Chapter 35 - Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actions

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Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actions

(Citations in parentheses refer to laws, regulations,

or publications where more information can be

found.)

ABANDONMENT OF POSITION—When an

employee fails to report for duty and does not

submit a resignation.

ABSENCE WITHOUT LEAVE (AWOL)—Is a

non-pay status that covers an absence from duty

which has not been approved.

ABSENT - UNIFORMED SERVICE—

Employee is absent (whether in pay or nonpay

status) to perform duty with the uniformed services

and has reemployment rights under the Uniformed

Services Employment and Reemployment Rights

Act (USERRA – 38 U.S.C. chapter 43).

ACCESSION—A personnel action that results in

the addition of an employee to the rolls (staff) of

an agency. (See APPOINTMENT)

ACTIVE DUTY OR ACTIVE MILITARY DUTY

(Creditable Service for Leave Accrual and

Reduction in Force Purposes Only)—Means full-

time duty with military pay and allowances in the

Armed Forces. Active duty does include “annual”

active duty for training, but excludes weekend

Reserve meetings.

ADJUSTED BASIC PAY is the rate of basic pay

and any basic pay supplement, after applying any

applicable pay cap. A basic pay supplement is

defined as a regular, fixed supplemental payment

(paid in conjunction with base pay) for non-

overtime hours of work that is creditable as basic

pay for retirement purposes, excluding any type of

premium payment or differential that is triggered

for working certain hours of the day or week or for

being subjected to certain working conditions. A

basic pay supplement includes, for example, any

applicable locality payment under 5 CFR part 531,

subpart F, and any special rate supplement under 5

CFR part 530, subpart C.

ADVERSE ACTION—A personnel action

considered unfavorable to an employee, e.g.,

removal, suspension, furlough, or reduction in

grade or pay. (5 U.S.C. chapter 75 and 5 CFR part

752)

AGENCY [as used in this Guide]—Any

department or independent establishment of the

Federal Government, including a Government-

owned or controlled corporation, that has the

authority to hire employees in the competitive,

excepted, and senior executive service. Examples:

Department of Transportation, Small Business

Administration, Federal Trade Commission. Note:

The Departments of Army, Navy, and Air Force

are considered to be individual agencies for the

purposes of this Guide; all organizations within the

Department of Defense which have agency codes

that begin with “DD” (e.g., DD04) are considered

as one agency.

ANNUITANT—[As used in this Guide] a person

who receives an annuity.

ANNUITY—The annual sum payable to a former

employee who has retired.

APPLICANT—A person who has asked to be

considered for a job with an agency. An applicant

may be a current employee of the agency, an

employee of another agency, or a person who is

not currently employed by any agency.

APPLICATION FORMS—Forms and resumes

that show an applicant's qualifications for

employment in a Federal position.

APPOINTEE—A person being hired for a

position in an agency.

APPOINTING OFFICER—A person having

power by law, or by duly delegated authority, to

make appointments.

APPOINTMENT—Any personnel action that

brings an individual onto the rolls (staff) of an

agency. (See ACCESSION.)

ARMED FORCES—The Army, Navy, Air Force,

Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

AUO —(Administratively Uncontrolled Overtime)

is an increment of up to 25 percent of basic pay

paid on an annual basis for substantial amounts of

overtime work that cannot be controlled

administratively and that required on an irregular

basis. (5 CFR 550.151)

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

AUTHORITY SUFFIX—See LEGAL

AUTHORITY SUFFIX

AVAILABILITY PAY—A special form of

premium pay fixed at 25 percent of basic pay

(including any locality payment or special rate

supplement) that applies to criminal investigators

who are required to work, or be available to work,

substantial amounts of unscheduled overtime duty

based on the needs of the employing agency.

Criminal investigators receiving availability pay

are exempt from the minimum wage and overtime

pay provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act and

may not receive administratively uncontrollable

overtime pay.

BREAK IN SERVICE—The time when an

employee is no longer on the payroll of an agency.

(In computing creditable service for benefits, e.g.,

leave accrual and reduction in force retention, a

separation of 1, 2, or 3 calendar days is not

considered to be a break in service; a separation of

4 or more calendar days is considered to be a break

in service and the days of separation are subtracted

from the employee's total creditable service.)

“CA”APPOINTMENTS—Canal Area

appointments that are made under the Panama

Canal Employment System. (35 CFR part 253)

CAO (CHANGE OF APPOINTING OFFICE)—

Movement of an employee from the jurisdiction of

one appointing officer in an agency to that of

another appointing officer in the same agency. This

usually involves a move from a position for which

one personnel office provides service and

maintains records to a position for which another

personnel office in the same agency provides

service and maintains records. Prior to 1/1/82,

such moves were sometimes identified on

personnel actions with the abbreviation “CAO”

following the nature of action.

CAREER APPOINTMENT—Competitive service

permanent appointment given to an employee who

has completed >at least three years of total

creditable service< (5 CFR part 315)

CERTIFICATE—A list of eligibles taken from a

employment consideration. (5 CFR part 332)

CERTIFICATION—The process by which the

OPM, or an agency office with delegated

examining authority, submits certificates to

appointing officers.

CHANGE TO LOWER GRADE (also called

“Demotion” and “Reduction in Grade”)—

Personnel action that moves an employee, while

serving continuously in the same agency, to (1) a

position at a lower grade when both the old and

new positions are under the General Schedule or

under the same type graded wage schedule, or (2)

to a position with a lower rate of basic pay when

both the old and the new positions are under the

same type ungraded wage schedule or in a different

pay-method category.

CIVILIAN POSITION—A civilian office or

position (including a temporary or part-time or

intermittent position), appointive or elective, in the

legislative, executive, or judicial branch of the

Federal Government (including each corporation

owned or controlled by the Federal Government

and including nonappropriated fund

instrumentalities under the jurisdiction of the

Armed Forces) or in the Government of the

District of Columbia.

CIVILIAN RETIREE—A person who has retired

from Federal Government civilian employment

under any Federal Government-administered

retirement system. The social security system

(FICA) is not a retirement system for purposes of

this definition.

CIVIL SERVICE RETIREE—A person retired

under the Civil Service Retirement System

(CSRS).

CLASS OR CLASS OF POSITIONS—All

positions that are sufficiently similar in (1) kind or

subject matter of work, (2) the level of difficulty

and responsibility, and (3) the qualification

requirements for the work, to warrant similar

treatment in personnel and pay administration. (5

U.S.C. chapter 51)

CLASSIFY—To evaluate the duties and

responsibilities of a position and assign a title,

occupation series and grade.

COMMISSION (Abbreviated as CSC)—The U.S.

Civil Service Commission – now the U.S. Office of

Personnel Management.

