 4-6 months in duration in the occupation or functional discipline in which you will most likely be placed, with full-time management and/or technical responsibilities consistent with your IDP (Individual Development Plan). A developmental assignment is a rotational opportunity, but not all rotational opportunities meet the criteria of the required developmental assignment. Please remember that you must complete at least one developmental assignment, meeting the above criteria, as part of the program requirements. Developmental assignments may or may not be continuous over the 4-6 months, but must be with the same hosting organization and scope of work.

NOTE:  Per the program regulations and guidance, the developmental assignment can only take place within your organization, agency, or another Federal agency (5 CFR 362.405(b)(4)(ii)); Federal agency is basically defined as those agencies within the Executive Branch and those agencies who participate in the PMF Program in the Legislative Branch. An agency does NOT need to formally participate in the PMF Program to host a PMF on a rotation.

The PMF regulations specify that in addition to the developmental assignment, you may receive other short-term rotations of 1 to 6 months in duration, at your appointing agency's discretion, to occupations or functional areas different from the one in which you will most likely be placed. Rotations and developmental assignments are grouped together as Rotational Opportunities when advertised for Fellows.

Because the agency and supervisor will be without your services during the rotational opportunity, but are still paying your salary and benefits, there may be times when the agency will deny or adjust your request regarding these opportunities. Some Fellows outside of the Washington, DC, metro area, may need to work with their agency or the hosting agency to determine who will cover any expenses (e.g., travel, per diem, attending training or conferences on behalf of the hosting agency, etc.). A Fellow having a change in temporary duty station would typically need to be on travel orders. Such Fellows should consult with their Supervisor, Agency PMF Coordinator, and the hosting agency's Agency PMF Coordinator. In addition, Fellows outside of the metro area may want to contact the Federal Executive Board (FEB) covering their region to see if it can assist with rotational opportunities at other agencies within the region. To identify FEBs and their regions, go to https://www.feb.gov . 

Rotational opportunities are at the discretion of your home agency, including any outside of your organization. Agencies may restrict such rotations within their agency. You are required to go through agency-specific procedures before pursuing them. More specifically, it is your responsibility to initiate the approval process, if required by the agency, before making contacts or agreements to go on rotational opportunities.

Some hosting agencies require a security clearance for the rotation. If a Fellow does not posses the needed security clearance, the hosting agency may cover any such costs associated and/or may be able to provide an interim clearance; this is solely at the hosting agency's discretion. Typically a Fellow's employing agency would not cover such costs and Fellows are not able to initiate or covers such costs themselves.

The PMF Program Office has developed a sample Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) template that Fellows and agencies may use. An MOU outlines the roles and responsibilities of all parties. The template is available under the Current PMFs\Resources  webpage. This sample PMF MOU may be used when performing a rotational opportunity at an agency other than your agency. This form should be tailored to meet the needs of the specific assignment.  You should consult with your supervisor and/or Agency PMF Coordinator for assistance and follow your agency's policies and procedures.

While some rotational opportunities are arranged by your agency, many Fellows take the initiative to identify opportunities they are particularly interested in. If an agency concludes that an optional short-term rotational opportunity to a non-Federal entity, or outside the Executive Branch, is appropriate to assist you to reach core competencies necessary for conversion to the target position at the end of your fellowship, it is the responsibility of the agency to address potential legal and ethical issues associated with such a rotation. 

The frequency and duration of rotational opportunities during a Fellow's two-year fellowship may vary greatly from agency to agency. You are encouraged to be flexible and to have reasonable expectations regarding the agency's support for the location, timing, and duration of a rotational opportunity. In general, a PMF would not be detailed to a position for which he/she is not qualified. For example, a PMF at the GS-11 level should be detailed to a position that provides work at the GS-11 level. A PMF could only do a rotation with work at a higher grade level if the PMF meets the qualification requirements for the higher grade level. There is no prohibition of detailing a PMF in a position with a full performance level of a GS-13 to a rotational position with a full performance level of a GS-14 if the PMF is given work at the appropriate grade level.

When appropriate, a Fellow may participate in a rotational opportunity in Congress; however, such opportunity must be with a congressional committee, which would prevent any potential conflict of interest and be bipartisan. Fellows should consult with their supervisor, Agency PMF Coordinator, and perhaps their General Counsel or Ethics Officer, for any agency-specific policies and procedures for such rotations.

The Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal Government and state and local governments, colleges and universities, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and other eligible organizations. This may apply to the optional short-term rotations, not the required developmental assignment. Check with your Agency PMF Coordinator or HR Office for specific policies and procedures at your agency.

While on a rotational opportunity, you remain employed by your agency and are not to be separated from Federal service. While on the rotational opportunity, your salary and benefits continues to be paid by the appointing agency, although housing, transportation, training, or other expenses are sometimes paid by the agency hosting the Fellow for this period of time. Agencies that permit a Fellow to perform a rotational opportunity outside of the agency are encouraged to have an MOU with the hosting agency in place before the rotational opportunity begins. Some hosting agencies may be willing and able to cover the Fellow's salary, expenses, any travel costs, costs for a security clearance, etc., from their employing agency; this is commonly referred to as a "reimbursable detail" and would be negotiated between your employing and hosting agencies.

As long as the agency does not have specific policies or procedures stating otherwise, there is no order for completing the developmental assignment and/or optional rotations; some agencies may require more than one. Fellows should manage their time and workload, while in consultation with their supervisor, on when to complete their required developmental assignment and optional rotations (e.g., make adjustments based on leave (vacation, maternity, paternity, etc.), training and developmental activities, mission-critical projects, etc.). Extending the fellowship is typically not a reason for a Fellow to meet their program requirements.

If the rotation needs to be extended, the Fellow should consult with their supervisor and Agency PMF Coordinator to check their agency's policies and procedures for any such extension.

You should record any rotational opportunities on your IDP, especially the required developmental assignment.

If a Fellow reappoints (e.g., transfers from one PMF position/agency to another) during their fellowship, any training and development may be forfeited if not related to the newer position or newer target position. If the reappointment is a result of a Fellow who was on their developmental assignment, he/she may need to complete a newer development assignment since the reappointment will be a new position or a new target position. See FAQ# 12 for information on reappointments. 

For those Fellows enrolled in the PMF LDP ( Leadership Development Program ), please account for your participation for any impact. For example, all PMF LDP communications are sent to the Fellow's work and personal email addresses. We are unable to manage multiple work email addresses in such scenarios. For example, to add and monitor a temporary work email address for a Fellow on a rotation. The Fellow may temporarily change their personal email address to their rotation email address, but would also need to remember to change the rotation email address when no longer applicable. Fellows on a rotation should be able to still access and monitor their employing agency email address.

List of Rotational Opportunities

The PMF Program Office has automated the process for hosting organizations to post rotational opportunities in the PMF TMS for current Fellows to search. All current Fellows can log into the PMF TMS, via their applicant user account, and search for opportunities. If the Fellow has opted-in to receive automated emails from the PMF TMS, he/she will receive an automated digest email the day after a rotational opportunity is posted live.

Rotational opportunities are strictly for current Fellows. All Agency PMF Coordinators have access to post rotational opportunities and may grant "Agency HR Staff" user access to other agency personnel to post opportunities as well.

UPDATED:  03-16-2024

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Temporary Assignments Under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA)

A Rule by the Personnel Management Office on 09/18/2006

This document has been published in the Federal Register . Use the PDF linked in the document sidebar for the official electronic format.

• Document Details Published Content - Document Details Agency Office of Personnel Management CFR 5 CFR 334 Document Citation 71 FR 54565 Document Number E6-15436 Document Type Rule Pages 54565-54567 (3 pages) Publication Date 09/18/2006 RIN 3206-AJ94 Published Content - Document Details
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Office of Personnel Management

• 5 CFR PART 334
• RIN 3206-AJ94

Office of Personnel Management.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is issuing final regulations on a plain language rewrite of its regulations regarding the Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program as part of a broader review of OPM regulations. The purpose of the revision is to make the regulations more readable.

October 18, 2006.

Darlene Phelps by telephone on 202-606-0960, by FAX on 202-606-2329, by TDD on 202-418-3134, or by e-mail at [email protected] .

OPM published for comment on August 22, 2003, (at 68 FR 50726 ) proposed regulations revising part 334 of title 5, Code of Federal Regulations , to make it more readable. The principal purpose of that proposed revision was to clarify the regulations. OPM also solicited comments on whether certain non-Federal entities define themselves as: (1) An “instrumentality or authority of a State or States or local government” as cited in 5 U.S.C. 3371 ; or (2) a “Federal-State authority or instrumentality” as cited in 5 U.S.C. 3371 .

Two agencies submitted comments on OPM's proposed part 334 regulations. Both agencies believed that the question and answer format in the proposed regulations required the reader to spend more, rather than less time, to locate information in part 334. After consideration of the agencies' comments, OPM dropped the question and answer format in this final redraft of part 334.

One agency suggested we rename the title of this part by including a reference to the Intergovernmental Personnel Act. We agree the current title does not accurately describe the nature of assignments under this part, so we have renamed part 334 as “Temporary Assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA)”.

The other agency suggested OPM provide definitions of the terms listed in § 334.102 rather than offer readers the statutory citations where these terms are defined. We agree having the definitions in the regulation improves the readability of part 334, so we have added the definitions along with their statutory citations in § 334.102.

The other agency asked that OPM clarify whether the definition of “Institution of higher education” includes graduate level programs. OPM agrees clarification is necessary and we have revised the definition in § 334.102 to include longstanding OPM policy that this definition includes both undergraduate and graduate study.

