what is a detail assignment

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370.300.8 - Details and Temporary Assignments

OPR: Office of Personnel

1. Purpose.  This chapter describes U. S. Geological Survey (USGS) policy and procedural guidelines for processing details and temporary reassignments. Unless otherwise noted, these requirements relate only to permanent and temporary employees in the competitive or excepted service within the Department of the Interior (DOI) serving in, detailed to, or temporarily reassigned to competitive service positions regardless of pay system (i.e., General Schedule (GS), General Manager (GM), Wage Grade (WG), etc.).

2. Authority.  5 CFR Chapter 300.301, Subpart C, states that an agency may detail an employee in the competitive service to a position in either the competitive or excepted service; an agency may detail an employee in the excepted service to a position in the excepted service; and an agency may detail an excepted service employee serving under Schedule A, Schedule B, or the Veterans Readjustment Act, to a position in the competitive service. Any other detail of an employee in the excepted service to a position in the competitive service may be made only with the prior approval of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or under a delegated agreement between the agency and OPM.

3. Policy.  It is the policy of the USGS to meet the temporary manpower needs of the bureau through the use of details and temporary reassignments. Details and temporary reassignments are intended for meeting temporary needs of the agency’s work program when necessary services cannot be provided by other means. Details and temporary reassignments can be used in situations such as temporary shortage of employees or in emergency work situations. However, details and temporary reassignments will be limited to the shortest possible duration, will be used only when no other practical means are available, and will not be used to circumvent established OPM, departmental, or bureau rules and regulations. Except for brief periods, employees should not be detailed to perform work of a permanent nature or a higher grade unless there are compelling reasons for doing so.

4. Responsibilities.

A.  Management officials, supervisors, and administrative officers  are responsible for the timely initiation of documentation for details and temporary reassignments as required in this chapter. In addition, it is the responsibility of these officials to ensure that details and temporary reassignments:

(1) Do not compromise open competitive principles of the USGS merit promotion plan.

(2) Are not used to circumvent the use of a more appropriate personnel action to obtain necessary employee services.

(3) Are kept to the shortest possible duration.

B.  The individual who serves as the rating official for the position to which an employee is detailed or temporarily reassigned  must provide a written Employee Work Plan (performance standards and elements) to the employee within 30 days provided the assignment is within the Department of the Interior and is expected to last 90 days or more.

C.  Servicing personnel officials  are responsible for:

(1) Advising managers, supervisors, and employees of the conditions and requirements under which details and temporary reassignments may be made.

(2) Assuring compliance with all OPM, DOI and bureau policy and procedural requirements applicable to the detail or temporary reassignment of employees.

5. Definitions.

A. A  detail  is a temporary assignment of an employee to a classified position (i.e., established position) or statement of duties (i.e., unestablished position) for a specified period. During the detail, an employee continues to encumber and receive the salary and entitlements of the position from which detailed (i.e., the official position of record). At the end of the detail, the employee returns to the official position of record.

B. A  temporary reassignment  is an assignment to another classified position, at the same grade and step or, if applicable, rate above the maximum step of the grade currently held, for a specified period. At the end of the temporary reassignment, the employee returns to the position from which temporarily reassigned or to a position of comparable status, tenure, and pay.

C. A  competitive position  is one that is not specifically excepted from the competitive service by statute or regulation. In the USGS, this includes most general schedule and wage grade positions.

D. An  excepted position  is one that is specifically excluded from the competitive service. This includes some GS positions and positions in the GG (grade similar to general schedule) and Foreign Compensation (FC) pay systems.

6. Approval of Details and Temporary Reassignments.  All details and temporary reassignments require management approval according to the delegated authorities of the organization and, in some instances, approval of the Servicing Personnel Officer prior to effecting the action. (See  Survey Manual, Part 205.1, Appendix B - USGS Delegations of Personnel Management Authority  and  Appendix D - Delegation of Authority – Details , which specify the USGS, departmental, and OPM approval requirements and authorities.)

7. Uses of Details and Temporary Reassignments.

A.  Details

(1) Details may be made to either established (classified position descriptions) or unestablished (unclassified statement of duties) positions under the following circumstances:

(a) To meet emergencies, excessive workload of limited duration, shortage of personnel, special projects, or studies that are short-term or temporary in nature, changes in mission or organization, or unanticipated employee absence for an extended period of time.