COMPENSATION—money paid by the

Department of Veterans Affairs for

service-connected disability of 10 percent or more.

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COMPETITIVE AREA—For reduction in force,

that part of an agency within which employees are

in competition for retention. Generally it is

restricted by what is considered a “local

commuting area.” (5 CFR 351.402)

COMPETITIVE LEVEL—A competitive level

for reduction in force consists of all jobs in a

competitive area which are so similar in all

important respects that the agency can readily

move an employee from one to another without

significant training and without loss of

productivity. (5 CFR 351.403)

COMPETITIVE POSITION—A position in the

competitive service.

COMPETITIVE SERVICE—All civilian

positions in the Federal Government that are not

specifically excepted from the civil service laws by

or pursuant to statute, by the President, or by the

OPM under Rule VI, and that are not in the Senior

Executive Service.

COMPETITIVE STATUS—Basic eligibility for

noncompetitive assignment to a competitive

position. A person on a career or career-

conditional appointment acquires competitive

status upon satisfactory completion of a

probationary period. It may also be granted by

statute, Executive order, or the civil service rules

without competitive examination. A person with

competitive status may be promoted, transferred,

reassigned, reinstated, or demoted without taking

an open competitive examination, subject to the

conditions prescribed by the Civil Service rules

and regulations.

(5 CFR 212.301)

CONSULTANT—One who serves in an advisory

capacity to an officer or instrumentality of the

government. (5 U.S.C. 3109)

CONSULTANT POSITION—A position

requiring the performance of purely advisory or

consultant services, not including the performance

of operating functions.

CONTINUANCE—The personnel action used to

document that an employee has received a waiver

from mandatory retirement or the extension of the

not-to-exceed date of a previous waiver.

CONTINUED RATE OF PAY—The rate of pay

first established in January 1994 for an employee

who previously received an interim geographic

adjustment on top of a worldwide or nationwide

special rate authorized under 5 U.S.C. 5305.

CONVERSION—The changing of an employee

from one appointment to another appointment

(under either the same or a different authority) in

the same agency with no break in service or with a

break of 3 days or less. The change may be in one

or more of the following: the type of appointment

under which the employee is serving, the authority

for the appointment, the position on which the

employee is serving, or the not-to-exceed date of a

temporary appointment (e.g., from Excepted Appt

NTE in a GS-3 position in organization A to an

Excepted Appt NTE in a GS-4 position in

organization B.)

COOPERATIVE EDUCATION PROGRAM

(CO-OP PROGRAM OR WORK STUDY

PROGRAM)—Program under which a student

alternates periods of education and Federal

employment under terms of an agreement between

his or her school and a government agency.

Agreements may provide for the student's

permanent employment in the agency upon

satisfactory completion of the education and work

assignments required by the agreement. [The CO-

OP Program was eliminated in December 1994

with the establishment of the Student Educational

Employment Program, 5 CFR 213.3202(a)]

CREDITABLE MILITARY SERVICE—The total

number of years and months of military service

that is creditable for annual leave accrual purposes.

CREDITABLE SERVICE—Federal Government

employment (civilian or uniformed service) that

meets requirements for a particular type of

appointment or benefit, such as leave accrual or

reduction in force retention.

CZMS—Canal Zone Merit System. This system

was replaced by the Panama Canal Employment

System, established by the Panama Canal Act of

1979.

DEMOTION—See CHANGE TO LOWER

GRADE

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DENIAL OF WITHIN-GRADE INCREASE—

The decision to withhold (not grant) a within-grade

increase to a General Schedule employee because

of a determination that the employee's performance

is not at an acceptable level of competence.

(5 CFR 531.409)

DETAIL—A temporary assignment of an

employee to a different position for a specified

period, with the employee returning to his or her

regular duties at the end of the detail. (5 U.S.C.

chapter 33, subchapter III)

DIRECT HIRING AUTHORITY—

OPM-approved agency recruiting plans which

expedite recruitment of persons for appointment to

positions in shortage occupations.

DISABILITY RETIREMENT PAY (from a

uniformed service)—money paid by a uniformed

service for disability incurred in or the proximate

result of performance of active duty.

DISABLED VETERAN—Means a person who

was separated under honorable conditions from

active duty in the Armed Forces performed at any

time and who has established the present existence

of a service-connected disability or is receiving

compensation, disability retirement benefits, or

pension because of a public statute administered by

the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military

department.

DISCHARGE—A nature of action used for an

agency-initiated separation (for work performance

and/or misconduct or delinquency) of an employee

who was serving on an appointment that did not

afford appeal rights. [Discharge was deleted as a

nature of action and is no longer used.]

DISCHARGE DURING PROB/TRIAL

PERIOD—An agency-initiated separation (for

preappointment conditions or for postappointment

work performance and/or misconduct or

delinquency) of an employee who was serving an

initial appointment probation or was serving on a

trial period required by civil service or agency

regulations. [This nature of action is no longer

used.]

DISCHARGE UNDER HONORABLE

CONDITIONS—Means either an honorable or a

general discharge from the Armed Forces. The

term does not apply to the honorable discharge

given an enlisted person to allow commissioning as

an officer without a break in service. In this

situation the officer's discharge must be under

honorable conditions.

DISCONTINUED SERVICE RETIREMENT—

See RETIREMENT, DISCONTINUED

SERVICE.

DUAL COMPENSATION—Payment for more

than one civilian office involving a total of more

than 40 hours a week.

DUTY STATION—The city/town, county, and

State in which the employee works. For most

employees, this will be the location of the

employee's work site.

EFFECTIVE DATE—The date on which a

personnel action takes place and on which the

employee's official assignment begins.

EOD (ENTRY ON DUTY)—The process by

which a person completes the necessary paperwork

and is sworn in as an employee.

EOD (ENTRY ON DUTY) DATE—The date on

which a person completes the necessary paperwork

and is sworn in as an employee.

EX-SERVICE PERSON—A person who was

separated from active duty performed in peacetime

or wartime. (A person on active duty may be an

ex-serviceperson because of separation from

previous active duty.)

EXCEPTED POSITION—A position in the

excepted service (5 U.S.C. 2103 and 5 CFR part

213).

EXCEPTED SERVICE—Unclassified service,

unclassified Civil Service or positions outside the

competitive service and the senior executive

service. Excepted service positions have been

excepted from the requirements of the competitive

service by law, Executive order, or OPM

regulation. (5 U.S.C. 2103 and 5 CFR part 213)

EXECUTIVE ORDER—A directive issued by the

President.

EXPERT—A person with excellent qualifications

and a high degree of attainment in professional,

scientific, technical, or other field. An expert's

attainment is such that he or she usually is regarded

as an authority or as a practitioner of

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

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unusual competence and skill by other persons in

the profession, occupation, or activity. (5 U.S.C.

