Entitlement to Retroactive Temporary Promotion

An agency requested a decision regarding whether an employee may be granted a retroactive temporary promotion for an entire period of detail to a higher-grade position although the position was arbitrarily abolished during the detailed period. The employee performed the higher-level duties during the entire period. In fact, the employee continued to perform the duties of the position after the position was erroneously abolished incident to reorganization and reestablished under a different position description number. GAO held that the employee was entitled to a retroactive temporary promotion based upon the continuous period of the detail. However, the temporary promotion and backpay were limited to the period after the 120th day of the detail.