Within-grade-increases (WGI) are increases in employees’ rates of basic pay by advancement from one step of their grade to the next after meeting requirements for length of service and satisfactory performance.
- Personnel actions effecting WGIs are generated automatically unless the supervisor has identified a performance problem with the employee, in which case the WGI may be postponed or withheld. The supervisor should contact the Human Resources Office to discuss withholding of a WGI.
- The following are the WGI waiting periods for General Schedule (GS) full-time employees with a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty.
- Steps 2, 3, and 4 - 52 calendar weeks
- Steps 5, 6, and 7 - 104 calendar weeks
- Steps 8, 9, and 10 - 156 calendar weeks
- The following are the WGI waiting periods for Federal Wage System (WG/WS) full time employees with a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty.
- Step 2 - 26 calendar weeks in step 1
- Step 3 - 78 calendar weeks in step 2
- Steps 4 and 5 - 104 calendar weeks in steps 3 and 4 respectively
- Nonpay Status may impact a waiting period.
- NONPAY STATUS may impact a waiting period. GS employees with a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty are allowed up to the following amounts of non-pay duty time before the waiting period for a WGI is extended:
- Steps 1 through 3 are allowed two workweeks in a nonpay status;
- Steps 4 through 6 are allowed four workweeks in a nonpay status; and
- Steps 7 through 10 are allowed six workweeks in a nonpay status.
WG/WS Employees with a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty are allowed:
- One workweek in the waiting period for rate 2;
- Three workweeks in the waiting period for rate 3;
- Four workweeks in the waiting period for rates 4 and 5.
Time in a nonpay status in excess of the above will extend the waiting period by the excess amount.
GS Employees without a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty (Intermittent) will have their waiting period extended by the excess amount.
WG/WS Employee without a prearranged regularly scheduled tour of duty (Intermittent).
- Rate 2: 130 days of creditable service in a pay status in rate 1 over a period of no less than 26 calendar weeks;
- Rate 3: 390 days of creditable service in a pay status in rate 2 over a period of no less than 78 calendar weeks;
- Rate 4: 520 days of creditable service in a pay status in rate 3 over a period of no less than 104 weeks;
- Rate 5: 520 days of creditable service in a pay status in rate 4 over a period of no less than 104 weeks.
Any day on which a part-time period service is performed constitutes a full day.