Subpart E—Quality Step Increases

This subpart contains regulations of the Office of Personnel Management to carry out section 5336 of title 5, United States Code, which authorizes the head of an agency, or another official to whom such authority is delegated, to grant quality step increases.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]

Agency means an agency defined in section 5102 of title 5, United States Code.

Employee means an employee of an agency.

Quality step increase is synonymous with the term “step increase” used in section 5336 of title 5, United States Code, and means an increase in an employee's rate of basic pay from one step or rate of the grade of his or her position to the next higher step of that grade or next higher rate within the grade (as defined in § 531.403) in accordance with section 5336 of title 5, United States Code, section 4 of the Performance Management and Recognition System Termination Act of 1993 (Pub. L. 103-89), and this subpart.

[46 FR 2322, Jan. 9, 1981, as amended at 46 FR 41020, Aug. 14, 1981; 58 FR 65537, Dec. 15, 1993; 59 FR 40794, Aug. 10, 1994]

The purpose of quality step increases is to provide appropriate incentives and recognition for excellence in performance by granting faster than normal step increases.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]

A quality step increase shall not be required but may be granted only to—

(a) An employee who receives a rating of record at Level 5 (“Outstanding” or equivalent), as defined in part 430, subpart B, of this chapter; or

(b) An employee who, when covered by a performance appraisal program that does not use a Level 5 summary—

(1) Receives a rating of record at the highest summary level used by the program; and

(2) Demonstrates sustained performance of high quality significantly above that expected at the “Fully Successful” level in the type of position concerned, as determined under performance-related criteria established by the agency.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]

As provided by 5 U.S.C. 5336, a quality step increase may not be granted to an employee who has received a quality step increase within the preceding 52 consecutive calendar weeks.

[51 FR 8421, Mar. 11, 1986]

The quality step increase should be made effective as soon as practicable after it is approved.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]

(a) Agencies shall maintain and submit to OPM such records as OPM may require.

(b) Agencies shall report quality step increases to the Central Personnel Data File in compliance with instructions in the OPM Operating Manual, FEDERAL WORKFORCE REPORTING SYSTEMS, for sale by the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]

The Office of Personnel Management may evaluate an agency's use of the authority to grant quality step increases. The agency shall take any corrective action required by the Office.

[60 FR 43948, Aug. 23, 1995]