The same agency also asked that OPM set a specific time period for maintaining copies of each written agreement that documents the obligations and responsibilities of each party to an IPA assignment. OPM believes that each agency should have the flexibility to best determine the appropriate time period for retaining copies of its written agreements under this part. We have modernized the final regulations, in § 334.106(b), to allow agencies the flexibility for establishing the time period for retaining copies of its written agreements under the IPA program.

The second agency asked that OPM clarify the IPA participation restriction in § 334.104(c) that a Federal agency may not send or receive an individual on an IPA assignment for more than four continuous years without at least a 12-month return to duty back to the organization where the individual was employed before the IPA assignment. OPM believes that the present language in § 334.104(c) sufficiently states OPM's intention that an individual may not participate on an assignment under this part for more than four continuous years without a minimum 12-month return to duty back to the individual's pre-assignment employing organization.

The same agency also asked OPM to include a statement in § 334.102(c) clarifying that “successive assignments with a break of no more than 60 calendar days will be regarded as continuous service” per guidance on OPM's Web site. For the convenience of the reader we have added the statement pertaining to successive assignments of at least 60 calendar days to § 334.102(c), which is consistent with longstanding OPM policy.

This rule has been reviewed by the Office of Management and Budget in accordance with E.O. 12866 .

I certify that these regulations would not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small entities because they would apply only to Federal agencies and employees.

• Colleges and universities
• Government employees
• Intergovernmental relations

U.S. Office of Personnel Management.

Linda M. Springer,

Accordingly, OPM is revising 5 CFR part 334 to read as follows:

Authority: 5 U.S.C. 3376 ; E.O. 11589 , 3 CFR 557 (1971-1975)

The purpose of this part is to implement title IV of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) of 1970 and title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act. These statutes authorize the temporary assignment of employees ( print page 54566) between the Federal Government and State, local, and Indian tribal governments, institutions of higher education and other eligible organizations.

In this part:

Assignment means a period of service under chapter 33, subchapter VI of title 5, United States Code;

Employee, for purposes of participation in this program, means an individual serving in a Federal agency under a career or career-conditional appointment, including career appointees in the Senior Executive Service, individuals under appointments of equivalent tenure in excepted service positions (including, e.g. , the Presidential Management Fellows Program, the Federal Career Intern Program, the Student Career Experience Program, and Veterans Recruitment Appointments (VRA)), or an individual employed for at least 90 days in a career position with a State, local, or Indian tribal government, institution of higher education, or other eligible organization;

Federal agency as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3371(3) means an Executive agency, military department, a court of the United States, the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, the Library of Congress, the Botanic Garden, the Government Printing Office, the Congressional Budget Office, the United States Postal Service, the Postal Rate Commission, the Office of the Architect of the Capitol, the Office of Technology Assessment, and such other similar agencies of the legislative and judicial branches as determined appropriate by the Office of Personnel Management;

Indian tribal government as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3371(2)(c) means any Indian tribe, band, nation, or other organized group or community, including any Alaska Native village as defined in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (85 Stat. 668), which is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of their status as Indians and includes any tribal organization as defined in section 4(c) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act;

Institution of higher education means a domestic, accredited public or private 4-year and/or graduate level college or university, or a technical or junior college;

Local government as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3371(2)(A) and (B) means:

(1) Any political subdivision, instrumentality, or authority of a State or States; and

(2) Any general or special purpose agency of such a political subdivision, instrumentality, or authority;

Other organization as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3371(4) means:

(1) A national, regional, Statewide, area wide, or metropolitan organization representing member State or local governments;

(2) An association of State or local public officials;

(3) A nonprofit organization which offers, as one of its principal functions, professional advisory, research, educational, or development services, or related services, to governments or universities concerned with public management; or

(4) A federally funded research and development center.

State as defined in 5 U.S.C. 3371(1) means a State of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, and a territory or possession of the United States; an instrumentality or authority of a State or States; and a Federal-State authority or instrumentality.

(a) Organizations interested in participating in the IPA mobility program as an instrumentality or authority of a State or local government or as an “other organization” as set out in this part must have their eligibility certified by the Federal agency with which they are entering into an assignment.

(b) Written requests for certification must include a copy of the organization's:

(1) Articles of incorporation;

(2) Bylaws;

(3) Internal Revenue Service nonprofit statement; and

(4) Any other information which indicates that the organization has as a principal function the offering of professional advisory, research, educational, or development services, or related services to governments or universities concerned with public management.

(c) Federally funded research and development centers which appear on a master list maintained by the National Science Foundation are eligible to participate in the program.

(d) An organization denied certification by an agency may request reconsideration by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

(a) The head of a Federal agency, or his or her designee, may make an assignment for up to 2 years, which may be extended for up to 2 more years if the parties agree.

(b) A Federal agency may not send an employee on an assignment if that person is a Federal employee and has participated in this program for more than a total of 6 years during his or her Federal career. OPM may waive this restriction upon the written request of the agency head, or his or her designee.

(c) A Federal agency may not send or receive an employee on an assignment if the employee has participated in this program for 4 continuous years without at least a 12-month return to duty with the organization from which the employee was originally assigned. Successive assignments with a break of no more than 60 calendar days will be regarded as continuous service under the mobility authority.

(a) A Federal employee assigned under this part must agree, as a condition of accepting an assignment, to serve with the Federal Government upon completion of the assignment for a period equal to the length of the assignment.

(b) If the employee fails to carry out this agreement, he or she must reimburse the Federal agency for its share of the costs of the assignment (exclusive of salary and benefits). The head of the Federal agency, or his or her designee, may waive this reimbursement for good and sufficient reason.

(a) Before the assignment begins, the assigned employee and the Federal agency, the State, local, Indian tribal government, institution of higher education, or other eligible organization must enter into a written agreement recording the obligations and responsibilities of the parties, as specified in 5 U.S.C. 3373-3375 .

(b) Federal agencies must maintain a copy of each assignment agreement form established under this part, including any modification to the agreement. The agency may determine the appropriate time period for retaining copies of its written agreements.

(a) An assignment may be terminated at any time at the request of the Federal agency or the State, local, Indian tribal government, institution of higher education, or other organization ( print page 54567) participating in this program. Where possible, the party terminating the assignment prior to the agreed upon date should provide 30-days advance notice along with a statement of reasons, to the other parties to the agreement.

(b) Federal assignees continue to encumber the positions they occupied prior to assignment, and the position is subject to any personnel actions that might normally occur. At the end of the assignment, the employee must be allowed to resume the duties of the employee's position or must be reassigned to another position of like pay and grade.

(c) An assignment is terminated automatically when the employer-employee relationship ceases to exist between the assignee or original employer.

(d) OPM has the authority to direct Federal agencies to terminate assignments or take other corrective actions when OPM finds assignments have been made in violation of the requirements of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act or this part.

A Federal agency which assigns an employee to or receives an employee from a State, local, Indian tribal government, institution of higher education, or other eligible organization in accordance with this part must submit to OPM such reports as OPM may request.

[ FR Doc. E6-15436 Filed 9-15-06; 8:45 am]

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• Title 41 —Public Contracts and Property Management
• Subtitle F —Federal Travel Regulation System
• Chapter 302 —Relocation Allowances
• Subchapter B —Relocation Allowances
• Part 302-3 —Relocation Allowance by Specific Type

