GS Grade Reassignment to a Lower Grade?

[Anonymous]

I asked to go part-time and was told that I could, but I would need to take a grade reassignment to a lower grade (but with the same pay as now). Anyone done this? What should I be thinking about before making this decision?

[Anonymous]

I am not actually sure that is legal. Is the idea that you would work less for the same pay or are you also taking a pay cut?

[Anonymous]

Your grade is determined by the job responsibilities, no? Are they planning to cut certain responsibilities that correspond to your current grade?

[Anonymous]

It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

That is really interesting. I am a long-term fed who had no idea about this. Thanks for posting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

I read about this shortly after I started when I noticed my gross pay x 26 did not equal my annual salary. Part of it is the leap year and part of it is that certain years have more weekend days than others but the system is set up to average all of the hours during the cycle of the calender (I think it's like 30 something years but I forget) and you're paid based on an average year length of 2087 hours so in some years you make a little more and in some years you make a little less. It's an accurate system but...then again...you have to wonder who they hire to come up with this stuff.

[Anonymous]

It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

I understand that part, but don't understand why it would cause her to be assigned to a lower grade. I am a GS-15 working an 80 percent schedule. Why would she just not be paid whatever percentage of her salary at her current GS level that she would be entitled to based on her part time hours? I didn't get resassigned to a GS 14 for going 80 percent. What am I missing?

[Anonymous]

I don't understand what the rationale is for this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

I understand that part, but don't understand why it would cause her to be assigned to a lower grade. I am a GS-15 working an 80 percent schedule. Why would she just not be paid whatever percentage of her salary at her current GS level that she would be entitled to based on her part time hours? I didn't get resassigned to a GS 14 for going 80 percent. What am I missing?

+1. The response to the question doesn't really make sense, nor does getting assigned a lower grade.

[Anonymous]

I don't understand the lower grade either, unless you are working part time in a different job that is a lower grade.

Something else to know is that your Service Comp Date is affected after you take >80 of LWOP. Also you will not receive your annual and sick after each 80 hours of LWOP.

So if you work 30 hour weeks, every two weeks you are taking 20 hours of LWOP. After 8 weeks you will have taken 80 hours LWOP. The next pay period you will not receive annual or sick leave. Your service comp date will go forward 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks, PPs. Yes, that was the confusing part to me - why would I need to take a grade decrease? Why is that tied to going part time? I'm trying to talk with HR to learn more; it doesn't seem quite right, especially since there was no discussion of a change in types of tasks and my performance has been great.

13:21 - If I were part-time, I wouldn't be taking LWOP though, right?

[Anonymous]

Was there a new part-time job that you applied for or are you staying in the position and going part time? If it's the former, then sure it can be a lower grade. If it's the later, then I would be surprised if that's legal.

If they're rewriting your job description, and removing some of the higher level responsibilities, in order to accommodate your part time schedule, then I can see how they've have an argument there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It is legal. What many people don't realize is that on the federal government, they convert your annual salary into an hour salary for calculating your pay check each period. They do this to account for the extra day that happens during leap year. I learned this the first time I had to calculate a back pay award for someone. So the OP would be paid her current salary but less of it based on her hours actually worked. What I think will happen, however, if her current salary is above the top end of the scale for her new grade, is that she will not be receiving full annual adjustments because she is already above the top of the pay scale. You can check this on the OPM web site, just search for information on pay retention.

I understand that part, but don't understand why it would cause her to be assigned to a lower grade. I am a GS-15 working an 80 percent schedule. Why would she just not be paid whatever percentage of her salary at her current GS level that she would be entitled to based on her part time hours? I didn't get resassigned to a GS 14 for going 80 percent. What am I missing?

Her agency is not required to demote her in grade to let her work part-time, they are choosing to do so. At my agency, the rational would be how they allocate full time equivalent and part time slots within the teams. Until two years ago, my Managing Director believed that you could not be a GS-15 unless you supervised someone, and you could not supervise someone and work part-time. After many conversations with HR, we now have part-time GS-15 employees.

[Anonymous]

I worked part time some years ago as a GS-12. I didn't have to take a grade decrease, I just put less hours on my time report. I agree OP,you need to talk with HR.