Salary Retention for Demoted Employee

An employee, whose grade was reduced when she accepted a new position with greater potential, complained that she should have been given her highest previous rate or salary retention because she lacked only about 1 month in being eligible for step 3 in her higher grade. The salary rate was properly set since the employee did not have the required 2 years continuous service in the higher grade, and the agency was not required to award her the highest previous rate.