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Subpart E
§ 302-3.400 § 302-3.401 § 302-3.402 § 302-3.403 § 302-3.404 § 302-3.405 § 302-3.406 § 302-3.407 § 302-3.408 § 302-3.409 § 302-3.410 § 302-3.411 § 302-3.412 § 302-3.413 § 302-3.414 § 302-3.415 § 302-3.416 § 302-3.417 § 302-3.418 § 302-3.419 § 302-3.420 § 302-3.421 § 302-3.422 § 302-3.423 § 302-3.424 § 302-3.425 § 302-3.426 § 302-3.427 § 302-3.428 § 302-3.429 Enhanced Content - Details 5 U.S.C. 5738 ; 20 U.S.C. 905(a) . FTR Amdt. 98, 66 FR 58196 , Nov. 20, 2001, unless otherwise noted. Enhanced Content - Print Generate PDF This content is from the eCFR and may include recent changes applied to the CFR. The official, published CFR, is updated annually and available below under "Published Edition". You can learn more about the process here . Enhanced Content - Display Options The eCFR is displayed with paragraphs split and indented to follow the hierarchy of the document. This is an automated process for user convenience only and is not intended to alter agency intent or existing codification. A separate drafting site is available with paragraph structure matching the official CFR formatting. If you work for a Federal agency, use this drafting site when drafting amendatory language for Federal regulations: switch to eCFR drafting site . Enhanced Content - Subscribe Subscribe to: 41 CFR Part 302-3 Subpart E Enhanced Content - Timeline 12/28/2021 view on this date view change introduced   Enhanced Content - Go to Date Enhanced content - compare dates, enhanced content - published edition. View the most recent official publication: View Title 41 on govinfo.gov View the PDF for 41 CFR Part 302-3 Subpart E These links go to the official, published CFR, which is updated annually. As a result, it may not include the most recent changes applied to the CFR. Learn more . Enhanced Content - Developer Tools This document is available in the following developer friendly formats: Hierarchy JSON - Title 41 Content HTML - Subpart E Content XML - Subpart E Information and documentation can be found in our developer resources . eCFR Content The Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) is the official legal print publication containing the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government. The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR) is a continuously updated online version of the CFR. It is not an official legal edition of the CFR. Enhanced Content Subpart e—employee's temporary change of station, § 302-3.400 what is a “temporary change of station (tcs)”. A TCS means the relocation to a new official station for a temporary period while performing a long-term assignment, and subsequent return to the previous official station upon completion of that assignment. § 302-3.401 What is the purpose of a TCS? A TCS provides agencies an alternative to a long-term temporary duty travel assignment which will increase your satisfaction and enhance morale, reduce your income tax liability, and save the Government money. § 302-3.402 When am I eligible for a TCS? You are eligible for a TCS when you are directed to perform a TCS at a long-term duty location, and you otherwise would be eligible for payment of temporary duty travel allowances authorized under chapter 301 of this title. For exceptions, see § 302-3.403 . § 302-3.403 Who is not eligible for a TCS? The following individuals are not eligible for a TCS: ( a ) A new appointee; ( b ) An employee assigned to or from a State or local Government under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act ( 5 U.S.C. 3372 et seq. ); ( c ) An individual employed intermittently in the Government service as a consultant or expert and paid on a daily when-actually-employed (WAE) basis; ( d ) An individual serving without pay or at $1 a year; or ( e ) An employee assigned under the Government Employees Training Act ( 5 U.S.C. 4109 ). § 302-3.404 Under what circumstances will my agency authorize a TCS? Your agency will authorize a TCS when: ( a ) It is necessary to accomplish the mission of the agency effectively and economically, and ( b ) You are directed to perform a long-term assignment at another official station; or ( c ) Your agency otherwise could authorize temporary duty travel and pay travel allowances, including payment of subsistence expenses, under chapter 301 of this title for the long-term assignment; or ( d ) Your agency determines it would be more advantageous, cost and other factors considered, to authorize a long-term assignment; and ( e ) You meet any additional conditions your agency has established. § 302-3.405 If my agency authorizes a TCS, do I have the option of electing payment of per diem expenses under part 301-11 of this title ? No, you do not have the option of electing payment of per diem expenses under part 301-11 of this title if your agency authorized a TCS. § 302-3.406 How long must my assignment be for me to qualify for a TCS? To qualify for a TCS, your assignment must be not less than 6 months, nor more than 30 months. § 302-3.407 What is the effect on my TCS reimbursement if my assignment lasts less than 6 months? Your agency may authorize a TCS only when a TCS is expected to last 6 months or more. If your assignment is cut short for reasons other than separation from Government service, you will be paid TCS expenses. § 302-3.408 What is the effect on my TCS reimbursement if my assignment lasts more than 30 months? If your assignment exceeds 30 months, your agency: ( a ) Must permanently assign you to your temporary official station or return you to your previous official station; ( b ) May not pay for extended storage or property management services incurred after the last day of the thirtieth month; and ( c ) Must pay the expenses of returning you and your immediate family and household goods to your previous official station unless you are permanently assigned to your temporary official station. § 302-3.409 Is there any required minimum distance between an official station and a TCS location that must be met for me to qualify for a TCS? No, there is no required minimum distance between an official station and a TCS location that must be met for you to qualify for a TCS. However, your agency may establish the area within which it will not authorize a TCS. § 302-3.410 Must I sign a service agreement to qualify for a TCS? No, you do not need to sign a service agreement to qualify for a TCS. § 302-3.411 What is my official station during my TCS? Your official station during your TCS is the location of your TCS. Expenses Paid Upon Assignment § 302-3.412 what expenses must my agency pay. Your agency must pay: ( a ) Travel, including per diem, for you and your immediate family under part 302-4 of this chapter ; ( b ) Transportation and temporary storage of your household goods under part 302-7 of this chapter ; ( c ) Extended storage when it is necessary as approved by your agency under part 302-8 of this chapter ; ( d ) Transportation of a mobile home instead of transportation of household goods under part 302-10 of this chapter ; ( e ) A miscellaneous expenses allowance under part 302-16 of this chapter ; ( f ) Transportation of a privately owned vehicle(s) under part 302-9 of this chapter ; and ( g ) A relocation income tax allowance under part 302-17 of this chapter for additional income taxes you incur on payments your agency makes under the authority of this section for your relocation expenses. § 302-3.413 Are there other expenses that my agency may pay? Yes, your agency may pay: ( a ) Househunting trip expenses under part 302-5 of this chapter ; ( b ) Temporary quarters subsistence expenses under part 302-6 of this chapter ; ( c ) Reimbursement for Property Management Services under part 302-15 of this chapter ; and ( d ) Reimbursement for the cost of storing, or providing for the storage without charge, of one POV when assigned a TCS in support of a contingency operation as defined in 10 U.S.C. 1482a(c)(2) and under part 302-9 of this chapter . [FTR Amdt. 98, 66 FR 58196 , Nov. 20, 2001, as amended by FTR Amdt. 2011-06, 76 FR 71889 , Nov. 21, 2011] Expenses Paid During Assignment § 302-3.414 if my agency authorizes a tcs, will it pay for extended storage of my household goods. Yes, if your agency authorizes a TCS, it will pay for extended storage when it is necessary. Extended storage expenses include: ( a ) Packing/unpacking; ( b ) Crating/uncrating; ( c ) Transporting to and from place of storage; ( d ) Charges while in storage; and ( e ) Other necessary charges directly related to storage. § 302-3.415 How long may my agency pay for extended storage of household goods? Your agency may pay for extended storage of household goods for the duration of your TCS. § 302-3.416 Is there any limitation on the combined weight of household goods I may transport and store at Government expense? Yes, the maximum combined weight is 18,000 pounds net weight. If you transport and/or store household goods in excess of the maximum weight allowance, you will be responsible for any excess cost. § 302-3.417 Will I have to pay any income tax if my agency pays for extended storage of my household goods? You will be subject to income taxes on the amount of extended storage expenses your agency pays. However, your agency will pay you a relocation income tax allowance under part 302-17 of this chapter for substantially all of the additional Federal, State and local income taxes you incur on the expenses your agency pays. § 302-3.418 May my agency pay for property management services when I am authorized a TCS? Your agency may reimburse you directly for expenses you incur or make payments on your behalf to a relocation services company, if you so choose. The term “property management services” refers to a program provided by a private company for a fee, which assists you in managing your residence at your previous official station as a rental property. Services provided by the company may include, but are not limited to, obtaining a tenant, negotiating a lease, inspecting the property regularly, managing repairs and maintenance, enforcing lease terms, collecting rent, paying the mortgage and other carrying expenses from rental proceeds and/or fund of the employee, and accounting for the transactions and providing periodic reports to the employee. § 302-3.419 For what property may my agency pay property management services? Your agency may only pay for the property from which you commuted to/from work on a daily basis at your previous official station. § 302-3.420 How long may my agency pay for property management services? Your agency may pay for property management services for the duration of your TCS. § 302-3.421 What are the income tax consequences if my agency pays for property management services? When your agency pays for property management services: ( a ) You will be taxed on the amount of property management expenses your agency pays, whether it reimburses you directly for your expenses or pays a relocation services company to manage your residence; and ( b ) Your agency will pay you a relocation income tax allowance under part 302-17 of this chapter for substantially all of the additional Federal, State and local income taxes you incur on the expenses your agency pays. You may wish to consult with a tax advisor to determine whether you will incur any additional tax liability, unrelated to your agency's payment of your property management expenses, as a result of maintaining your residence as a rental property. Expenses Paid Upon Completion of Assignment or Upon Separation From Government Service § 302-3.422 what expenses will my agency pay when i complete my tcs. Your agency will pay for the following expenses in connection with your return to your previous official station: ( b ) Transportation and temporary or extended storage of your household goods under part 302-7 and 302-8 of this chapter ; ( c ) Transportation of a mobile home instead of transportation of our household goods under part 302-10 of this chapter ; ( d ) A miscellaneous expenses allowance under part 302-16 of this chapter ; ( e ) Transportation of a privately owned vehicle(s) under part of this chapter; and ( f ) A relocation income tax allowance under part 302-17 of this chapter for additional income taxes you incur on payments your agency makes under the authority of this part for your relocation expenses. Your agency may pay temporary quarters subsistence expenses under part 302-6 of this chapter . § 302-3.423 If I separate from Government service upon