3109)

EXPERT POSITION—A position that cannot be

satisfactorily performed by someone who is not an

expert in that field.

EXTENSION—The continuation of a time-limited

appointment (one with an NTE date) up to the

maximum time allowed by the authority under

which it was effected.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SERVICE—The

total of all periods of military and civilian Federal

service considered for retirement, reduction in

force, and leave purposes.

FEDERAL MERIT SYSTEM—A complete

system of personnel selection and management

based on an integrated set of personnel policies,

procedures and practices designed to accomplish

three basic objectives: (1) to recruit a competent

work force; (2) to insure a stable work force; and

(3) to provide equal opportunity for employment.

FEDERAL PERSONNEL MANUAL (FPM)

SYSTEM—An Office of Personnel Management

(OPM) system for publishing personnel

regulations, policy, and issuing instructions to

Federal agencies. The FPM system, which was

abolished effective 12/31/93, included:

FPM BULLETINS which contained temporary

instructions or notices;

FPM LETTERS which contained continuing

instructions that, because of urgency, could not be

put in the FPM or its supplements at the time of

issuance; and

FPM SUPPLEMENTS which amplified or

explained in detail various subjects covered in the

basic FPM chapters.

FEDERAL WAGE SYSTEM—The job-grading

and pay system that applies to most trade, craft,

and labor positions in agencies subject to 5 U.S.C.

5342. Under this system, pay is adjusted

according to the rates paid by private industry for

similar jobs in the same area. Included are Federal

employees in recognized trade or craft or skilled

mechanical crafts, in unskilled, semiskilled or

skilled manual labor occupations, and other

persons, including foremen or supervisors, in

positions where trade, craft, or labor experience or

knowledge is the main requirement. (5 U.S.C.

chapter 53, subchapter IV, and 5 CFR part 532)

FEGLI—Federal Employee's Group Life

Insurance.

(5 U.S.C. chapter 87, 5 CFR parts 870-874, and

The Federal Employees Group Life Insurance

Handbook)

FEHBP—Federal Employee's Health Benefits

Program. (5 U.S.C. chapter 89, 5 CFR part 890,

and

The Federal Employees Health Benefits

Handbook)

FERS RETIREE—A person retired under the

Federal Employees Retirement System.

FROZEN SERVICE is the total number of years

and months of civilian and military service that is

creditable in a CSRS component of a FERS

employee.

>FULL RETIREMENT STATUS- A phased

retiree who has ceased employment and is entitled,

upon application, to a composite retirement

annuity.<

FULL-TIME WORK SCHEDULE—A full-time

work schedule requires most employees to work 40

hours during the work week.

FURLOUGH—The placement of an employee in

a temporary nonpay status and nonduty status (or

absence from duty) because of lack of work or

funds, or for other nondisciplinary reasons.

GENERAL DISCHARGE—A discharge granted

from the Armed Forces under honorable

conditions.

GENERAL SCHEDULE—The GS graded pay

system established under the Classification Act of

1949, as amended. (5 U.S.C. chapter 53,

subchapter III, and

5 CFR part 531)

GM WITHIN-GRADE INCREASE—is an

agency-awarded increase in basic rate of pay, with

no change in grade, to an employee who is covered

under the Performance Management and

Recognition System termination provisions of

Public Law 103-89.

GRADE—A level of work or range of difficulty,

responsibility and qualification requirements. (5

U.S.C. 5102)

GRADE RESTORATION ACTION—An action

taken to restore to an employee the grade held

prior to a grade reduction that was effective during

the retroactive period of title VIII of the Civil

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

Service Reform Act. The grade restoration action

recorded the employee's retained grade in the

OPM's data system.

GRADE RETENTION ACTION—An action to

retain the grade held by an employee prior to a

grade reduction that was effective during the

retroactive period of title VIII of the Civil Service

Reform Act. The grade retention action

documented the employee's step in the retained

grade and the rate of basic pay to which he or she

was entitled.

GRADE RETENTION ENTITLEMENT—The

right of an employee to retain for 2 years, for pay

and benefits purposes, the grade of the position

from which he or she was reduced. (5 U.S.C. 5362

and 5 CFR part 536)

HEALTH BENEFITS—The health service and

insurance programs established for Federal

employees under 5 U.S.C. 7901 and 8901-8914.

HEARING—The presentation of such oral and

written evidence concerning an appeal or equal

employment opportunity complaint that the appeal

authority or complaints examiner deems pertinent

to the consideration of the appeal or complaint on

its merits.

IGA CONTINUED RATE OF PAY means a rate

of pay first established in January 1994 for an

employee who previously received an interim

geographic adjustment (IGA) on top of a

worldwide or nationwide special rate authorized

under 5 U.S.C. 5305. [This term was deleted from

this Guide in Update 46, dated January 7, 2007.]

ILIA—An acronym that stands for “in lieu of

involuntary action” and is used with certain natures

of action.

INDEFINITE APPOINTMENT—One given a

nonpermanent employee who is hired for an

unlimited period of time.

INDUCTION—See EOD.

INJURY COMPENSATION—The compensation

and medical care provided to civilian Federal

employees for disability due to personal injuries

sustained while in performance of duty and due to

diseases relating to this employment. (5 U.S.C

8101-8151)

INTERIM GEOGRAPHIC ADJUSTMENT is an

additional payment made to a General Schedule,

Foreign Service, or Veterans Health

Administration employee, or an officer of the U.S.

Park Police whose official duty station is in an area

where the President has determined that significant

pay disparities and recruitment or retention

problems exist. (Note: An interim geographic

adjustment also may be authorized for other groups

of employees upon request of the head of an

agency.) [This term was deleted from this Guide in

Update 23 (2/97)]

INTERMITTENT SERVICE OR

INTERMITTENT EMPLOYMENT—Service

when employee works on less than a full-time basis

with no prescheduled tour of duty. In the past,

“WAE” was used on personnel documents to

identify intermittent service.

INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION—A separation

against the will of and without the consent of the

employee, other than separation for cause on

charges of misconduct or delinquency. Examples

include separation based on reduction in force,

abolishment of position, expiration of term of

office, lack of funds, and unacceptable

performance (unless due to the employee's

misconduct). (

The CSRS and FERS Handbook,

Chapter 44)

JOB DESCRIPTION—See POSITION

DESCRIPTION.

JOB SHEET—See POSITION DESCRIPTION

LEAD AGENCY—Under the Federal Wage

System, an agency designated by the OPM to plan

and conduct wage surveys, analyze the survey data

and determine and issue required wage schedules

for a wage area. (5 U.S.C. chapter 53, subchapter

IV, and 5 CFR part 532)

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

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LEGAL AUTHORITY—The legal authority is the

law, Executive Order, regulation, agency directive,

or the instruction under which the personnel action

is taken.

