Inside the News

this a positive development this way we can more people bidding for every opening and it should eliminate announcements for selected individuals. everyone can now apply as they see fit

Actually, it means a great deal. Many applicants with great experience (private sector or military) end up accepting the first GS offer, even if it's much lower than they are qualified for. With TIG restrictions, they would be unable to apply for high-level grades without 52 weeks at the next lower GS level (unless the situation met one of the exceptions).

Without the TIG restrictions, that prior experience can be used to satisfy the specialized experience, and we can ignore the current GS grade. They can be a GS-4, apply for a GS-13 under merit promotion and, if they have the experience, they can be placed.

I think this is a good thing.

Under TIG restrictions, a current GS employee (or former GS employee with a break in service of less than 52 weeks) must have 52 weeks of experience in the next lower GS grade to be eligible for the next higher GS grade, regardless of the level of any other, non-GS experience.

Suppose a retired colonel (former Garrison Commander) accepts a GS-5 position because they just want to keep busy. Six months later, a GS-13 Deputy Director position opens up. The colonel would not have met the TIG, and could not be placed in the position without meeting one of the authorized exceptions.

With TIG eliminated, the specialized experience can come from ANY SOURCE.

In the above scenario, the colonel served as the Garrison Commander for three years. Since TIG is no longer a factor, he/she could be placed.

We've just have to stop looking at the GS grade as the only indication of qualifying experience. We will have to evaluate all experience to determine the equivalent level...something DoD does now for NSPS positions.

I agree that it will have a positive impact for VETS. I just don't know that it is necessarily positive for private sector folks coming in. They don't know agency policies or procedures, they don't know the culture. VETS in many cases do know at least the military culture and serves them well in DoD and Veterans Affairs. For most federal workers though, I don't believe that it will effect them. Our HR department has already stated that they need 52 weeks specialized experience for the position. They are narrowing that specialized experience so now only certain people can get certain positions. In my mind it is 6 eggs on one hand and a half dozen on the other.

WHAT’S NEW IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH?

OPM ELIMINATES TIME-IN-GRADE REQUIREMENT

Federal employees enrolled in the General Schedule (GS) will no longer face a 52-week time-in-grade restriction when seeking promotion to competitive service positions, according to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). OPM published the change in the Federal Register on November 7, eliminating the rule requiring employees at or above the GS-5 level to serve in a particular pay grade for an extended period of time before advancing. OPM announced that the new rule will take effect on March 9, 2009.

Federal regulations regarding requirements for advancement in the GS ranks, established in 5 CFR part 300, contained the 52-week time-in-grade restriction along with other rules governing promotions. The abandonment of the time-in-grade restriction will not affect the other regulations regarding advancement, according to OPM, including the statute requiring employees seeking promotion to have at least one year of specialized experience equivalent in difficulty to the next lower grade level or boast the equivalent education.

OPM emphasized that employees must continue to meet or exceed all job-related qualifications in the pursuit of a promotion. OPM directly responded to concerns regarding the potential for employees to advance too rapidly without acquiring the skills necessary to produce at the higher level.

The comment that the elimination of the time-in-grade requirement will result in individuals reaching their full performance levels too soon is merely speculative,” OPM stressed in the Federal Register. “The pace at which an employee advances to the full performance level of his or her position is a function of the employee's experience and/or knowledge, skills, and abilities relative to the qualification standard for the position. Even after the elimination of the time-in-grade restriction, qualification standards will provide the basis for managers to determine whether a particular employee is qualified for a promotion.” The regulation changes are viewed as another critical tool in agencies’ recruiting and retention efforts, as the best and brightest employees may be more inclined to join or remain in the federal government if greater opportunities for advancement exist. Objections to the regulation changes detailed in the Federal Register noted that minorities and veterans may be adversely affected, but OPM stated that there was “no logical or factual basis for this concern.”

For more information on the OPM regulation changes, please visit: www.opm.gov.