What does step and grade mean?

Grade increases are considered promotions and are linked to title, job responsibilities, education and experience. Pay steps are based on length of service within your current grade. Step increases are raises but are not considered promotions.

How does grade and step increase work?

Within-grade step increases are based on an acceptable level of performance and longevity (waiting periods of 1 year at steps 1-3, 2 years at steps 4-6, and 3 years at steps 7-9). It normally takes 18 years to advance from step 1 to step 10 within a single GS grade if an employee remains in that single grade.

What are steps in salaries?

A salary step is an incremental increase in salary based on previous qualifying professional experience. You’ll earn more money the longer you stay in the system.

How many steps are in a grade?

Each General Schedule (GS) grade has 10 steps. Within-grade increases (WGIs) or step increases are periodic increases in a GS employee’s rate of basic pay from one step of the grade of his or her position to the next higher step of that grade.

What is quality step increase?

A quality step increase (QSI) is an additional within-grade increase (WGI) used to recognize and reward General Schedule (GS) employees at any grade level who display outstanding performance. A QSI has the effect of moving an employee through the GS pay range faster than by periodic step increases alone.

Are step increases automatic?

Some agencies have automated procedures for approving step increases, but others do not. Regardless of agencies’ IT capabilities, the MSPB described step increases as being “nearly automatic” given how infrequently denials actually occur.

When you move up a grade do you keep your step?

Steps remain with the grade, so when you promote they do not follow. However, when you are promoted, your pay is set at the new grade’s step equal to but not less than the equivalent of a two step increase at the old grade.

Is GS step increase automatic?

In the GS Pay System, Step is related to how long you have worked for the federal government. This is often called “Time-in-Service.” Step increases are automatically given to employees when the meet the time-in-service requirement.

What are step increases?

Within-grade increases (WGIs) or step increases are periodic increases in a GS employee’s rate of basic pay from one step of the grade of his or her position to the next higher step of that grade.

What is salary grade?

A salary grade is a predetermined compensation level for a given position within an organization. The level is expressed through a salary range and typically the levels are set at each individual business entity. For example, the salary grade for mid-level management positions at ABC Inc.