completion of my TCS, what relocation expenses will my agency pay upon my separation? If you separate from Government service upon completion of your TCS, your agency will upon your separation, pay the same relocation expenses it would have paid had you not separated from Government service upon completion of your TCS. § 302-3.424 If I separate from Government service prior to completion of my TCS, what relocation expenses will my agency pay upon my separation? If you separate from Government service prior to completion of your TCS for reasons beyond your control that are acceptable to your agency, your agency will pay the same relocation expenses it would pay under § 302-3.423 . If this is not the case, the expenses your agency pays may not exceed the reimbursement that you would have received under this chapter or chapter 301 of this title whichever your agency determines to be in the best interest of the Government. § 302-3.425 If I have been authorized successive temporary changes of station and reassigned from one temporary official station to another, what expenses will my agency pay upon completion of my last assignment or my separation from Government service? Your agency will pay the expenses authorized in § 302-3.422 for your relocation from your current temporary official station to your last permanent official station. Permanent Assignment to Temporary Official Station § 302-3.426 how is payment of my tcs expenses affected if i am permanently assigned to my temporary official station. Payment of TCS expenses stops once your temporary official station becomes your permanent official station. Your agency may not pay any TCS expenses incurred beginning the day your temporary official station becomes your permanent official station. § 302-3.427 What relocation allowances may my agency pay when I am permanently assigned to my temporary official station? When you are permanently assigned to your temporary official station, your agency may pay: ( a ) Travel, including per diem, in accordance with part 302-4 of this chapter , for one round trip between your temporary official station and your previous official station, for you and members of your immediate family who relocated to the temporary official station with you. Your agency may also pay the same expenses for a one-way trip from the previous official station to the new permanent official station for any immediate family members who did not accompany you to the temporary official station; ( b ) Residence transaction expenses under part 302-11 of this chapter ; ( c ) Property management expenses under part 302-15 of this chapter ; ( d ) Relocation services under part 302-12 of this chapter ; ( e ) Temporary quarters subsistence expenses in accordance with part 302-6 of this chapter ; ( f ) Transportation of household goods not previously transported to the temporary official station under part 302-7 of this chapter ; ( g ) Transportation of a privately owned vehicle(s) not previously transported to the temporary official station under § 302-9.7 of this chapter ; and ( h ) Relocation income tax allowance (RITA) under part 302-17 of this chapter . [FTR Amdt. 98, 66 FR 58196 , Nov. 20, 2001, as amended by FTR Amdt. 2011-06, 76 FR 71889 , Nov. 21, 2011; 86 FR 73684 , Dec. 28, 2021] § 302-3.428 If I am permanently assigned to my temporary official station, is there any limitation on the weight of household goods I may transport at Government expense to my official station? Yes. If you are permanently assigned to your temporary official station, you are limited to 18,000 pounds net weight for household goods you may transport at Government expense to your official station. This maximum weight will be reduced by the weight of any household goods transported at Government expense to your temporary official station under your TCS authorization. Subject to the 18,000 pound limit, your agency will pay to transport any household goods in extended storage to your official station. Additionally, if you change your residence as a result of your permanent assignment to your temporary official station, your agency may pay for transporting your household goods, subject to the 18,000-pound limit, between the residence you occupied during your temporary assignment and your new residence. § 302-3.429 Are there any relocation allowances my agency may not pay if I am permanently assigned to my temporary official station? If you are permanently assigned to your temporary official station, your agency may not pay: ( a ) Expenses of a househunting trip for you and your spouse to your temporary official station under part 302-5 of this chapter ; or ( b ) Residence transaction expenses for selling a residence or breaking a lease at the temporary official station under part 302-11 of this chapter . Reader Aids Information. About This Site Legal Status Accessibility No Fear Act Continuity Information Acquisition IT & Networks Federal Oversight Your Career Thought Leadership Retirement and health benefits Service credit Who gets my survivor annuity? Enrollment in health benefits Special Retirement Supplement FEHB re-enrollment Medicare entitlement and sign up Social Security Survivor annuity Temporary promotion rules Q: Can management temporarily promote (non-competitively) an employee to the lower grade of a six/seven-graded position for 120 days? Are temporary promotions limited to the full-performance level only of a given position? What specific rules support or prevent such actions? A: Temporary promotions are intended to meet the temporary needs of the agency’s work program when those services can’t be provided by other means.To be temporarily promoted, an employee has to meet the same qualification requirements that are needed for the permanent promotion. He or she receives the higher-graded salary for the period assigned and gains quality experience and time-in-grade at the higher grade level. The first 120 days can be made noncompetitively. In other words, the employee doesn’t have to compete with other employees for the temporary assignment. If the temporary promotion is extended beyond 120 days, competition is required. The maximum time period for a temporary promotion is five years, unless OPM authorizes the agency to make and/or extend it for a longer period. If the temporary promotion that was originally made under competitive procedures, it can be extended up to five years without further competition. About Author Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to [email protected] . Related Posts Returning to work, looking for a higher grade, 190 comments. How many times can someone be temporarily promoted? For example, if someone was temporarily promoted for 120 days (non-competitively), do they have to wait a year before receiving another temporary promotion? Yes. If the temporary promotion is extended beyond 120 days, competition is required. What if they were returned to their lower grade after the 120? Can management temp promo them again say 90 days after the Change to Lower Grade, or would they have to wait a year? No, they couldn’t be promoted again. They’d have to wait a year. Does the ‘wait a year’ mean from the start date or end date of the previous temp promo? For example if someone went into a temp promo on August 1, 2016 and ended on November 29, 2016 (120 days later) can they get another temp promo starting after August 1, 2017 or is it not until the end of November 2017? The Department of Commerce has developed guidance that best answers your question. http://www.hr.commerce.gov/s/groups/public/@doc/@cfoasa/@ohrm/documents/content/prod01_010275.pdf I looked on the page you referenced in your lastest email on this thread and it does not tell you how long you have to wait per the question Christine asked. Does it go by the time you start the temp promotion, the time you end the temp promotion or is it just by calendar year or fiscal year. That’s the only think I need to know if you could help please. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to find an official answer to your question. Based solely on my own experience as a federal employee, the year began on the date the first temporary appointment ended. I hope other readers with will chime in with their experience. What if it’s to a different position entirely? No problem, as long as it’s a position for which you are qualified at the same grade and pay and in the same commuting area. Do you have a specific reference for this? Where I can find that the employee has to wait a year. You’ll find the answer to your question in 5 CFR § 335.103 – Agency promotion programs. Just scroll to subsection (c). As for your request, there is no mention in those regulations of having to wait a year. In my situation, I was temporarily promoted to a position and had a remainder of 44 days out of the 120 days non competitively. I’m being temporarily promoted again to a different position. The HR didn’t know it was a different position number (it’s the same job title and job series). Management wants to fill the vacancy for 120 days. Since it’s a different job, do you see issues with not being able to fill it for 120 days? No, I don’t. Can a temporary promotion be denied? You’ll have to explain what you mean when you say “denied”. Yes. If you are going from a technical series to a professional series your time in the tech series counts at a whopping 25% toward a year TIG How long can a person be temporarily promoted to a higher grade and position before they are entitled to be paid for serving in the higher position? If a person is temporarily promoted to a higher grade, he is automatically entitled to the pay of that position. You ma be thinking of a temporary detail, which doesn’t require a change in pay. Where is the regulation for that. 5 CFR § 335.103 If 3 people are temporarily being paid higher position rate until the position is filled. 2 people turn down the offer (senority) and third person accepts. Should first 2 who turned down offer, lose temporary higher wage? I am new to the federal government and am only at month 9, there is a detail promotion to gs11 which I am qualified and I have been volunteeringly doing similar activities in my current role. I am currently gs9 , can I apply for this detail or must I wait until my 1 year mark. Unless there is something in the detail promotion announcement that would bar it, you can apply. Can management hire a term employee under a temporary promotion NTE 120, if the employee doesn’t have a career or career conditional appointment. Yes, a term employee can be promoted, changed to lower grade, detailed or reassigned to other positions within the time limits of their term appointments to other positions which the management has determined appropriate for filling by term appointment. Can you weigh in on this scenario? In January, I applied for a promotion from a GS-12 to a GS-13 and made the certificate, then the federal hiring freeze hit. In March, I received a non-competitive temporary promotion NTE 120 days from a GS-12 to a GS-13 for the position that I had applied for in January. Now that the hiring freeze has lifted and a permanent, competitive selection can be made, on April 30, while serving in the non-competitive temporary promotion, I received a permanent competitive promotion to that exact same position. My question is that my HR is telling me that since I was serving in the promotion in a non-competitive capacity, that I have to be demoted back to a 12 before I can be competitively promoted back to the 13, thus losing any time in grade that I have earned. But everything I can find online, including OPM, seems to indicate that I should not be demoted. Though the OPM guidance makes no mention of competitive and non-competitive. What are your thoughts? According to OPM, you do not have to be returned to your lower graded position when you’ve been competitively selected for the higher graded position. Therefore, your time-in-grade would be continuous. Do you have a specific reference for this situation ? All I find generically refers to a temp promotion later made permanent. It does Not seem to address the non-competitive aspect of the temp promotion. Here are two sites that may be of help: https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/pay-leave/pay-administration/fact-sheets/promotions and https://www.opm.gov/FAQs/topic/payleave/?cid=7af052ed-d514-4af1-a6d4-a3837176b6c9 As a GS8 with one agency, would I be qualified for a GS11 with a different agency? As I’ve been told that if its with a different