Entitlement to Retroactive Quality Step Increase

An employee of ACTION was recommended for a Quality Step Increase (QSI), but the recommendation was made by her superior on an obsolete form, lacked proper documentation, and was not followed up to obtain the necessary endorsements. Later, the employee's supervisor correctly completed the proper forms and obtained the necessary approvals. ACTION's Personnel Director, wishing not to penalize the employee for errors by the agency, requested an official ruling as to providing back pay to the employee for the period between the original abortive attempt to secure the QSI and its later successful attainment. Retroactive granting of the QSI may not be made, however, since ACTION was not deprived of the discretion to grant it and the employee had no vested right to it at any particular time under statute or agency regulation.