Claim for a Within-Grade Increase

An Air Force employee appealed the denial of his claim for a retroactive within-grade increase incident to his demotion due to a reduction in force and subsequent repromotion to the grade previously held. Where an employee is demoted and later repromoted to the same grade and step level as previously held, a new waiting period for periodic step increases begins, even though the employee received the same rate of pay during the demotion period as saved pay. On repromotion, the constructive increase in pay from the applicable rate determined in accord with Federal law for the lower grade held during demotion is an equivalent increase under law. The denial of the claim was sustained.