Federal Supervisory Role - Acting

[Anonymous]

I work in an agency that was hit pretty hard with DOGE cuts and the DRP. HR was decimated with very little support to be offered. So, I was voluntold to take an acting supervisory 15 role, as a 14 but without the 15 pay. I keep hearing that “acting” roles are limited to 90 and maybe 120 days, but nobody is willing to confirm for me. I also heard that the timeframes only count for those receiving higher pay in the role.

I’ve been told that this acting role could go well beyond 3 months because we are in a hiring freeze. Anyone heard of someone remaining in an acting role for a year or more? Is it even feasible?

[Anonymous]

Did they cut you a SF-50 for your role? Or is it just a memorandum from management saying Joe is acting for now kinda thing? I am not sure if all agencies work the same, but I was acting Office Director (GS-15/SES) over a year. It started with "Joe is acting" which had 120-day limit (but can be extended to 240 days) but no SF-50 followed by "Joe is acting" with SF-50 which formalized my supervisor duties. With SF-50, you are a real supervisor with supervisory duties. Without SF-50, you don't have supervisory duties (just babysitters really). But, like I said, other agencies may work differently.

[Anonymous]

I know of cases where someone in DoD was acting for more than 12 months.

[Anonymous]

I acted in a higher grade (not supervisory though) for 4 years. I raised hell after about 2 years and was told that because I wasn’t on an “official detail” and wasn’t getting the higher pay that my detail wasn’t limited to 120 days. Which seemed unfair and like I was penalized twice (not getting the pay and being forced to act). I didn’t want to act as it was a stressful position and my office kept getting sued due to the nature of my work. I don’t have a good ending either. They eventually hired someone and she was the boss from hell, so I quickly left and got a higher grade.

[Anonymous]

We did have some people in our office doing acting roles but they had to step down after so long as you mentioned. As far as I know there was no increase in pay or anything. Some of the positions went on to be filled and others not. They ran out of people qualified/trusted to be "acting", so the unfilled roles are fully unfilled now.

[Anonymous]

We give out acting people the higher grade and they are limited to 120 days. Sounds like they're calling it acting but what they really did was just change the scope of your job.

[Anonymous]

You can put it on your resume and note new skills used while acting. Works for private sector.

[Anonymous]

Are people allowed to refuse acting roles?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are people allowed to refuse acting roles?

absolutely

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did they cut you a SF-50 for your role? Or is it just a memorandum from management saying Joe is acting for now kinda thing? I am not sure if all agencies work the same, but I was acting Office Director (GS-15/SES) over a year. It started with "Joe is acting" which had 120-day limit (but can be extended to 240 days) but no SF-50 followed by "Joe is acting" with SF-50 which formalized my supervisor duties. With SF-50, you are a real supervisor with supervisory duties. Without SF-50, you don't have supervisory duties (just babysitters really). But, like I said, other agencies may work differently.

Nope, no SF-50 at all. They provided a formal memo outlining what I will be doing, which basically includes everything that a supv does. I’m doing timesheet, assigning, reviewing, and approving work, travel authorizations. Seems like this is a way to get around paying a 15 wage. I think they will plan to advertise the position eventually - maybe this will give me a leg up on the selection?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are people allowed to refuse acting roles?

The work needs to get done, so they can decide the fallout when it doesn't. if its your supervisor's role, usually it will impact your own job performance, which is why people usually step up and do the work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they cut you a SF-50 for your role? Or is it just a memorandum from management saying Joe is acting for now kinda thing? I am not sure if all agencies work the same, but I was acting Office Director (GS-15/SES) over a year. It started with "Joe is acting" which had 120-day limit (but can be extended to 240 days) but no SF-50 followed by "Joe is acting" with SF-50 which formalized my supervisor duties. With SF-50, you are a real supervisor with supervisory duties. Without SF-50, you don't have supervisory duties (just babysitters really). But, like I said, other agencies may work differently.

Nope, no SF-50 at all. They provided a formal memo outlining what I will be doing, which basically includes everything that a supv does. I’m doing timesheet, assigning, reviewing, and approving work, travel authorizations. Seems like this is a way to get around paying a 15 wage. I think they will plan to advertise the position eventually - maybe this will give me a leg up on the selection?

That sounds fishy. At my agency you couldn't do some of those without a formal SF-50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they cut you a SF-50 for your role? Or is it just a memorandum from management saying Joe is acting for now kinda thing? I am not sure if all agencies work the same, but I was acting Office Director (GS-15/SES) over a year. It started with "Joe is acting" which had 120-day limit (but can be extended to 240 days) but no SF-50 followed by "Joe is acting" with SF-50 which formalized my supervisor duties. With SF-50, you are a real supervisor with supervisory duties. Without SF-50, you don't have supervisory duties (just babysitters really). But, like I said, other agencies may work differently.

Nope, no SF-50 at all. They provided a formal memo outlining what I will be doing, which basically includes everything that a supv does. I’m doing timesheet, assigning, reviewing, and approving work, travel authorizations. Seems like this is a way to get around paying a 15 wage. I think they will plan to advertise the position eventually - maybe this will give me a leg up on the selection?

That sounds fishy. At my agency you couldn't do some of those without a formal SF-50.

DP. Nobody is following any rules. If I were OP and didn’t like the acting position I would try to get out of it. There’s literally no upside and no I would not assume that it puts you in a better position to get the permanent job. It’s nice if it gives you actual supervisory experience for your resume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are people allowed to refuse acting roles?

The work needs to get done, so they can decide the fallout when it doesn't. if its your supervisor's role, usually it will impact your own job performance, which is why people usually step up and do the work.

DP. Fortunately I am on my way out of my agency, but after seeing what they did to other actings there is ZERO way I would ever step up to be acting. The agency can accept the consequences of their actions if the work is affected.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Did they cut you a SF-50 for your role? Or is it just a memorandum from management saying Joe is acting for now kinda thing? I am not sure if all agencies work the same, but I was acting Office Director (GS-15/SES) over a year. It started with "Joe is acting" which had 120-day limit (but can be extended to 240 days) but no SF-50 followed by "Joe is acting" with SF-50 which formalized my supervisor duties. With SF-50, you are a real supervisor with supervisory duties. Without SF-50, you don't have supervisory duties (just babysitters really). But, like I said, other agencies may work differently.

Nope, no SF-50 at all. They provided a formal memo outlining what I will be doing, which basically includes everything that a supv does. I’m doing timesheet, assigning, reviewing, and approving work, travel authorizations. Seems like this is a way to get around paying a 15 wage. I think they will plan to advertise the position eventually - maybe this will give me a leg up on the selection?

That sounds fishy. At my agency you couldn't do some of those without a formal SF-50.

+1, we would also require an SF-50 at mine. Does anyone know if lack of an SF-50 puts OP ar risk, e.g. if she authorizes something that gets questioned? Maybe the memo is enough.

OP, if you don't have fed supervisor insurance, you may want to look into that.