(b) To provide the necessary time for management to officially document new work assignments, rewrite position descriptions and classify new positions, or obtain employee security clearances.

(c) To provide for short-term training, orientation, or other developmental purposes.

(2) An employee may not be detailed to a position in a different line of work or geographical location for at least 90 days after the latest nontemporary competitive appointment or conversion from an OPM register, except for an emergency detail of 30 days or less.

(3) For detail actions to classified or unclassified positions at the same or lower grade level, the supervisor of the work to be performed is responsible for determining whether the employee is fully able to perform the duties of the position. When the detail action is to an occupational series for which OPM has established minimum educational requirements, and/or to a position for which there is a licensure or certification requirement, the servicing personnel office must verify that the employee meets the minimum educational, licensure, and/or certification requirements.

(4) In computing time limitations for detail actions, service under details of less than 120 calendar days in the same or similar position or duties will be counted when the proposed action represents an immediate continuation of an undocumented detail.

(5) A detail to a higher-graded position or to a position with greater promotion potential for a cumulative period of more than 120 days must be made under merit promotion procedures (see SM 370.335). In computing the 120-day period, service performed during the preceding 12-month period under noncompetitive time-limited promotions, noncompetitive details to higher-graded positions, and noncompetitive temporary reassignments and details to positions with greater promotion potential is counted.

(6) An employee serving on a temporary appointment may be detailed to a position that meets the criteria for temporary employment. An employee serving on a term appointment may be detailed, within the time limit of their appointment, only to a position appropriate for term employment.

B.  Temporary Reassignments.

(1) Temporary reassignments may be made only to classified positions and will normally be for periods of 1 year or less. Requests for temporary reassignments must be documented to support the need for a temporary rather than permanent reassignment. Temporary reassignments will only be approved for those situations in which no other personnel action is appropriate and under the following conditions:

(a) To lend particular expertise to the completion of a project assignment of extended duration.

(b) To conduct in-house special assignments on behalf of another bureau or agency.

(c) To provide full-time services on a task force or special committee of unspecified duration.

(d) To provide for long-term training as part of an established promotion or career development program.

(e) To backfill positions that are being vacated for extended periods of time (i.e., leave of absence approved for up to 1 year).

(2) An employee who is temporarily reassigned to a position with a different pay plan assumes the pay plan and entitlements of that position, i.e., from GS to WG.

(3) To be eligible for a temporary reassignment, the employee must meet established OPM qualification standards for the position.

(4) Temporary reassignments to positions with greater promotion potential may be made noncompetitively for a maximum cumulative period of 120 days during any consecutive 12-month period. Temporary reassignment of an employee for a cumulative period of more than 120 days to a position with greater promotion potential, must be made under merit promotion procedures. In computing the 120-day period, service during the preceding 12-month period under noncompetitive temporary promotions, noncompetitive details to higher graded positions, and noncompetitive temporary reassignments and details to positions with greater promotion potential is counted.

(5) A temporary reassignment to a position with greater promotion potential may be made permanent provided the reassignment was originally made under merit promotion procedures and the merit promotion announcement stated that the temporary reassignment may be made permanent without further competition or if it meets the requirements of exceptions to competition as outlined in 5 CFR 335 and internal merit promotion procedures.

8. Documentation and Procedural Requirements.

A.  Requirements for documenting details and temporary reassignments.

(1) The automated request for personnel action (SF-52) is required to document:

(a) All details to organizations outside of the USGS.

(b) Details of 30 calendar days or more to a higher graded position or positions with greater promotion potential than the official position of record.

(c) All other details of 120 days or more except as indicated in SM 370.300.8.A(3).

(d) All temporary reassignments.

(2) Written documentation.

(a) Details.

(i) A statement of duties or position description is required to document all details to international organizations regardless of the length of the detail or whether or not the detail is made on a reimbursable basis.

(ii) A position description is required to document all details of 30 calendar days or more to a higher graded position or positions with greater promotion potential than the official position of record.

(iii) A statement of duties or position description is required to document all other details of 120 days or more except as indicated in SM 370.300.8.A(3).

(b) Temporary Reassignments.

(i) A position description is required for all temporary reassignments.

(ii) A written justification is required documenting the purpose of the temporary reassignment.

(iii) A statement of understanding is required for a temporary reassignment.

(3) SF-52 documentation is not required when an employee is detailed to perform duties of an identical position or a position of the same grade, series, and basic duties as the position to which regularly assigned.