agency you could jump 3 grades if your experience level qualifies you for it. If you met the eligibility requirements for a higher grade, an agency could hire you at that level To qualify for a temporary promotion do you have to have a year at the next lower grade or can you just qualify based on the job you do. Like if I want to temp promote a GS 9 with only 9 month at that level can they still be qualified to be temp promoted at the 11 level. Yes, you can. Are you saying that if you are a GS13 you can get a temporary promotion to the next higher grade without having the 52 weeks – if you have taken on the role/duties? Can you share with me where that is located? I have asked this question and I was told no, I did my own research on the OPM website and don’t see it. Yes, you can if you meet any of the exception criteria: § 300.603Coverage. (a) Coverage. This subpart applies to advancement to a General Schedule position in the competitive service by any individual who within the previous 52 weeks held a General Schedule position under nontemporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service in the executive branch, unless excluded by paragraph (b) of this section. (b) Exclusions. The following actions may be taken without regard to this subpart but must be consistent with all other applicable requirements, such as qualification standards: (1) Appointment based on selection from a competitive examination register of eligibles or under a direct hire authority. (2) Noncompetitive appointment based on a special authority in law or Executive order (but not including transfer and reinstatement) made in accordance with all requirements applicable to new appointments under that authority. (3) Advancement in accordance with part 335 of this chapter up to any General Schedule grade the employee previously held under nontemporary appointment in the competitive or excepted service. (4) Advancement of an employee from a non-General Schedule position to a General Schedule position unless the employee held a General Schedule position under nontemporary appointment in the executive branch within the previous 52 weeks. (5) Advancement of an individual whose General Schedule service during the previous 52 weeks has been totally under temporary appointment. (6) Advancement of an employee under a training agreement established in accordance with OPM’s operating manuals. However, an employee may not receive more than two promotions in any 52-week period solely on the basis of one or more training agreements. Also, only OPM may approve a training agreement that provides for consecutive promotions at rates that exceed those permitted by § 300.604 of this part. (7) Advancement to avoid hardship to an agency or inequity to an employee in an individual meritorious case but only with the prior approval of the agency head or his or her designee. However, an employee may not be promoted more than three grades during any 52-week period on the basis of this paragraph. (8) Advancement when OPM authorizes it to avoid hardship to an agency or inequity to an employee in individual meritorious situations not defined, but consistent with the definitions, in § 300.602 of this part. The agency that I work for has been only opening permanent promotions to the higher leadership and tell everyone who is GS-13 and below that they can’t open any permanent slots for promotion because of sequestration. Only temporary promotions have been filled for the last three years. However, other directorates within the same command are filling permanent promotions on a regular basis. Is there any truth to not being able to permanently promote based on the sequestration or continuing resolution? Agencies can control their spending in a variety of ways. Using temporary promotions rather than permanent is one of their options. Does time in grade requirements apply to temporary promotions for less than 120 days? And if not, where can I find the regulation? Yes,as long as you are converted to a permanent position without returning to the lower grade. In addition, the time spent on a temporary promotion would be considered creditable service in the calculation of your next WGI. Processing a permanent promotion without moving you back to the lower graded position doesn’t change the date of the “equivalent increase.” Therefore, the waiting period starts on the date of the temporary promotion. Can my temporary promotion be extended beyond 120 days if the position has been announced and currently pending permanent fill action? Only if it is announced competitively and you are selected. The position was announced competitively as a GS12, but I would not qualify as my temporary promotion is only GS9. Can my promotion be extended until the position is filled? Only if its done competitively. Can a supervisor deny an employee the opportunity to apply for a competitive temporary appointment (either detail or temp promotion)? Understand that the act of applying can not be denied. If selected for a competitive temporary promotion can a supervisor deny the promotion opportunity to a full successful employee? Is the answer (either way) documented where that I can find it to share with an applicant? Regulations tell you what you can do, not what you can’t. If an employee has applied for a temporary promotion and is selected, no one can block that action. Our agency post temporary promotion opportunities on the intranet site and they require supervisory concurrence. If I’m selected, can the supervisor deny me the opportunity to work a non-competitive temporary promotion NTE 120 days? Where/what regulations explain this? Yes, your supervisor can deny you that opportunity if your absence would adversely affect the work your unit needs to accomplish. If it’s proven that my absence does not adversely affect the work the unit needs to accomplish, is the supervisor concurrence required? Or does the supervisor have unbridled authority to deny me this opportunity? You don’t have the unilateral right to decide when you’ll take annual leave. If you want to take annual leave, check with your supervisor. If you are only talking about a couple of hours, approval would usually be automatic. However, if several days or more are involved, the supervisor will be in a better position to determine whether your absence will pose a problem. For example if he or she has already approved leave for others on the staff and one or more assignments may have to be reassigned to you. Am I automatically entitled to the pay of that position under 5 CFR § 335.103 if I was selected by the receiving office’s supervisor but the home office supervisor refused to give supervisory concurrence for the non-competitive temporary promotions NTE 120 days? But didn’t the home officer supervisor take a personnel action against the employee when not providing supervisory concurrence to the non-competitive temporary promotion even though a selection was made? I have just recently learned about this and am trying to get more information. Currently I am a GS5 working in an office that has only 1 of 3 GS9 spots filled. I have for over a year now actively been responsible for a majority of the responsibilities that would normally fall under one of the 9 roles. This has been acknowledged by leadership and I have received multiple praises for my performance. One reason the 9 spots have remained empty is they are in the process of downgrading 2 of the positions to GS7’s. My question is can I and if so how do I go about getting it documented that I have been performing at a 9 level in the absence of one being assigned and receive the pay of such. Additionally, is there an avenue to fight for a promotion to the 7 or 9 level based on my performance over the past year or more? How you’ve been performing your job isn’t the issue. It’s the assigned duties assigned in your job description. The only way to find out if those duties are at the GS-7 or GS-9 level is for your personnel office to conduct an audit of your position. I have a question. I was unofficially temporarily promoted to a higher graded position for over 2 years. I had to take the matter to arbitration for having it documented officially and to get back pay. If the arbitrator’s decision is in my favor and they make it official, does the 2 years count towards time-in-grade? If it does, does that mean it counts towards my retirement as well? Yes to both questions. Can a person be forced to work in a higher grade position without being temporarily promoted? For example, can management make a GS4 work in a GS7 position without temporarily the GS4 to GS7? Yes, as long as the assignment is short-term. Can you provide a reference, if someone has been forced to work at a higher grade for 2 years without pay or documentation? Commander (military) wrote a letter to the employee stating he will have to continue to perform the 13 as well as his 11 job, for no additional pay. There is no local HR to challenge this, and despite a request, no SF-50 issued to document it. I would like to be able to point the employee to a law/regulation on this issue. Hello Reg, I have a scenario similar to some of the above situations. I am a permanent GS-13 step 7, due for my WGI to step 8 on 18NOV2017. OPM rules state that increase is effective the following pay period, which would be 26NOV2017. However, on 20AUG2017 I was detailed and temporarily promoted to GS-14 step 4 (2 step rule), and continue to serve in that position – likely until 25NOV2017. I have now been competitively selected for a permanent GS-14 position in the same geographic area, and my report date is being discussed as 26NOV2017. Based on ‘time served,’ I expect to start at GS-14 step 5. I am concerned I may lose out on a step increase. Should I be? Thank you! You may find the answer you’re looking for at the following website: https://www2.usgs.gov/humancapital/hr/documents/withingradeincreasesfs.pdf Hello Mr. Jones, I was working in an temp promotion position (TCS), then was temporary promoted to the next higher grade NTE 120 days. Upon the end of my temp promotion NTE 120 days, I was told I couldn’t return to the grade I was prior to the temp promotion NTE, I would have to return to my permanent grade prior to my TCS. I never left the location I’m in, however my SF 50 supports I went back to my home station was changed to a lower grade. Is this the proper procedure? If not, what reg should I reference? Thank you Yes, it was the proper procedure. I am in the second year of a NTE 3-5 years promotion. I went from GS12 to GS13 for the NTE. Since I have comepleted one year at the GS13, can I now apply and be considered non-competitively for a permanent GS13 position? You’ll have to check with your personnel office. Can a lower grade be promoted if they are performing the next higher grade duties on a routine basis? Scenario: My supervisor has been away on and off for ongoing medical treatments for the past year. There are many work weeks where he only works 2 days or takes a week or two off a month for treatment. The result is that the burden of work and duties default to me when the incumbent is away. He is scheduled to retire in 5 to 6 months but the reality is that until then, I will be performing both mine and his duties (30 to 50% of the time) until then. I would appreciate any guidance or references to this type of situation. I am a Gs-4. For the last year and a few months, I’ve taken on half of our secretaries duties, to include supply and contract management. Our secretary has decided to retire next yr. in Feb which is less than 4 months away. The store administrator has asked that she trained ME to take over. It doesn’t bother me, but I feel I should be paid adequately.. please advise I’m not aware of any way your pay could be increased. Hi – What is the effect of the Hiring Freeze on a temporary promotion? Would an incumbent in a temporary promotion at the start of a hiring freeze simply be left in their position without the mandatory competition? See https://www.defense.gov/Portals/1/Documents/pubs/OSD000999-17-RES-Final.pdf at p. 5, Section B, part 3. Also, it is well-settled that the while the initial temporary promotion can be management’s mandate, what happens if the second 120-day temporary promotion is not competed and simply goes the management’s designee? Sounds like a Prohibited Personnel Practice to me. The answer to your question and your surmise are best answered by DoD, not this site. I am an 1811 SSA/GS-13. My ASAC (GS-14 position) retired and I was filling the position for just under 120 days. No SF-50, no additional pay provided. Is this a temp promotion or a temp detail? Am I entitled to GS-14 pay? If so, does the agency have to pay me, or is it optional? Thank you! Only your agency can answer that question. I was temporarily promoted to a 13 and now a reassignment opportunity has come up for a 13. Is that something I am eligible for since technically I am a 13 at the moment? Check with your HR office. Hi, I am a GS 13 step 4 eligible for a within-grade increase in 4 months to step 5. I’ve now received a temp NTE one year promotion to grade 14 step 1. My questions are 1) Will I still get a step increase in 4 months to GS 13 step 5, which means I would then also be temporarily promoted to GS 14 step 2? 