Time in Grade and Reinstatement
Understanding the Federal requirements applicable and resources available to you can assist you in managing a successful Federal Career.
Time in Grade Requirements
Federal employees may be appointed into positions that offer promotion potential within their position or non-promotable positions, where they will have to compete for future promotional opportunities. In either situation, Federal employees will have to meet time-in-grade requirements prior to receiving a merit promotion. Federal employees who have qualifying experience at a higher pay grade can apply for positions that are open to the public without taking time-in-grade requirements into consideration.
There is often a misperception that service-connected disabled Veterans or individuals who qualify for special hiring authorities are exempt from time-in-grade requirements, which is not the case. When applying for Federal positions check with the agency Human Resources Office you are applying to for employment to find out how time in-grade requirements will apply in your case. Information regarding Time-in-Grade constraints can be located within Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations.
Reinstatement
Preference eligibles, including those with derived preferences, who served under career or career-conditional appointment for any period of time, have lifetime reinstatement eligibility to any competitive service position for which qualified. They have this eligibility regardless of whether their Armed Forces service occurred before or after career or career-conditional appointment. Competition under the agency's merit promotion plan is required if the position is at a higher grade level or has more promotion potential than a position previously held.