(4) In situations where SF-52 documentation is not required for a detail action, management should prepare a memorandum to the record to recognize and credit employee service. The memorandum should contain a brief description of the duties and the duration of the detail. In this way, an accurate determination can be made regarding: documentation requirements for subsequent detail actions (e.g., extension of the detail); qualification requirements for other positions; and performance appraisal requirements for a detail which exceeds 120 days. This documentation should be forwarded to the servicing personnel office for filing on the left side of the employee's Official Personnel Folder (OPF).

(5) Details must be documented in increments of 120 days or less.

(6) Temporary Reassignments must be documented for the expected duration of the assignment.

B.  Procedures for documenting details and temporary reassignments.

(1) The gaining office to which an employee is detailed or temporarily reassigned is responsible for:

(a) Initiating an automated SF-52 to obtain necessary concurrences and management approvals and routing the request to the servicing personnel office having jurisdiction over the position to which the employee is being detailed or temporarily reassigned. For a detail, a position description for an established position or a statement of duties for an unestablished position and a justification for the detail must be forwarded to the servicing personnel office when the automated SF-52 is initiated. For a temporary reassignment, a position description and a justification to support the temporary nature of the action must be forwarded to the servicing personnel office when the automated SF-52 is initiated.

(b) Requesting an extension of the detail or temporary reassignment well in advance of the expiration date to ensure adequate time for obtaining required approvals for processing the personnel action.

(c) Requesting that the employee's official office of record initiates the termination of detail or temporary reassignment action well in advance of the expiration date to ensure adequate time for obtaining required approvals for processing the personnel action.

(d) Providing time and attendance information for employees on detail to the office responsible for maintaining these records.

(2) The Servicing Personnel Office is responsible for:

(a) Processing all personnel actions (SF-52, SF-50) relating to details and temporary reassignments to positions within their delegated servicing responsibility.

(b) Preparing and sending all departmental preclearance correspondence to DOI for approval of detail or temporary reassignment actions requiring higher-level approval.

(c) Preparing and sending all preclearance correspondence to the Bureau Personnel Officer for approval of details/transfers to international organizations.

(d) Processing all personnel actions (SF-52, SF-50) relating to details/transfers to international organizations for employees assigned under their delegated appointing authority. (Also see “c” above.)

(e) Processing all termination actions (SF-52 and SF-50) relating to details and temporary reassignments for employees permanently assigned under their delegated appointing authority.

(f) Forwarding all required documentation relating to details and temporary reassignments to the servicing personnel office that maintains the employee's OPF.

(3) The Headquarters Personnel Office is responsible for:

(a) Processing personnel actions (SF 52, SF-50) for all details and temporary reassignments relating to Senior Executive Service (SES), Senior Level (SL), Scientific and Professional (ST), and Schedule C positions, and all details to FC (Agency for International Development) - grade positions overseas.

(b) Preparing and sending all DOI preclearance correspondence to DOI for approval of detail or temporary reassignment actions relating to SES, SL, ST, and Schedule C positions.

9. Reimbursable and Non-reimbursable Details.  All intra-agency and interagency details must be made on a reimbursable basis unless a nonreimbursable detail is specifically authorized by statute (64 CG 370, March 20, 1985). Under conditions in which a reimbursable detail is not required, the intra-agency or interagency organization officials with delegated authority to approve the detail decide whether the detail should be reimbursable or nonreimbursable.

5 Reasons Why a Detail Should be Your Next Professional Development Activity

This week marks my fourth week on detail to the Office of Personnel Management’s Innovation Lab, commonly known as The Lab at OPM. If you’re not familiar with the Lab, it was created as a space to encourage creative problem solving within the government. Modeled after visits to companies known for creativity and innovation in Silicon Valley, the Lab adopted human-centered design as the creative problem solving methodology it uses to inspire innovation. For the next two months, I will be learning how to best apply human-centered design to complex government challenges. ( Want to learn more? The Lab, its work and human-centered design will be discussed in my future posts, so stay tuned! )

