Q. I am a former federal employee seeking reinstatement. I worked full time for seven years (1990-1997), then worked part time for another two years. During this period, I initially worked 32 hours per week, then cut back to 20 hours per week. I resigned in 1999 to become a full-time parent. At the time I resigned, I was GS-14, Step 3. I had been at the GS-14 level for one year, but part of that time was part time and part was leave without pay after the birth of a child. When calculating years of federal service, is it based on full-time employment? Am I eligible for employment at the GS-14 level, or should I be applying for jobs at the GS-13 level? I was a GS-13 for several years before being promoted.
A. Part-time service is treated the same as full-time service when establishing your service computation date for retirement purposes.
Whether you apply for a GS-14 or a GS-13 position is up to you. You are eligible to be hired at either grade. The hiring decision will be based on your experience and qualifications.