LEAVE, ANNUAL—Leave of absence with pay

allowed for personal, emergency, and other

purposes. With certain exceptions, employees earn

or accrue leave at the rate of 13 to 26 working days

a year, depending on length of service. (5 U.S.C.

6303 and 5 CFR part 630, subpart C)

LEAVE, MILITARY—Paid leave provided to

Reservists and members of the National Guard

under 5 U.S.C. 6323 who serve on active duty.

(Military Leave is not available for inactive duty or

drills.)

LEAVE, SICK—Leave of absence with pay

allowed for employees when the employee is

physically incapacitated for the performance of

duties; receives medical, dental, or optical

examination or treatment; or is required to give

care and attendance to a member of his or her

immediate family who is afflicted with a

contagious disease. With certain exceptions, all

civilian employees of the Federal Government earn

sick leave at the rate of 13 working days a year. (5

U.S.C. 6307 and 5 CFR part 630, subpart D)

LEAVE WITH PAY (LWP)—An absence from

duty with pay (in sick leave status) granted at the

employee's request following the approval of a

disability retirement application, or after

application for optional retirement due to

disability.

LEAVE WITHOUT PAY (LWOP)—A temporary

nonpay status and nonduty status (or absence from

a prescheduled tour of duty) granted at the

employee's request. LWOP-US (formerly called

LWOP-MIL) is a nature of action specifically used

to document a leave of absence to perform duty

with the uniformed services. [The specific term

LWOP-US was deleted from this Guide in Update

52, dated March 28, 2010.]

LEGAL AUTHORITY SUFFIX—A word or

phase added to the legal authority to more

precisely identify the circumstances under which

the authority is being used or the action is being

taken. These suffixes are generally abbreviated as

shown below:

CAA = Action proposed under civil service

adverse action procedures

CLG = Change to Lower Grade

Comp = Competitive

Decl = Declined

Disp = Displacement

EAA = Action proposed under agency procedures

which are equivalent to civil service adverse action

procedures

Eq = Equivalent

Exc = Excepted Service

Inj = Injury

Mil = Military

Mix = For mixed reasons, (for both conduct and

performance reasons)

MFD = More than 14 days

NARS = No Appeal Rights

Nonsupv = Nonsupervisory

Nondisp = Nondisciplinary

OAA = Action proposed under other adverse

action procedures

OTD = Over 30 days

Perf = Performance

Preappt = Preappointment

Prom = Promotion

Prob = Probationary

Reas = Reassignment

Recert = Recertification

Reclass = Reclassification

Relo = Relocation

RIF = Reduction in force

T/F = Transfer of Function

WTO = Worker Trainee Opportunity Program

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LIFE INSURANCE—The group life, death and

accidental dismemberment insurance available to

Federal employees. (5 U.S.C. chapter 87 and 5

CFR parts 870-874)

LOCALITY PAYMENT means a locality-based

comparability payment under 5 U.S.C. 5304 or

equivalent payment under another authority.

LOCALITY-BASED COMPARABILITY

PAYMENT means a payment under 5 U.S.C.

5304. [This term was deleted from this Guide in

Update 46, dated January 7, 2007.]

LWOP—See LEAVE WITHOUT PAY.

LWP—See LEAVE WITH PAY.

MASS TRANSFER—The movement of an

employee with his or her position to a different

agency when (1) a transfer of function or an

organization change takes place and (2) there is no

change in the employee's position, grade, or pay.

(Note: for purposes of this definition, a change in

the amount of any locality payment to which the

employee is entitled is not a change in pay.)

MERGED RECORDS PERSONNEL FOLDER

(MRPF), Standard Form 66-C is a file containing

personnel records established both within and

outside the scope of OPM's recordkeeping

authority.

MERIT PAY SYSTEM—The pay system

established, under 5 U.S.C. chapter 54, for General

Schedule employees in grades 13 through 15 who

were in supervisory, managerial, or management

official positions. The Merit Pay System was

replaced by the Performance Management and

Recognition System, which was terminated on 11-

01-93.

MERIT PROMOTION PROGRAM—See MERIT

STAFFING PROGRAM.

MERIT STAFFING PROGRAM—The system

under which agencies consider an employee for

vacant positions on the basis of personal merit.

Vacant positions are usually filled through

competition with applicants being evaluated and

ranked for the position on the basis of their

experience, education, skills and performance

record. (5 CFR part 335)

MILITARY RETIREE—A person who has retired

from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or

Coast Guard.

MSPB—Merit Systems Protection Board.

MOBILIZATION—Readiness provisions for

operating the Federal Personnel System in time of

national emergency. (5 CFR part 230, subpart D)

NATURE OF ACTION—The nature of action is a

phrase that explains the action that is occurring

(such as “appointment” or “promotion”) when a

personnel action is documented by a Standard

Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action.

NONAPPROPRIATED FUNDS

INSTRUMENTALITY (NAFI) means the Army

and Air Force Exchange Service, Army and Air

Force Motion Picture Service, Navy Ship's Stores

Ashore, Navy exchanges, Marine Corps

exchanges, Coast Guard exchanges, and other

instrumentalities of the United States under the

jurisdiction of the Armed Forces conducted for the

comfort, pleasure, contentment, and mental and

physical improvement of personnel of the Armed

Forces. Employees of these organizations are not

paid from funds appropriated by the Congress and,

for most purposes, are not considered to be Federal

employees. (5 U.S.C. 2105(c))

NONCOMPETITIVE ACTION means a

promotion, demotion, reassignment, transfer,

reinstatement, or an appointment based on prior

service. (5 CFR 210.102)

OCCUPATIONAL CODE—See definition of

series.

OFFICIAL PERSONNEL FOLDER (OPF)

[INCLUSIVE OF AN APPROVED

ELECTRONIC EQUIVALENT OF THE SAME

(i.e., eOPF)] - Standard Form 66 is a file

containing records and documents related to

civilian employment under title 5, U.S. Code.

ON-CALL EMPLOYEE—one who worked when

needed during periods of heavy workload with

expected cumulative service of at least 6 months in

pay status each year. [On-call employment was

deleted from this Guide in Update 15, 3/15/95.]

OPERATING MANUALS—OPM issuances that

contain procedural guidance applicable to all

agencies.

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

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OPM—The Office of Personnel Management.

PART-TIME SERVICE or PART-TIME

EMPLOYMENT—Employment on less than a

full-time basis under a prescheduled regular tour of

duty.

PART-TIME WORK SCHEDULE—A schedule

that requires an employee to work less than

full-time, but for a specific number of hours

(usually 16-32 hours per administrative work

week) on a prearranged scheduled tour of duty.