After four years working in the federal government, this is my first detail experience. There are four main reasons why. First, I only learned what a detail was about a year or so ago. For those of you who may not know what it is, a detail is a temporary assignment to another office or agency. Second, even after learning what a detail was, my limited awareness led me to believe that it was reserved for development program participants, like the Presidential Management Fellows. For quite some time, I was pulling myself out of the running for positions because I did not even think I was eligible. Once I realized that I was eligible, I did not know where to look for the opportunities.  Sometimes details are shared via email.  Other times, they may be posted on agency webpages.  There really is no one place to find them.  (Here’s my tip – If you’re interested in a detail opportunity at an office, just ask!) Then, when I was able to find some detail opportunities that interested me, I was too afraid to ask my supervisor to allow me to go. Our team is small, and we are always busy. Also, often times, details are paid for by your home office. I wasn’t sure how my office would view paying my salary while I worked for someone else. Ultimately, I realized that if I never asked, I would never know. Once I did, my supervisor worked with me to figure out a time and a duration that would enable my team to continue to deliver, while also providing me with a valuable professional development opportunity.

Since leaving for my detail a month ago, I am extremely happy with my decision. I have already learned valuable information about myself and think it was just the challenge that I needed to continue to grow professionally.

Considering a detail? Here are 5 reasons why it should be your next professional development activity.  

• Learn about the work of a different agency – The federal government is a big place. In fact, there are hundreds of agencies. Being exposed to the variety of work that exists in the government can help you better understand the big picture of what the government does, and it can also expose you to new opportunities for future positions.
• See how other teams across government work – Even if you take a detail in another office within your home agency, you will still be exposed to a different team and, very likely, a different work dynamic. This expands your perspective to consider new and different ways of working, as well as the different roles that can be played on a team. Learning new ways to work with colleagues and playing different roles in a team are valuable experiences to have in the government’s team-based work environment. Developing these skills during a temporary assignment will continue to serve you when you return to your position and in future positions.
• Gain flexibility and adaptability skills – The world is constantly changing, which means that we’re going to constantly need to be flexible and to adapt to the world around us. The government of the 1980s is much different than the government of today. Taking a temporary assignment in another office will force you to work on being flexible and adaptable, since you will be dropped into a new environment with a new team. Change is hard, but learning about change and how to deal with it during a temporary assignment will prepare you for the potentially more difficult adjustments you will need to make in the future.
• Learn new professional/technical skills – When you’re busy doing your job, it’s hard to find time to build new skills. Even if you get to go to a training, many of us struggle to apply what we learn within the confines of our regular day-to-day. A detail can be an opportunity to learn new skills or the place where you can apply what you have learned. It can also be a chance for you to apply existing skills in a new and different way. Learning new skills will develop you professionally, keeping you marketable and competitive in a constantly changing world.
• Space from your existing job allows time for reflection & new ideas – Not many of us have time to step back, reflect on our work, and discover new opportunities during our busy days. The physical separation during a detail can give you that space to be creative and think about things differently. What’s great too is that you’ll be exposed to new ideas and different ways of working that even if you do not intentionally set aside time, your brain will be constantly connecting concepts, flooding your head with new ideas and reflections.

On the look-out for an exciting detail opportunity? The Lab at OPM is always looking for detailees. If you’re interested in learning more about human-centered design, join us for a six-month stint! Contact Arianne Miller, Deputy Director of the Lab, at [email protected] for more information.

Blair Corcoran de Castillo   i s part of the GovLoop Featured Blogger program, where we feature blog posts by government voices from all across the country (and world!). To see more Featured Blogger posts, click here .

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Leave a comment, 11 comments, leave a reply cancel reply.

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Great post Blair! Going on detail seems like a great opportunity for people to learn from fellow government employees and bring that knowledge back to their own agency.

One of the most helpful blogs I’ve read recently. Thank you for this Blair!

So glad that you found the blog helpful, Francesca!

Thanks, Olivia!

Thanks, Blair! Hadn’t considered such a move until now. Would love any additional tips on how to seek out detail opportunities – perhaps in a future blog!

Thomas – Glad that you’re considering a detail! Thanks for the great idea about a blog post on where people can find detail opportunities. I really do think that is one of the hardest parts about getting a detail. I’m going to start researching this! Thanks!

Great post! I agree with all of your points, and have learned a lot from my details in the past, even though they were all within my agency. I think a detail in another agency would be very worthwhile!

Hi Becky – Thanks so much for your comments. How did you find out about your detail opportunities? I feel like it’s hard to find them.

I recently completed a part-time detail to the Lab @ OPM to learn more about human-centered design. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and just wish that I could continue my engagement with this group! Not all details need to be fulltime. I was able to juggle both jobs while detailed, which made this a much easier sell to management!