2) Also when I return in a year to a GS 13, will my one year of GS 14 count for anything, for example if I subsequently get a permanent promotion to GS 14 will my one year prior service as a GS 14 step 1 allow me to go to GS 14 step 2 any faster? Thanks No, you wouldn’t be temporarily promoted to GS-14 step 2. Yes, the time would count toward future step increases. If a there is a temporary promotion to a GS14, how would it be handled to go permanent if the individual is 30% eligible veteran? Would the Veteran still have to compete? what if you are a GS8 and take a non competitive detail of a position that is a GS6, what are the guidelines for that? There is no promotion or pay increase. How long could your detail be? The detail of an employee from one position to another with no change in pay is an option available to each agency. As a rule, such details are for a maximum of 120 days. Can I do details followed by NTE 120 days Temp Promotion? Maybe or maybe not. Your agency is in the best position to answer that question. Hello Reg. My colleague left the agency after getting a GS-15 offer. His position was a GS-14. My supervisor with through great effort over a year ago to rewrite the PD’s so it would be plan to see the differences in duties and responsibilities between the 13’s and the 14’s. My Colleague left about 6 months ago and I was asked to take over his duties and responsibilities and have done so for the past 6 mounts as a 13. My question is based on fairness. When I inquire about the 14 position. I am told that grade and promotions are frozen through this fiscal year. Do I have any recourse to try to get the promotion? Thanks. Unfortunately, no. Hello Reg, Currently I’m a gs 8 non supervisor preforming all my required duties in addition to all the duties of a vacant gs 11supervisor and a gs11 non supervisor position for over a year with out a temporary appointment. On avarage working 24 to 48 hrs of overtime a pay period,no end in sight. How can I be compensated for filling these positions? While your agency could recommend you for a quality step increase or a cash award for your exceptional performance, there’s no other way that you could be compensated. Can the 2 step rule apply when going from one temporary promotion NTE 1 year up to 5 years to another higher grade temporary promotion NTE 1 year up to 5 years? Our GS13 supervisor is out on FMLA and expected to return in six months. Instead of temp promoting the one and only GS12 in our office, the agency has decided to announce a temp promotion at the GS12 level to broaden the applicant pool. So, if the GS12 applies it would only be a detail. Does the agency have any responsibility to also announce a temp promotion at the GS13 level? No, it doesn’t. If I accept a term or temporary appointment (at a higher grade) will that count towards my high-3 or is there some exclusion for those types of appointments when it comes to high 3? Yes, it will count. That’s because your high-3 will be based on the Basic pay you received during your highest 78 consecutive pay periods. I’m currently on a Temporary Promotion for 120, which ends next week. From what I’ve read, I’m only allowed one TP per year unless they advertise for it to be extended. My questions is can they give me a promotion and or reassign me to this position without competing for it. Is there an alternative, so as not to go back to my previous level? What implications will there be for going back to a lower grade? No, they can’t give you a promotion nor is there an alternative to your going back to your previous level. If my office posts a vacancy for a temporary promotion (lets say at the GS-13 level) not to exceed 1 year. Can applicants that are currently GS-13’s apply and be considered and/or referred? If so how and based on what rule? You’ll have to check with you personnel office to find out if their are any limits to who can apply. I applied for and successfully competed for temporary promotion / detail opportunity. I received SF-50 showing temporary grade increase from a GS-09 to a GS-11 with an NTE date 120 days from start date. Can I be extended another 120 days without competition? What is the maximum amount of time for extension? For an answer to your question, go to http://retirement.federaltimes.com/2011/06/28/temporary-promotion-rules I am a permanent GS-9 and there is a NTE 1 year Temporary promotion or reassignment to a GS-11. If I was to compete for this and get it, what happens when my year is up? Would my old position still be there or would I have to find another permanent job before the year is up? Your agency must return you to your old position or one for which you are qualified that is equivalent. How is “one for which you are qualified that is equivalent” defined? I’ve not been able to find any regulation defining this. Can you please provide a reference? I’ve been told that it’s dependent upon what is vacant and available in the table of organization at the time I resume my original position of record at my duty station. Thank you. An equivalent position means a position that is virtually identical to the original position in terms of pay, benefits, and other employment terms and conditions (including shift and location). I am a GS 13. I was competed for and was temporarily promoted to a GS 14 position NTE to 1 year. My year ends Sept 30th, 2018. I would like to go back to my old position or equivalent. But my agency wants me to stay in GS 14 position for another 120 days, as a temp detail. May I decline? I lose the pay bump, and there’s NO promise to compete this position as a permanent one. Yes, you are free to decline the extension. However, the fact that “there’s NO promise to compete the position as a permanent one” ought not to be your sole reason for declining it. I have been temporarily promoted three times from a GS11 to the same GS12 position. The first time I was promoted was from March 2015 until June 2015. The second time was from November 2017 until March 2018 (Non Competitive 120 days) and the current one from June 2018 to November 2018 (Competitive). Adding all the weeks I will have more than 52 weeks as a GS12. Do I have any retention rights? But, having completed the 52 accumulative weeks, am I able to apply for GS-13 even within my agency? If yes, how should I demonstrate that on my resume? I have the SF50 to as evidence. You can apply for any position for which you qualified and that is not restricted, for example, to candidates outside the agency. You don’t have to demonstrate anything. Your personnel file will contain all the information that’s needed. I have been in a temporary promotion assignment since September 2018. My 120 days will expire in January 2019. Since the 120 days crosses over to the new calendar year does that mean my detail couldn’t be extended to another 120 days without competition? The reason why I am asking is because my Agency has been trying to fill this job for a year now and is currently considering applicants that applied for the position on a permanent basis. Temporary promotions aren’t limited by calendar years. They end after 120 days. I’m currently a GS-07 non-supervisor, who has been tasked w/ taking on all of the duties of a vacant GS-11 non-supervisor pos in the office. I was advised that I could not be put into a temporary out of class pay for the 11’s job, bc it’s too high of a jump. Is that true? Also, can you pls let me know if it is it legal (or within regs) for me to have to do all of the GS-11’s duties, in addition to my normal GS-07 duties, without compensation? Yes, it is legal for them to ask you to fill in. No, you can’t be expected to do all the duties of that position, only the ones for which you are qualified. Thank you for the reply, I very much appreciate it. I’ve been doing everything for the past four mos, all on my own. They have now provided me w/ some temporary help. In essence, I could file a grievance, correct? Yes, you could file a grievance. Whether that is in your best interest is something you’ll have to decide. If you feel that your agency is doing the best they can with available resources, that might not be a good idea. On the other hand, if you feel that they are taking advantage of you, then filling a grievance might be worth considering. However, before doing that, you should talk with your supervisor, explain your concerns, and find out both how long this assignment is expected to last and why. I have been in a temporary promotion position (NTE 1 year) since October 1, 2018. I am electing to return to my previous lower-graded position at my old office. They are doing 120 day rotations for a supervisory position at my old office. Will I be eligible for a 120 day rotation there after having been in a temporary position previously? Nothing that I’ve been able to find says that you wouldn’t be eligible for a 120-day rotation. I’m currently a GS11/6 and was offered a Temp Promotion which is for 2 years @ GS12 /4. After the 2 years is up will my pay revert back to gs11/6? Yes, it will. I applied for, interviewed for and successfully got an NTE 120-day temporary promotion from a GS 12 to a 13. I am interested in applying for another temporary promotion to a different job series within the same 12-month period. However, I am unclear if the first temporary promotion was competitive or not, which would determine if I can apply for another temporary promotion in the same 12 months. How do you know if you “competed” for a temporary promotion? Is there anything in writing I can reference? You’ll have to check with your personnel office. They’ll have a record of the announcement and and the selection process. Hi. If I obtained a competitive temporary promotion which was over a year, then returned to my permanent position one grade lower, does my pay when returned undergo the application of the two step rule? I understand temporary promotion definition but 5 CFR531.403 also states a temporary promotion past a year is considered a permanent position. I have completed 3 non consecutive temporary promotions at the GS-13 level. Am I now eligible to apply for GS-14 positions as a GS-12? That’s a question that would be best answered by your agency’s personnel office. Good Afternoon, I am a permanent GS-12 at my home station but competed for and accepted a deployed TCS GS-13 assignment NTE 13 Months on 19 August 2018. Am I eligible for a non-competitive 120 day temporary promotion on 1 June 2019? If so, how does that effect time in grade? Will I have 9 months time in grade for my GS-13 time and 4 months for my GS-14 time, or will all my time in grade be determined by my competitive placement (13 months as a GS-13)? Thank you for your information. “What if” questions like the ones you’ve asked are best answered by your servicing personnel office. I am a GS 13 and was temporarily appointed to a position non-competitively which recently ended after 120 days. There is a different GS-14 position within the organization that they are looking to fill non-competitively and I am wondering if I can be considered for it or if I have to wait a full year. If you can please let me know, that would be great! Thanks! No, you can’t be considered for it. If someone is in a NTE 1 year promotional detail can they be moved back to the original lower grade position because the did not hire behind it and are down needing help? If you serve a temporary promotion for over a year, and have the supporting SF-50, are you eligible to apply none competitively to that grade? Such as an individual is a GS-13, but temporary promoted to GS-14 for one year. That person doesn’t get the promotion and goes back to the Gs-13 position. Are they able to apply as a lateral to a GS-14 as they have 1 year time in grade? I was given a Temporary Promotion (with