PAY ADJUSTMENT—[as used in this Guide]

Any increase or decrease in an employee's rate of

basic pay when there is no change in the duties or

responsibilities of the employee's position. For

example, a pay adjustment would include a change

in the step at which the employee is paid. A change

in the pay system under which the employee is paid

is also considered a pay adjustment.

PAY PLAN—The pay system or pay schedule

under which the employee's rate of basic pay is

determined, e.g., General Schedule (GS),

Executive Schedule (EX), and Leader under the

Federal Wage System (WL).

PAY RETENTION ENTITLEMENT—The right

of an employee to retain, under certain

circumstances, a rate of basic pay higher than the

maximum rate of the grade for the position

occupied. (5 U.S.C. 5363 and 5 CFR part 536)

PENSION—money paid by the Department of

Veterans Affairs for disability that is not

necessarily service-connected.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT AND

RECOGNITION SYSTEM (PMRS)—The pay

system established under Public Law 98-615 to

replace the Merit Pay System for General Schedule

employees in grades GS-13 through GS-15 in

supervisory, managerial, or management official

positions. PMRS was terminated on 11-01-93 by

Public Law 103-89.

PERSONNEL ACTION—The process necessary

to appoint, separate, or make other personnel

changes.

PERSONNEL OFFICE IDENTIFIER (POI)—

Identifies the Federal civilian personnel office

authorized to appoint and separate the employee,

and, to the extent such functions have been

delegated, to prepare personnel actions, maintain

official personnel records, and administer

programs for staff compensation, training and

development, benefits and awards, and employee

and labor relations.

>PHASED EMPLOYMENT—The less-than-full-

time employment of a phased retiree.

PHASED RETIREE—A retirement-eligible

employee who, with the concurrence of an

authorized agency official, enters phased

employment/phased retirement status and

employee have not entered full retirement status.

PHASED RETIREMENT PERIOD—The period

beginning on the date on which an individual

becomes entitled to receive a phased retirement

annuity and ending on the date on which the

individual dies or separates from phased

retirement.

PHASED RETIREMENT STATUS—A phased

retiree is concurrently employed in phased

employment and eligible to receive a phased

retirement annuity.<

PLACEMENT—Putting employees into jobs. This

may be done by appointment of someone new to

government; by promotion, change to lower grade,

reassignment, or transfer within an agency or from

other agencies of a current employee; and by

reinstatement of a former employee.

PMRS MERIT INCREASE—An agency-awarded

increase in rate of basic pay with no change in

grade to an employee who was under the

Performance Management and Recognition

system.

POSITION means the work, consisting of the

duties and responsibilities assigned by competent

authority for performance by an employee.

(5 U.S.C. 5102 and 5 CFR 511.101)

POSITION CHANGE—A move by an employee

from one position to another position during his or

her continuous service within the same agency.

When the move establishes the employee’s

eligibility for grade retention (under 5 U.S.C.

5362), the nature of action for the move is also

called “Position Change.” It is also called a

“Position Change” when an employee who is

already entitled to grade retention moves to

another position at or below his or her retained

grade. Moves when the employee is not entitled to

grade retention are called promotions, changes to

lower grade, or reassignments.

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

POSITION CLASSIFICATION means the

analysis and identification of a position and

placing it under the position classification plan

established by OPM under chapter 51 of title 5,

U.S. Code.

POSITION DESCRIPTION—A statement of

duties and responsibilities comprising the work

assigned to a civilian employee.

POSITION (or JOB) TITLE—The name of a

position, such as “Secretary,” or “Civil Engineer,”

or “Personnel Staffing Specialist.”

PRD (PAY RATE DETERMINANT)—A

designation of any special factors that help

determine an employee's rate of basic pay or

adjusted basic pay.

PREFERENCE (VETERANS' PREFERENCE)

is an employee's category of entitlement to

preference in the Federal service based on active

military service that was terminated honorably:

− 5-point preference is the preference

granted to a preference-eligible veteran who does

not meet the criteria for one of the types of 10-

point preferences listed above.

− 10-point (disability) preference is the

preference to which a disabled veteran is entitled.

− 10-point (compensable disability)

preference is the preference to which a disabled

veteran is entitled if he or she has a compensable

service-connected disability rating of 10-percent or

more.

− 10-point (30% compensable disability)

preference is the preference to which a disabled

veteran is entitled if he or she is entitled to a 10-

point preference due to a compensable service-

connected disability of 30 percent or more.

− 10-point (other) preference is the

preference granted to the widow/widower or

mother of a deceased veteran or to the spouse or

mother of a disabled veteran. It is called “derived

preference” because it is derived from the military

service of someone else - a veteran who is not

using it for preference. When the disabled veteran

does use the service for preference, then the spouse

or mother is no longer entitled to preference.

PREFERENCE ELIGIBLE means veterans,

spouses, widows, or mothers who meet the

definition of “preference eligible” in 5 U.S.C.

2108. Preference eligibles are entitled to have 5 or

10 points added to their earned score on a civil

service examination (see 5 U.S.C. 3309). They are

also accorded a higher retention standing in the

event of a reduction in force (see 5 U.S.C. 3502).

Preference does not apply, however, to inservice

placement actions such as promotions.

PREMIUM PAY—Additional pay for overtime,

night, holiday, or Sunday work and standby duty or

administratively uncontrollable work. (5 CFR part

550, subpart A)

PREVAILING RATE SYSTEM—See FEDERAL

WAGE SYSTEM.

PREVIOUS RETIREMENT COVERAGE—An

indicator of whether the employee has, at the time

of most recent appointment to the Federal service,

previously been covered by the Civil Service

Retirement System or Federal Employees

Retirement System.

PROBATIONARY PERIOD is the first year of

service of employee who is given a career or

career-conditional appointment under 5 CFR part

315. During this period, the agency determines the

fitness of the employee, and the employee has no

appeal rights. (5 CFR part 315, subpart H)

PROMOTION—A nature of action used to

document personnel actions that change an

employee (1) to a position at a higher grade level

within the same job classification system and pay

schedule or (2) to position with a higher rate of

basic pay in a different job classification system

and pay schedule.

PROVISIONAL APPOINTMENT—A temporary

appointment to a continuing position when the

agency intends later to convert the employee to a

nontemporary appointment and has current

authority for such conversion.

QUALITY (STEP) INCREASE (QSI OR QI)—

An increase in employee's rate of basic pay

through an additional within-grade increase

granted under 5 U.S.C. 5336 for sustained high

quality performance.

QUALIFICATIONS STANDARDS FOR THE

GENERAL SCHEDULE (formerly Handbook X-

118)—Qualification standards manual. The

manual contains specific standards for General

Schedule positions.