Hi Terrence – Nice to meet you virtually! I’ve heard so much about you from the folks here at the Lab. Great point about the fact that details do not need to be full-time. I’d love to hear more about how you were able to balance your job and a detail.

I think I will try a detail experience. You answered all the questions I had when I saw e-mails posting opportunities. Thanks

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UNCLASSIFIED (U)

3 FAM 2400  ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENTS AND DETAILS

(CT:PER-989;   05-14-2020) (Office of Origin:  GTM/CSTM)

3 FAM 2411  POLICY

3 FAM 2411.1  General

(TL:PER-317;   06-03-1996) (State Only) (Applies to Civil Service Employees)

To utilize to the fullest extent the skills and abilities of all employees, assignments and details will be made consistent with sound personnel management principles and regulations regarding promotion and internal placement (5 CFR 335).

3 FAM 2411.2  Assignment of Members of the Same Family

(CT:PER-864;   08-22-2017) (State Only) (Applies to Civil Service Employees)

a. Employees related by blood or marriage cannot be assigned in the same organizational unit (see 1 FAM 014.3 ) if one is:

(1)  In a supervisory capacity over the other; or

(2)  In a position to grant favored treatment to the other.

b. If a subsequent marriage results in this situation, one employee must be reassigned to a different organizational unit (5 CFR 310) in order for both to remain in the employ of the Department.

3 FAM 2411.3  Details

(CT:PER-678;   06-22-2012) (State Only) (Applies to Civil Service Employees)

a.     For purposes of this subchapter, a detail is the temporary assignment of an employee from the employee's regular position without formal transfer or change in employment or pay status. A detail may be made:

(1)    Within the Department;

(2)    To or from other Federal agencies;

(3)    To International Organizations;

(4)    To or from State and local governments, institutions of higher learning and non-profit organizations; and

(5)    To foreign governments.

At the end of a detail the employee resumes performing the duties of the position of record, although a reassignment or other action can occur at this time.

b.     A detail will not change the individual's conditions of employment.

3 FAM 2412  DETAILS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT

3 FAM 2412.1  Authority

·          5 U.S.C. 3341

·          5 CFR 300.301

·          5 CFR 317.903 (for SES)

3 FAM 2412.2  Eligibility for Detail

a. All competitive service employees are eligible for detail after completing the 90-day time-after-competitive appointment requirement;

b. Employees serving under Schedule A and B appointments are eligible for detail to competitive positions; and

c.  Excepted service employees, other than those serving under Schedule A or B appointments, may be detailed into competitive service positions only after approval by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

3 FAM 2412.3  Length of Detail

(CT:PER-989;   05-14-2020) (State Only) (Applies to Civil Service Employees)

a. Details do not have regulated time limits, but are subject to the following restrictions:

(1)  A detail to an established position at the same or lower grade level may be made without competition, but must be made in 120 day increments.

(2)  A detail to an established position at a higher grade, or to one with greater promotion potential, may be made for up to 120 days without competition. Extensions beyond 120 days and temporary promotions of more than 120 days must be made through competition under the Merit Promotion Program.  In computing the total time served on a detail for this purpose, all noncompetitive details and noncompetitive time limited promotions within the prior 12 month period must be counted.

(3)  A detail to unclassified duties may be made without competition, but must be made in 120 day increments. A statement of duties must be prepared by the bureau and received by GTM/CSTM prior to the detail.

b. Details to SES positions must be in accordance with 5 CFR 317.903 and must be approved in advance by the Executive Resources Board (ERB).

3 FAM 2412.4  Documenting Details

a. Details must be documented as required in the OPM Guide to Processing Personnel Actions, Table 14-B.

b. Performance while on detail must be documented in accordance with 3 FAM 2820 .

c.  Termination of a detail may occur prior to the documented not-to-exceed date, if circumstance warrant.