pay) that started on 20 July 2019 and is going to end the last part of October 2019. My supervisor wants to place me in a Temporary Detail (without pay) as soon as the Temporary Promotion ends. I want to do it to continue to gain experience. Can my supervisor do this? What do you mean when you say “without pay”?” When I say without pay, I mean I will go back to being paid at my actual pay level. The temporary promotion was to a GS-14 and I am currently being paid at the GS-14 level. My question is: Can I be placed in a Temporary detail at the GS-14 level immediately after my Temporary Promotion ends? What is the difference between a Temporary Promotion and a Temporary Detail or are they the same thing? A temporary promotion is intended to meet the temporary needs of an agency’s work needs when those services can’t be met by other means. To be temporarily promoted, an employee has to meet the same qualification requirements that are needed for the permanent promotion. He or she receives the higher graded salary for the period assigned and gains quality experience and time-in-grade at the higher grade level. The 120 days can be made noncompetitively. In other words, the employee doesn’t have to compete with other employees for the temporary assignment. A detail is the temporary assignment of an employee to a different position or set of duties for a specified period when the employee is expected to return to his/her regular duties at the end of the assignment. An employee who is on detail is considered for pay and FTE purposes to be permanently occupying his or her regular position. Therefore, there is no change to the employee’s grade or salary while serving on the detail (even though the duties associated with the detail opportunity may be classified at a higher or lower grade level than the employee’s current position). So once I finish my Temporary Promotion where I’m being paid at the GS-14 level, I can then serve in a detail in that same job immediately after the temporary promotion ends, I would just be paid at my regular grade level correct? If that is the case, how long can the detail last? How long? That’s up to your agency to decide. Thank you for the information on Temporary Promotions and Temporary Detail Can an individual who was recently promoted (4 months ago) from a GS 12 position to a NTE for 1 yr at the GS 13 level, compete for a permanent GS 14 vacancy announcement through merit promotion procedures? You’ll have to check the vacancy announcement to find out if there are any restrictions on who may apply for the position, e.g., “must have served at the GS-13 level for at least 1 year.” Does 120 days temp promotion get included into you average high three for retirement? Yes, as long as it falls within your highest three consecutive years of average pay. I worked for a DoD unit in Germany as a GS-12. My boss resigned leaving the position vacant. I was given a temp promotion to GS-13 for 120-days. At the end of the 120 days, our organization was under a hiring freeze and I was required to continue working in the GS-13 position, even though I was reduced back to the rate of a GS-12. Once the hiring freeze was finished at seven month mark, it was determined that the civilian positions in our part of the organization would go away once I was transferred back to the states. I continued to work in the capacity of the GS-13 position for a total of 15 months, 11 of those only being paid and recognized only as a GS-12. Is there any recourse I can take to get back paid for the level of work I was required to do, and get recognition for the more than 12 months of GS-13 experience that would make me eligible for higher promotions? No recourse that I know of. I am a permanent WG-8 and have been selected for a WS-7 supervisor Not to exceed 5 years. I am not happy with the new job. Can i just tell my supervisor and be converted back to the permanent WG-8 in the same department i was in before i accepted the WS-7 position? You can ask you supervisor and hope that he will be able to do that. Under the following scenario, am I eligible for a Career Ladder Promotion? I applied to a Competitive Announcement. I was selected and I was Temporarily Promoted from a GS 9 to a GS 11 . My Temporary Promotion has now been extended an additional year. The position is GS 11 with a Full Potential of GS 12. Since I have now served a year at the GS 11 in this Temporary Promotion, am I eligible for a Career Ladder Promotion to the GS 12? I cannot find any guidance on this, if you have any I can share with my supervisory, it would be very helpful. I’ll have to defer to one of our readers who may be better qualified than I am to answer your question. I have worked in a GS 13/14 equivalent pay band position for 2-1/2 years; if I am offered a (competitive or non competitive) temporary promotion to a GS 15 equivalent pay band supervisor position, can I receive a permanent promotion to this position under direct hire authority (schedule A)? There are too many variables. You’ll have to present those scenarios to your local personnel office and find out what they have to say. I have a colleague who competitively competed for a GS-13 temporary position NTE 5 years. The reason for that position was a specific project and money being sent from another organization to pay for that GS-13 position. However, the project ended early thus no more money and the organization ended the temporary position. He was told he goes back to his old GS-12 position and pay by the local HR department. Is this correct? He feels he should get to keep his pay since he served in that position for longer than 52 weeks (approximately 60 weeks). Thanks! It all depends. You may find your answer at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/data-analysis-documentation/personnel-documentation/processing-personnel-actions/gppa14.pdf . Apologies if you have answered this question already. I was temporarily promoted to a positon in our office and completed the 120 days, 3 months ago. We’ve had another employee depart, same series and grade as the previous temp promotion. Can I be temporarily promoted to the new vacancy? I couldn’t find anything saying that you can’t. If anyone else has better information, please share it with us. I am currently a GS-11, but have been in an acting capacity at the Gs-12 level several times over the past few years totaling more than 12 months time performing GS-12 duties and gaining experience. There is a GS-13 being announced that fits my experience outside the VA that’s only open internally, so I’d need to mee the 1-yr time in grade at the GS-12. Is there a way for me to use the 12 months + acting in a GS-12 in order to meet the time in grade? How is this best documented when applying in order to be considered qualified? You’ll need to pull out the Standard Form 52s documenting the beginning and ending dates of your time as an acting GS-12. However, if, as you wrote, the job is outside your own agency and open solely to internal competition, you wouldn’t be eligible to apply for that position. In the original posted answer in this thread, you wrote that, “The maximum time period for a temporary promotion is five years, unless OPM authorizes the agency to make and/or extend it for a longer period.” I located this reference in § 335.102, Agency authority to promote, demote, or reassign. Thank you for that. My question relates to how one can reasonably and factually find out if a given, specific agency has been given this extension authority by OPM and for how long? My servicing HR office (a regional office) is so overwhelmed that even basic inquiries go unanswered for long periods of time. So posing this arcane question to them seems difficult, at best. Do you know of another resource to answer this agency-specific question, or even how to approach this quandary? Thank you. Hi, I am a GS9 step 5 and was due for a step increase in pay period 26 in 2019. However, I did serve in a temporary promotion for 120 days as a GS11 step 1 within the last 2 years. When that was done i moved back to GS9 step 5. Should I receive the step increase after an additional 120 days beyond pp 26? The time you were temporarily promoted counts toward the time needed for a step increase. Hi, I’m a GS-12 that applied for a temporary detail that was competitively advertised as a GS13. The detail is advertised as temporary NTE 1 year but extendable up to total of 4 yrs. The position announcement states that “SELECTEE(S) MAY BE CONVERTED WITHOUT FURTHER COMPETITION, IF THE POSITION BECOMES PERMANENT. SELECTEES WHO ARE NOT CONVERTED TO PERMANENT POSITIONS WILL RETURN TO THEIR FORMER POSITION OF RECORD OR LIKE POSITION (SAME GRADE, FULL PERFORMANCE LEVEL AND LOCATION), AFTER COMPLETION OF THE TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT”. If selected and accepted, what documentation should I seek to show that I am working at a GS13 level before, during and after the detail? You’ll need a copy of the position announcement and any Standard Form 50s that are generated before, during, and after the event. I’m a GS-12 that was in an “Acting” GS-13 Supervisory position for 180 days when our supervisor left the agency. I was told I could not go past 180 days or I would have to paid as a GS13. I inquired about a SF52s being generated and was told it was being looked into. I’m not sure I’m getting the correct info from my agency. What should I receive for 180 days in a GS-13 slot? It appears that your were temporarily assigned for a period of time not to exceed 180 days. During that time you continued to receive the salary of the position from which you were detailed. At the end of that detail, you were returned to your official position of record. That personnel action will be included in your OPF. I was told I would not be receiving SF52s or any notes in my 0PF as that had to of been done while I was in that position. Since I’m no longer in the position they will not generate anything? If you occupied that position and carried out its duties, your agency is required to document that fact on an SF52. If it wasn’t done at the time, it should be done after you return to your former position. Can a probationary employee be Temporarily Promoted (NTE 120 days)? I can’t find anything in writing saying that it can be done, nor can I find anything in writing that says it can’t. If a person who is a GS-8 receives a 120 day temp promotion as a GS-9 and then returns to the GS-8 position upon reaching the NTE date, does that 120 days count toward a WGI at the GS-8 level they are permanently in? I was a permanent GS-13 employee and was competively temporarily promoted to a GS-14 not to exceed 5 years. My question is, does my time as a temp promoted GS-14 count as time in grade? So I would qualify for a permanent GS-15 position after at least 1 year as a temporary promoted GS-14? What about if the GS-15 was a temporary promotion position as well, can you be temporary promoted from your temporary promotion position? Also does the salary in a temporary promotion count towards your high-3 in regards to retirement pension? Yes, the time you spent in the higher level position counts toward your time-in-grade in your permanent position. It will also be included when your high-3 is determined. While I doubt that you could be promoted from one temporary promotion to a higher temporary position, I haven’t found anything in writing that would prevent it. If you do three 120 day details in a temp promotion, does that qualify you as having time in grade at that GS level (even though it’s 360 days and not 365) or do you need to do some combination of details that the total is over 365 days to be considered having time in grade? Time spent on details is calculated no differently than time spent in you original job. I have been on a temporary appointment at GS-14 step 2 for two years which ends in two months. The agency can’t extend the assignment and they are telling me I’d go back to GS-13 Step 4 which was my last position. I would like to retain my current pay. Could the agency place me back as GS-13 but at a higher step that matches my current salary? If yes, or no – could you reference the regulation please? I can find nothing in law or regulation that would allow your agency to set your step at a level higher than you are currently entitled to. Do i keep my pay after 1 NTE when returning to my old position? I have been an acting 14 for 17 months and counting. I was temporarily promoted competitively during that period for NTE 9 months. That