Detail to Acting State Directors, Farmers Home Administration

An agency asked for a determination as to whether certain employees were entitled to retroactive promotion and backpay. The position of promotion was classified at grade GS-15, and the appointed employees held GS-12 and GS-13 postions. One group of employees was delegated to the position in addition to their regular duties, while the second group was designated to act with full authority of the higher-graded position. GAO held that the employees in the second group were entitled to a retroactive temporary promotion beginning on the 121st day of their detail, but they were not entitled to be promoted to grade GS-15. They were eligible for promotion to the highest grade to which they could have been promoted under the Whitten Amendment and other applicable requirements. The first group of employees was entitled to retroactive promotions under the same conditions set forth for the second group. The fact that they were detailed to temporary performance of duties of a different position in addition to performing their regular duties, and subsequently returned to their regular positions, was no bar to retroactive promotion.