{"data":{"id":"us/5-cfr-531.405","jurisdiction":"us","citation":"5 CFR 531.405","heading":"Waiting periods for within-grade increase.","body":"(a) Length of waiting period. (1) For an employee with a scheduled tour of duty, the waiting periods for advancement to the next higher step in all General Schedule grades (or the next higher rate within the grade, as defined in § 531.403) are:\n(i) Rate of basic pay less than the rate of basic pay at step 4-52 calendar weeks of creditable service;\n(ii) Rate of basic pay equal to or greater than the rate of basic pay at step 4 and less than the rate of basic pay at step 7-104 calendar weeks of creditable service; and\n(iii) Rate of basic pay equal to or greater than the rate of basic pay at step 7-156 calendar weeks of creditable service.\n(2) For an employee without a scheduled tour of duty, the waiting periods for advancement to the next higher step of all General Schedule grades (or the next higher rate within the grade, as defined in § 531.403) are:\n(i) Rate of basic pay less than the rate of basic pay at step 4-260 days of creditable service in a pay status over a period of not less than 52 calendar weeks;\n(ii) Rate of basic pay equal to or greater than the rate of basic pay at step 4 and less than the rate of basic pay at step 7-520 days of creditable service in a pay status over a period of not less than 104 calendar weeks; and\n(iii) Rate of basic pay equal to or greater than the rate of basic pay at step 7-780 days of creditable service in a pay status over a period of not less than 156 calendar weeks.\n(b) Commencement of a waiting period. A waiting period begins;\n(1) On the first appointment as an employee of the Federal Government, regardless of tenure;\n(2) On receiving an equivalent increase; or\n(3) After a period of nonpay status or a break in service (alone or in combination) in excess of 52 calendar weeks, unless the nonpay status or break in service is creditable service under § 531.406 of this subpart.\n(c) A waiting period is not interrupted by non-workdays intervening between an employee's last scheduled workday in one position and his or her first scheduled workday in a new position.","path":["Title 5—Administrative Personnel","CHAPTER I—OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT","SUBCHAPTER B—CIVIL SERVICE REGULATIONS","PART 531—PAY UNDER THE GENERAL SCHEDULE","Subpart D—Within-Grade Increases"],"source_url":"https://www.ecfr.gov/api/versioner/v1/full/2026-08-25/title-5.xml","current_through":"2026-08-25","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T02:23:53Z","sha256":"1f64c29afc74fc16ad62f0c68bf6233506be2b1f326792c4694ffe7bc87826a3","source_id":"us-cfr","stale":true,"prev":"us/5-cfr-531.404","next":"us/5-cfr-531.406"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}