3 FAM 2413  DETAILS TO OTHER AGENCIES

3 FAM 2413.1  Authority

a. Reimbursable details are authorized by 31 U.S.C. 1535.

b. Nonreimbursable details are authorized by 22 U.S.C. 2685(a) in the following situations:

(1)  Pursuant to interagency agreements detailing a like number of employees between agencies in a fiscal year;

(2)  Any detail not exceeding one year; or

(3)  Not more than 15 employees (Foreign Service and Civil Service combined) detailed at any one time for a period between thirteen months and two years.

c.  Details not falling within the purview of 22 U.S.C. 2685(a) or 5 U.S.C. 3343 (details to international organizations) must be made on a reimbursable basis pursuant to Comptroller General decision B-211373 of March 30, 1985, unless they involve a matter relating to the Department's appropriation and will aid in accomplishing the purpose for which the appropriations were provided, or will have a negligible impact on the Department's appropriation.

d. Details to the White House Office, the Executive Residence or the White House, the Office of the Vice President, the Domestic Policy Staff, and the Office of Administration and performing services which would otherwise be performed by an employee of such office must be reimbursable after 180 days in the fiscal year. (3 U.S.C. 112)

3 FAM 2413.2  Eligibility

All competitive service employees who have completed the 90-day time-after-competitive appointment requirement, and all excepted service employee are eligible for either reimbursable or non-reimbursable details, provided that they are not required by law to be engaged in work for which their salary was originally appropriated.

3 FAM 2413.3  Length of Detail

a. The length of a detail between agencies is determined by agreement between the agencies. There are no statutory limits on reimbursable details. Most nonreimbursable details are limited to one year by 22 U.S.C. 2685(a), although up to fifteen nonreimbursable details may be authorized at any one time for two year periods.

b. Information on evaluating employee performance during a detail may be found in 3 FAM 2820 .

3 FAM 2414  DETAILS FROM OTHER AGENCIES

3 FAM 2414.1  Length of Detail

The length of reimbursable and nonreimbursable details from other agencies is negotiable between agencies. There are no time limits on the length of a reimbursable detail. However, the losing agency may have applicable restrictions.

3 FAM 2414.2  Eligibility

There are no restrictions on eligibility for details, with the exception of security requirements. Civil Service employees and uniformed military personnel from other agencies may be detailed to Civil Service positions in the Department.

3 FAM 2415  DETAILS AND TRANSFERS TO PUBLIC INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS

3 FAM 2415.1  Authority

·          5 U.S.C. 3343 and 3582.

3 FAM 2415.2  Policy

To maintain a positive program for the identification and detail (or transfer) of eligible employees to public international organizations in which the United States Government participates, when it is in the Department's best interest.

3 FAM 2415.3  Details

a. An employee may be detailed to an international organization which requests such services, for a specified period not to exceed 5 years:

(1)  The Assistant Secretary for International Organizations may approve an additional 3 years of service when the request is in the national interest; and

(2)  All time spent on successive details is considered in the aggregate and may not exceed a total of 5 years, except as provided above (see 5 CFR 352.306).

b. The request for detail must be approved by the Executive Director of the employee's bureau and the Director of the Office of Civil Service Personnel Management ( GTM/CSTM ).

3 FAM 2415.4  Rights and Benefits During Detail

a. An employee detailed in accordance with 5 CFR 352, Subpart C, remains an employee for all purposes and retains the benefits attached to that status including life insurance, health insurance, retirement and leave.  The employee's bureau is responsible for obtaining leave information while the individual is on detail.

b. During a detail to an international organization, the employee shall be considered for all career ladder promotions for the position of record:

(1)  If the employee's position is upgraded during the detail period, the employee must be promoted in the position; and

(2)  The effective date of the promotion is the date the promotion would be effected if the employee were present.

3 FAM 2415.5  Transfers to International Organizations

a. An employee may transfer from the Department to accept temporary employment with an international organization.

b. If the Department is in agreement with the transfer, the employee is eligible for reemployment rights.

c.      All employees of the Department are eligible for transfer to public international organizations except those identified in 5 CFR 352.307.

3 FAM 2415.6  Rights and Benefits for Transferred Employees

(TL:PER-317; 06-03-1996) (State Only) (Applies to Civil Service Employees)

Employees who transfer to an international organization will retain their benefits in accordance with 5 CFR 352.309.

3 FAM 2416  ASSIGNMENT OF DEPARTMENT EMPLOYEES UNDER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL ACT (IPA)

3 FAM 2416.1  Authority

Authorities include:

(1)  The Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) of 1970, as amended; and

(2)  5 U.S.C. 3371-3376.

3 FAM 2416.2  Eligibility

The following are eligible for assignment under the IPA:

(1)  Any career, career-conditional, or nontemporary excepted service full-time employee whose tenure is equivalent to career or career-conditional.