“RARE BIRD” POSITION—One where the OPM

has determined that the pay or duties of the

position are such, or that the qualified persons are

so few, it would not be in the interest of good civil

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

35-11

service administration to fill the position through

open-competitive examination. (5 CFR 316.601)

RATE OF BASIC PAY—The rate of pay fixed by

law or administrative action for the position held

by an employee before any deductions (such as

taxes) and exclusive of additional pay of any kind

(such as overtime pay). For GS employees, a rate

of basic pay is a GS base rate, a law enforcement

officer special base rate (GL), or a retained rate –

excluding any locality payment or special rate

supplement. A rate of basic pay is expressed

consistent with applicable pay basis (e.g., annual

rate for GS employees or hourly rate for wage

system employees).

REALIGNMENT—The movement of an

employee and his or her position when (1) a

transfer of function or an organization change

occurs, and (2) the employee stays in the same

agency, and (3) there is no change in the

employee's position, grade or pay (including

locality pay).

REASSIGNMENT—The change of an employee

from one position to another without promotion or

change to lower grade. Reassignment includes:

(1) movement to a position in a new occupational

series, or to another position in the same series; (2)

assignment to a position that has been redescribed

due to the introduction of a new or revised

classification or job grading standard; (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.

RECRUITMENT BONUS—A one-time payment

of up to 25 percent of basic pay to an employee

who is newly appointed to a hard-to-fill position.

(5 U.S.C. 5753) [The term “Recruitment Bonus”

was deleted from this guide in Update 45, dated

August 6, 2006.]

RECRUITMENT INCENTIVES — are payments

made to newly-appointed employees when an

agency determines that the position is likely to be

difficult to fill in the absence of an incentive. (5

U.S.C. 5753)

REDUCTION IN FORCE (RIF)—Separation of

an employee from his or her competitive level,

required by the agency because of lack of work or

funds, abolition of position or agency, or cuts in

personnel authorizations. (5 U.S.C. chapter 35,

subchapter I, and 5 CFR part 351)

REDUCTION IN GRADE, See CHANGE TO

LOWER GRADE

REEMPLOYED ANNUITANT—A person retired

under the Civil Service or Federal Employees

Retirement System whose annuity continues after

he or she is reemployed by the Federal

Government.

REEMPLOYMENT PRIORITY LIST—A list of

career and career-conditional employees an agency

has separated because of (1) reduction in force or

(2) compensable injury or disability where

recovery takes more than one year from the time

the employee began receiving compensation.

REEMPLOYMENT RIGHTS—The entitlement

of an employee to return to nontemporary

employment after assignment to other civilian

employment. This other employment may be with

the Foreign Service, public international

organizations, or other agencies in the executive

branch or overseas. (5 CFR part 352)

compiled in order of relative standing for

certification.

>REGULAR EMPLOYMENT—The full-time or

part-time period of employment of an individual

who is not participating in phased retirement

[Chapter 27].<

REINSTATEMENT—Noncompetitive

reemployment in the competitive service as a

career or career-conditional employee of a person

formerly employed in the competitive service who

had a competitive status or was serving probation

when separated. (5 CFR part 315, subpart D)

RELOCATION BONUS—A one-time payment of

up to 25 percent of basic pay to a current employee

who relocates to take a hard-to-fill position. (5

U.S.C. 5753) [The term “Relocation Bonus” was

deleted from this guide in Update 45, dated August

6, 2006.]

RELOCATION INCENTIVES —are payments

made to current employees who must relocate to

accept a position in a different geographic area

when an agency determines that the position is

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

likely to difficult to fill in the absence of an

incentive. (5 U.S.C. 5753)

REMOVAL—A separation from Federal service

initiated by the agency, Office of Personnel

Management, or Merit Systems Protection Board,

under 5 CFR parts 359, 432, 731, or 752; section

1201 of title 5, U.S. Code; or comparable agency

statutes or regulations.

RESERVIST—A member of the Army, Navy, Air

Force, Marine Corps or Coast Guard reserves.

RESIGNATION—A separation action initiated by

the employee to leave Federal civil service.

RESIGNATION-ILIA—A nature of action used to

document the resignation initiated by employee

under circumstances that meet the definition of

“involuntary separation” in

Chapter 44 of The

CSRS and FERS Handbook.

RESTORATION RIGHTS—The entitlement of

employees who leave their civilian positions for

military duty to return to those positions after

termination of that duty and the entitlement of an

employee to return to his or her position after

recovery from compensable injury.

(5 CFR part 353)

RETAINED RATE—A rate of pay above the

maximum rate of the employee's grade which an

employee is allowed to keep in special situations

rather than having his or her rate of basic pay

reduced.

RETENTION ALLOWANCE is the annual total

dollar amount (up to 25 percent of basic pay) paid

to an essential employee with unusually high

qualifications or special skills in those cases where

the agency determines that the employee would be

likely to leave Federal employment if no allowance

were paid. (5 U.S.C. 5754) [The term “Retention

Allowance” was deleted from this guide in Update

45, dated August 6, 2006.]

RETENTION INCENTIVES —are payments

made to employees when an agency determines

that the unusually high or unique qualifications of

the employee or a special need of the agency for

the employee’s services makes it essential to retain

the employee and that the employee would be

likely to leave the Federal service in the absence of

a retention incentive. (5 U.S.C. 5754)

RETENTION PREFERENCE—The relative

right of an employee to be retained in a position

when similar positions are being abolished and

employees in them are being separated or

furloughed. (5 CFR part 351)

RETENTION REGISTER—A written or printed

record of all employees occupying positions in a

competitive level arranged by tenure groups and

subgroups, and by service dates within the

subgroup. It is used in a reduction in force to

determine which employees are retained and which

are separated or moved to other positions. (5 CFR

part 351)

RETIREMENT—Separation from the service

when employee is eligible to obtain an immediate

annuity.

RETIREMENT, DEFERRED—Retirement of a

person age 62 or older with at least 5 years of

civilian service who was formerly employed under

the Civil Service Retirement System and then left

Federal service or moved to a position not under

the retirement system. An employee covered by the

Federal Employees Retirement System who

separates after completing 10 years of service can

also receive a deferred retirement upon reaching

the Federal Employees Retirement System

“Minimum Retirement Age” (55 to 57, depending

on birth date). (The CSRS and FERS Handbook

)

RETIREMENT, DISCONTINUED SERVICE—

Retirement based on involuntary separation against

the will and without the consent of the employee,

other than on charges of misconduct or

delinquency. An employee who does not meet the

age and service requirements for optional

retirement at the time of separation may retire on

discontinued service if he or she is age 50 with 20

years of creditable service or at any age with 25

years of creditable service including 5 years of

civilian service. (The CSRS and FERS Handbook

)

RETIREMENT, OPTIONAL means voluntary

retirement, without reduction in annuity, of an

employee who meets minimum age and service

requirements. Under the Civil Service Retirement

System (CSRS), an employee qualifies at age 55

with 30 years of creditable service; under the

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), an

employee qualifies at the minimum retirement age

(55-57, depending on birth date) with 30 years of

creditable service. Under both CSRS and FERS, an

employee also qualifies at age 60 with 20 years of

creditable service and at age 62 with 5 years of

creditable service. (

The CSRS and FERS

Handbook)

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

35-13

RETURN TO DUTY—Placement of an employee

back in pay and duty status after absence for

Furlough, Suspension, or Leave Without Pay.