has ended and now I am back to my previous grade but still in an acting capacity. I have applied and have been told I will be selected permanently. If that happens, will I be able say my TIG is over a year at the 14 level when it comes to calculating my step level, ie. 14-4 since my TPRO was at 14-3. Any period during which you were temporarily promoted would count toward your time-in-grade at that level. Time served in an acting capacity would not. Reg, thank you very much for this message board- it is a helpful resource. I am a GS06 Step 6 Admin Asst. currently in a detail as a GS06 St. 6 Secretary’s Assistant. My detail ends in three weeks. The highest grade level I’ve ever held was as a GS07 0025 Park Ranger for six months. If a detail (not a promotion) comes open for a GS09 Park Ranger, do I qualify for this detail? Does it make a difference if it’s competitive (longer than 120 days- i.e. will the fact that I don’t have 52 weeks as a GS07 count against me)? My understanding is that I should qualify, as you can take multiple details in a year, and there is no time-in-grade requirement for a detail, even if it is competitive. If you have time, please let me know what you think. Thank you I took a lot of time mulling over your question and conclude that there’s no impediment to your applying for that detail. I have a colleague that received a temp promotion for 70 days. Now they want to apply for another temp promotion in the same calendar year. This person was told by HR that they can only apply for one temp promotion in a calendar year, regardless of duration. I believe this is incorrect and that they are able to receive another temp promotion in the same calendar year NTE 50 days. Can you please help clarify who is correct? I’m not aware of any government-wide limit to the number of temporary promotions an employee can have during a year. I have a past employee that was detailed out of an arduous gov position (fire) and into a lower grade to accommodate her pregnancy. She has returned to work over the last two months and an opportunity to detail into a promotional position has come up. Her supervisor was in support. In short she was offered the detail and now her supervisor has had a change of heart and is denying the temporary promotion due to staffing shortages. And also states that she will need to wait a year because she just finished a detail in a lower positions. Ive always been told a supervisor can not deny a temporary promotion detail in the federal government. It’s this true or false Since the detail to a position with a promotion is a different one from the one she was detailed to earlier, the one year rule doesn’t apply. Failure to let her take that position could be considered an adverse action and would be appealable. Finally was promoted permanently after almost 2 years in an acting capacity, with nearly a year being a paid TPRO. I originally had questions regarding the effect on my TIG and WGI. I received credit for TIG but unfortunately, it had no impact on the step I was promoted at or the date of my next WGI. Leave A Reply Cancel Reply Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. 233 IMAGES FREE 10+ Temporary Assignment Contract Samples in PDF OPM assignment 1 Task 1 with all relevant information Acknowledgement of Temporary Work Assignment Group Assignment 1 (OPM) OPM Sample Assignment-4 TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT AGREEMENT Doc Template VIDEO A-O-T: SOLAR ALBUM How to Create Temporary Tattoo?! Would you make one for yourself!? Temporary ID troubles HOW TO ORDER GCMS NOTES I HOW DO GCMS NOTES HELP I VISA REFUSED How To Fix Valorant Update Stuck At 45% Or 0,1 kbs (Tutorial) Microsoft Rewards New Update + Unlimited Points🤩Bad News😱Microsoft Rewards! देख लो COMMENTS eCFR :: 5 CFR Part 334 -- Temporary Assignments Under the The purpose of this part is to implement title IV of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) of 1970 and title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act. These statutes authorize the temporary assignment of employees between the Federal Government and State, local, and Indian tribal governments, institutions of higher education and other eligible ... 5 CFR Part 317 Subpart I -- Reassignments, Transfers, and Details In this section, detail means the temporary assignment of an SES member to another position (within or outside of the SES) or the temporary assignment of a non-SES member to an SES position, with the expectation that the employee will return to the official position of record upon expiration of the detail. For purposes of pay and benefits, the ... Summary of Reassignment Section 5 C.F.R. 210.102 (b) (12) of the regulations defines reassignment as: ". . . a change of an employee, while serving continuously within the same agency, from one position to another without promotion or demotion." 3. The Agency's Right to Reassign. Intergovernment Personnel Act The Intergovernmental Personnel Act section provides information to Federal agencies for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal Government and state and local governments, colleges and universities, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and other eligible organizations. PDF Promotions;Changes Grade,Level,orBand; Reassignments; (3)assignment to a position that has been redescribed as a result of position review; and (4) movement to a different position at the same grade but with a change in salary that is the result of different local prevailing wage rates or a different locality payment. f. Detail. A detail is a temporary assignment to a different position for a 5 CFR Part 334 5 CFR Part 334 - PART 334—TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENTS UNDER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL ACT (IPA) CFR ; prev | next § 334.101 Purpose. § 334.102 Definitions. § 334.103 Requirements for approval of instrumentalities or authorities of State and local governments and "other organizations." ... Details & Transfers A detail or transfer may not exceed 5 years but may be extended 3 additional years upon the approval of the head of the agency. Employees who transfer are entitled to be reemployed (as provided in ) in his or her former position or; one of like status within 30 days of his or her application for reemployment. Questions and Answers. eCFR :: 5 CFR Part 316 -- Temporary and Term Employment Office of Personnel Management. Part 316. Authority: 5 U.S.C. 3301, 3302; E.O. 10577, 3 CFR, 1954-1958 Comp., p. 218; 5 CFR 2.2(c). ... Conversion in the same agency from a current temporary appointment when the employee is or was within reach on a certificate of eligibles for term appointment at any time during service in the temporary position. eCFR :: 5 CFR 317.903 -- Details (a) Definition. In this section, detail means the temporary assignment of an SES member to another position (within or outside of the SES) or the temporary assignment of a non-SES member to an SES position, with the expectation that the employee will return to the official position of record upon expiration of the detail. For purposes of pay and benefits, the employee continues to encumber the ... Temporary reassignments: Detail benefits to you, us, and them Temporary reassignments are known to most government employees as details. For the most part, details are seen as an opportunity to meet workforce needs of the agency and a developmental opportunity for employees for hands-on work experience. Unofficially, details are also seen as a way to manage poor performers out of an organization. Be sure to document temporary federal assignments If you want to be credited for experience outside your official position description, whether at a higher grade or in a different job series, your temporary work must be appropriately documented ... Temporary Employee Practices: How Long Does Temporary Last In addition, OPM regulations provide an exception to the 2-year maximum continuous employment time limits for work that is expected to last less than six months each year. This exception allows for multiple renewals of the temporary appointment authority, as long as the appointment is expected to last less than six months each year. 6.334.1 Temporary Assignments under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act The IPA provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal government and state and local governments for work of mutual concern and benefit. Delegation Order No. 122 outlines the approving officials ( IRM 1.2.45, Delegation of Authority for Human Resource Management Actions). Official Worksite for Location-Based Pay Purposes If an employee is authorized to receive relocation expenses under 5 U.S.C. 5737, in connection with an extended assignment resulting in temporary change of station, the worksite associated with the extended assignment is the official worksite. ... Guide to Processing Personnel Actions - Chapter 23; Locality-based comparability payments - 5 CFR ... 370.300.8 C. Servicing personnel officials are responsible for: (1) Advising managers, supervisors, and employees of the conditions and requirements under which details and temporary reassignments may be made. ... A detail is a temporary assignment of an employee to a classified position (i.e., established position) or statement of duties (i.e ... Temporary assignments and pay A detail is the temporary assignment of an employee to a different position or set of duties for a specified period when the employee is expected to return to his/her regular duties at the end of the assignment. An employee who is on detail is considered for pay and FTE purposes to be permanently occupying his or her regular position. Pay, Leave, & Work Schedules Pay, Leave, & Work Schedules. Certain location-based pay entitlements (such as locality payments, special rate supplements, and nonforeign area cost-of-living allowances) are based on the location of the employee's official worksite associated with the employee's position of record. The official worksite generally is the location where the ... 5 CFR § 317.903 (a) Definition. In this section, detail means the temporary assignment of an SES member to another position (within or outside of the SES) or the temporary assignment of a non-SES member to an SES position, with the expectation that the employee will return to the official position of record upon expiration of the detail.For purposes of pay and benefits, the employee continues to encumber the ... Current PMFs The Intergovernmental Personnel Act Mobility Program provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between the Federal Government and state and local governments, colleges and universities, Indian tribal governments, federally funded research and development centers, and other eligible organizations. This may apply to the optional short ... PDF GAO-22-104414, PERSONNEL MOBILITY PROGRAM: Improved Guidance Could Help The Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) written mobility program guidance states that "non-federal [participants]…may exercise supervision over federal ... provides for the temporary assignment of personnel between federal agencies, state, local, and Indian tribal governments, institutions of higher Temporary Assignments Under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) Purpose. The purpose of this part is to implement title IV of the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) of 1970 and title VI of the Civil Service Reform Act. These statutes authorize the temporary assignment of employees ( print page 54566) between the Federal Government and State, local, and Indian tribal governments, institutions of higher ... 41 CFR Part 302-3 Subpart E -- Employee's Temporary Change Of Station A TCS provides agencies an alternative to a long-term temporary duty travel assignment which will increase your satisfaction and enhance morale, reduce your income tax liability, and save the Government money. ... An employee assigned to or from a State or local Government under the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (5 U.S.C. 3372 et seq.); (c) ... Temporary promotion rules In other words, the employee doesn't have to compete with other employees for the temporary assignment. If the temporary promotion is extended beyond 120 days, competition is required. The maximum time period for a temporary promotion is five years, unless OPM authorizes the agency to make and/or extend it for a longer period. assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis