Claim for Increase in Salary Retroactive to Reemployment

An employee of the Army claimed an increase in salary retroactive to her reemployment following a break in service of over 3 years. Since she had been a GS-4 at the time of her resignation, it was the employee's contention that upon reemployment as a GS-3 she was entitled to be placed at a higher step in the GS-3 grade. Her claim was denied on the basis that at the time of her reemployment it was the policy of the activity where she was employed to place individuals in the first step of the grade in which employed, even if the individual had been previously employed at a higher rate. The employee appealed the settlement of her claim. It was decided that the evidence presented did not establish that the personnel officer had erred according to regulations in applying the lower rate at the time of reemployment. Therefore, the claim for retroactive adjustment of compensation was denied, and the action denying the claim was sustained.