SABBATICAL—An absence from duty, without

charge to pay or leave, that an agency may grant to

a Senior Executive Service career appointee to

engage in study or uncompensated work

experience. (5 U.S.C. 3396(c)(1))

SEASONAL EMPLOYEE—An employee who

works on an annual recurring basis for periods of

less than 12 months (2080 hours) each year.

SCIENTIFIC AND PROFESSIONAL (ST)

POSITIONS are positions established under 5

U.S.C. 3104 to carry out research and development

functions that require the services of specially

qualified personnel. ST positions are in the

competitive service, but are not filled through

competitive examinations. Recruitment is carried

out by the agencies concerned. ST positions are

ungraded. (5 CFR part 319)

SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE—Positions that

are classified above GS-15 of the General

Schedule or in level IV or V or the Executive

Schedule or equivalent positions, which are not

required to be filled by an appointment by the

President by and with the advice and consent of the

Senate, and in which employees direct, monitor

and manage the work of an organizational unit or

exercise other executive functions.

SENIOR LEVEL (SL) POSITIONS are positions

established under the Federal Employees Pay

Comparability Act of 1990 (Pub. L. 101-509) to

replace positions at grades GS-16, GS-17, and

GS-18 of the General Schedule. SL positions are

classified above GS-15 of the General Schedule

and are ungraded. (5 CFR part 319)

SEPARATED UNDER HONORABLE

CONDITIONS means either an honorable or

general discharge from the Armed Forces. The

Department of Defense is responsible for

administering and defining military discharges.

SEPARATION-APPT IN (name of entity) is a

separation when an employee leaves a Federal

agency to accept employment with a non-Federal

Government entity that takes over his or her

Federal functions AND the employee will continue

to receive Federal benefits.

SEPARATION-US (uniformed services) (formerly

called Separation–MIL) is a separation action

initiated by an agency when the employee enters

on duty with the uniformed services and provides

written notice of intent not to return to a position

of employment with the agency or elects to be

separated in lieu of placement in a leave without

pay status.

SEPARATION-RIF is a separation from an

agency’s rolls under 5 CFR parts 351 or 359, or as

a consequence of a reduction in force.

SERIES—Classes of positions similar in

specialized line of work but differing in difficulty

or responsibility of work, or qualifications

requirements and, therefore, differing in grade and

pay range.

SERVICE COMPUTATION DATE (SCD)—The

date, either actual or constructed by crediting

service, used to determine benefits that are based

on how long the person has been in the Federal

Service.

For an employee with no prior creditable civilian

or military service, the service computation date is

the effective date of the employee's first Federal

civilian appointment. For an employee with prior

creditable service, the service computation date is

constructed by totaling the days, months and years

of the employee's creditable civilian and military

service and subtracting that total from the effective

date of the employee's most recent appointment.

For example, if an employee is appointed on

10-12-1998 and has 4 years, 3 months and 3 days

of prior service that is creditable, the service

computation date will be constructed as follows:

When service credit of 4 years, 3 months, and 3

days, is subtracted from the date, 1998-10-12, the

result is 1994-07-09. Thus, the service

computation date will then be 07-09-1994.

SEVERANCE PAY—Sum of money (based on

last salary, length of service, and age) which an

employee may be paid when separated

involuntarily from an agency, such as during a

reduction in force. An employee is ineligible for

severance pay if the separation results from

misconduct or if the employee is eligible for an

immediate (retirement) annuity. (5 CFR part 550,

subpart G)

SON (SUBMITTING OFFICE NUMBER)—A

number that was assigned by OPM to identify an

office that submitted personnel action data to the

Central Personnel Data File (CPDF). The SON

was replaced by the POI (Personnel Office

Identifier.)

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

SPECIAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE—An

employee who is appointed to work for a period

not to exceed 130 days during any period of 365

days. The standards of employee conduct to which

a special government employee is subject differ

from those to which other employees are subject.

(18 U.S.C. 202)

SPECIAL PAY ADJUSTMENT for LAW

ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS is an additional

payment made to a law enforcement officer whose

official duty station is in one of eight special pay

areas defined in section 404 of the Federal

Employees Pay Comparability Act of 1990. (5

CFR part 531, subpart C) [This term was deleted

from this guide in Update 46, dated January 7,

2007.]

SPECIAL RATES—Are higher than rates under

the regular pay schedule. For example, OPM may

establish higher pay rates under 5 U.S.C. 5305 for

occupations in which private enterprise is paying

substantially more than the regular Government

schedule and this salary gap significantly

handicaps the Government's recruitment or

retention of well-qualified persons. A special rate

may consist of a base rate and a special rate

supplement. (5 U.S.C. 5305 and 5 CFR part 530,

subpart C)

STANDARD FORM 50 (also called “50”)—

Notification of Personnel Action. The Standard

Form 50 is completed by the personnel or

administrative office to which appointing authority

has been delegated, and is used to notify the

employee and the payroll office, and to record the

action in the employee's Official Personnel Folder.

STANDARD FORM 52 (also called a “52”)—

Request for Personnel Action. Is used by operating

officials or supervisors to request personnel actions

and to secure internal agency clearance of requests

for personnel action. Employees use the Standard

Form 52 to request leave without pay or a name

change and to notify the agency of their intent to

resign or retire. (Chapter 4 of this Guide)

STATUS EMPLOYEE—One who has completed

the probationary period under the

career-conditional employment system. Also

known as an employee with competitive status. (5

CFR 315.503)

STATUS QUO EMPLOYEE—An employee who

failed to acquire competitive status when the

position in which he or she was serving was placed

in the competitive service by a statute, Executive

Order, or Civil Service Rule which permitted his or

her retention without acquisition of status. (5 CFR

part 316, subpart G).

STEP—The step of the pay plan under which an

employee is paid. For example, step 2 of GS 7;

step 1 of WG 5.

STEP ADJUSTMENT—A change in the step of

the grade at which the employee is serving without

a change in the employee's rate of basic pay. For

example, a special rate employee may become

entitled to a retained rate (step 00 equal to the

employee’s former step rate.

SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS SERVICE—

Federal civilian service which continued without

break or interruption; a period of service from

which time off the agency's rolls was not deducted

or subtracted from employee's total period of

service. >[This term was deleted from this guide in

Update 72, dated March 5, 2017.]<

SUPERIOR QUALIFICATIONS APPOINT-

MENT—Placement of a person in a

hard-to-recruit-for position at a pay rate above the

minimum based on the applicant's unique or

unusually high qualifications, a special government

need for applicants' services and the fact

applicants' present salary or salary offerings are

higher than the minimum rate of the grade level to

which the applicant can be appointed. (5 CFR

531.203(b))

SUPERVISORY DIFFERENTIAL The annual

total dollar amount paid, over and above basic pay,

to a General Schedule supervisor who otherwise

would be paid less than one or more of the civilian

employees supervised. (5 U.S.C. 5755)

SUSPENSION—Placement of an employee in a

temporary nonpay and nonduty status (or absence

from duty) for disciplinary reasons or other reasons

pending an inquiry. (5 CFR part 752)

TEMP APPT-PER—(Sometimes referred to as

“TAPER” appointment) A nature of action that

documents a temporary appointment authorized by

the Office of Personnel Management in the

absence of eligibles who can be considered for

permanent employment from a civil service

the establishment of a register from which

permanent employees can be selected. (5 CFR part

316, subpart B). [The term “TAPER” was deleted

from this Guide in Update 43, dated July 25,

2004].

Chapter 35. Glossary of Terms Used in Processing Personnel Actins

35-15

TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT—An

appointment made for a limited period of time and

with a specific not-to-exceed (NTE) date

determined by the authority under which the

appointment is made.

TENURE—The period of time an employee may

reasonably expect to serve under his or her current

appointment. Tenure is governed by the type of

appointment under which an employee is currently

serving, without regard to whether the employee

has competitive status or whether the employee's

appointment is to a competitive service position or

an excepted service position.

TENURE GROUPS—Categories of employees

ranked in priority order for retention during

reduction in force.

TENURE SUBGROUPS—Within each tenure

group, employees are divided into three subgroups.

Subgroup AD includes each preference eligible

employee who has a compensable service-

connected disability of 30 percent or more.

Subgroup A consists of employees with veterans'

preference who are not in subgroup AD. Subgroup

B consists of employees who have no veterans'

preference.

TERM APPOINTMENT—Appointment to a

position that will last more than one year but not

more than four years and that is of a project nature

where the job will terminate upon completion of

the project. (5 CFR part 316, subpart C)

TERMINATION-APPT IN (agency)—A

separation action initiated by either the employee

or the agency when the employee (or a group of

employees) moves from one agency to another

agency.

TERMINATION DURING PROB/TRIAL

PERIOD —An agency-initiated separation of an

employee who is serving an initial appointment

probation or a trial period required by civil service

or agency regulations.

TERMINATION-EXP OF APPT—A separation

action initiated by the agency to end employment

on the not-to-exceed date of a temporary

appointment or when the employee has worked the

number of days or hours to which the appointment

was limited.

TERMINATION-SPONSOR RELOCATING—

An action to document the separation of a

Department of Defense employee who submits a

resignation to accompany a military or civilian

sponsor to a new duty station.

TIME–AFTER–COMPETITIVE–

APPOINTMENT RESTRICTION—The

provision that 3 months must elapse after an

employee's latest nontemporary competitive

appointment before he or she may be (1) promoted

or reassigned, or transferred to a different line of

work or to a different geographical area, or (2)

transferred to or reinstated to a higher grade or

different line of work in the competitive service.

(5 CFR part 330.501)

TOUR OF DUTY—The hours of a day (daily tour

of duty) and the days of an administrative

workweek (weekly tour of duty) that are scheduled

in advance and during which an employee is

required to perform work on a regularly recurring

basis.

TRANSFER—A change of an employee, without

a break in service of one full workday, from a

position in one agency to a position in another

agency that can be filled under the same appointing

authority: 5 CFR 315.501 authorizes the transfer of

competitive service career and career-conditional

appointees to competitive service career or

career-conditional appointments in other agencies;

5 CFR 307.103 authorizes transfer of excepted

service veterans’ readjustment appointees to

excepted service veterans’ readjustment

appointment positions in other agencies; and 5

U.S.C. 3395 authorizes transfer of career and

noncareer appointees in the Senior Executive

Service to career and noncareer appointments in

other agencies.

TRANSFER OF FUNCTION—The movement of

the work of one or more employees from one

competitive area to another. (5 CFR part 351,

subpart C)

UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION—An

unemployment insurance for Federal employees.

(5 U.S.C. chapter 85)

UNIFORMED SERVICES—The Armed Forces

(Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast

Guard) plus the commissioned officer corps of the

Public Health Service and National Oceanic and

Atmospheric Administration.

VETERAN—Means a person who was separated

with an honorable discharge or under honorable

conditions from active duty in the Armed Forces

performed during one of the periods described in

5 U.S.C. 2108.

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THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS

VETERANS' PREFERENCE is an employee's

category of entitlement to preference in the Federal

service based on active military service that

terminated honorably.

WAE (when actually employed)—See

INTERMITTENT SERVICE.

WAGE AREA—A geographical area within which

a single set of regular wage schedules is applied

uniformly by Federal installations to the covered

occupations under the Federal Wage System.

(5 U.S.C. chapter 53, Subchapter IV, and 5 CFR

part 532)

WAGE EMPLOYEES—Also called Federal wage

employees or prevailing rate employees. These

employees are in trades, crafts, or labor

occupations covered by the Federal Wage System

and their pay is fixed and adjusted from

time-to-time in accordance with prevailing rates.

WC (Without Compensation)—Under certain

circumstances, an agency may be authorized to

appoint an employee to provide services to the

government without pay.

WITHIN-GRADE INCREASE (WGI)—Is an

increase in employee's rate of basic pay by

advancement from one step of his or her grade to

the next after meeting requirements for length of

service and performance.

WITHIN-RANGE INCREASE (WRI) – Is an

increase in an employee’s rate of basic pay within

the pay range for his grade, band, or level

(excluding an increase granted automatically to

keep pace with an adjustment in pay structure).

For pay systems with scheduled steps within a pay

range, a within-range increase is an advancement

from one step to a higher step (e.g., after meeting

requirements for length-of-service and

performance). A GS within-grade increase (WGI)

is one type of within-range increase.

WORK SCHEDULE—The time basis on which an

employee is paid. A work schedule may be

full-time, part-time, or intermittent.

WORK SITE of the employee is the place where

he or she works, or at which the employee's

activities are based, as determined by the

employing agency