(2)  An employee who has served under the program for four continuous years may not be sent on another assignment without at least a 12 month return to duty. Successive assignments without a break of at least 60 calendar days will be regarded as continuous service.

(3)  An employee whose Federal career includes a total of six years service under IPA assignments is not eligible for additional IPA assignments.  This provision may be waived by OPM upon the written request of the Secretary.

3 FAM 2416.3  Length of Assignment

An assignment may be made for a specified period not to exceed two years. The assignment may be extended for an additional period of two years when the Secretary of State (or designee) determines the extension to be of mutual benefit to the agencies concerned.

3 FAM 2416.4  Rights, Responsibilities and Benefits

a. Individuals on IPA assignments remain employees for all purposes and retain the benefits attached to that status.

b. Employees may not earn less with a state or local government than their Federal salaries.

c.  Reduction-in-force provisions, and all other personnel provisions (transfer of function, reclassification, etc.) apply to employees while on assignment.

d. The Intergovernmental Personnel Act does not exempt employees from coverage under the applicable standards of conduct provisions and conflict of interest laws.

3 FAM 2416.5  Termination of Agreements

An IPA agreement may be terminated:

(1)  An any time at the option of either participating organization;

(2)  By OPM, if the agreement is in violation of the IPA or regulations set forth in 5 CFR 334; or

(3)  By termination of employment with the original employer.  The agreement will be terminated immediately, whether the employee has been assigned by detail or appointment.

3 FAM 2417  ASSIGNMENT OF INDIVIDUALS TO THE DEPARTMENT UNDER THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL PERSONNEL ACT (IPA)

3 FAM 2417.1  Authority

3 FAM 2417.2  Eligibility

To participate, an individual must have been a permanent, career employee of the organization for at least 90 days prior to entering into an IPA assignment agreement with the Department.

3 FAM 2417.3  Length of Assignment

An assignment may be made for a specified period not to exceed two years. The appointment may be extended for an additional period of two years when the head of the losing organization (or designee) determines the extension to be of mutual benefits to the agencies concerned.

3 FAM 2417.4  Rights and Benefits

An individual assigned to the Department has the right to return to the position occupied prior to the assignment or to one of comparable pay, duties and seniority as that from which assigned.

3 FAM 2417.4-1  Details

a. A state or local government employee detailed to the Department remains a state or local government employee for most purposes.  The employee is, however, subject to a number of provisions of law governing the ethical conduct of Federal employees.

b. If the assignee is detailed to an unclassified position, the assignee continues to be paid directly by the state or local agency.  If detailed to a classified position, the assignee is entitled to earn the basic rate of pay warranted by the Federal position.  If the Federal basic rate of pay is more than the assignee's state or local salary, the Department must supplement the salary to make up the difference.  The supplemental pay may be paid either directly to the employee or reimbursed to the state or local government. Supplemental pay cannot be paid in advance or in a lump sum.

c.  Normally, details will have the same work week and hours of duty as Department employees unless state or local law calls for a shorter work week than the Department's work week.

d. State holidays will be observed by details in accordance with state or local laws and regulations.

3 FAM 2417.4-2  Temporary Appointment

a. By statute, a state or local government employee may be given an excepted appointment for two years without regard to the provisions governing appointment in the competitive service.

b. The appointment may be extended for not more than an additional two years.

c.  A state or local government employee is not eligible to enroll in the Federal Employee Health Benefit Program unless the appointment results in the loss of coverage under a state or local health benefits system.

d. The appointee is not eligible for life insurance or Federal Retirement benefits.

3 FAM 2418  THROUGH 2419 UNASSIGNED

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Looking at details for professional growth

A detail is a temporary assignment from one position within the federal government to another, with the expectation that you will return to your official position upon completion.

A detail can be a great way to develop and grow your skills while expanding your professional network. It can also be a way to learn more about a different area of government without permanently switching jobs. Generally, details are from 30 - 120 days, though some may be extended on a case-by-case basis.

Detail opportunities can be found through formal channels or can be crafted by leveraging professional relationships. This , external, TTS-only, spreadsheet includes the names of employees across TTS who have gone on detail.

Within GSA, the , external, TTS-only, GSA Opportunity Network is where details within various parts of the agency are posted; outside of GSA, , external, Open Opportunities lists small tasks, projects and details across the federal government.

Details can also be formed through personal interest and networking. The TTS #alumni Slack channel is an available resource: many alumni have gone on to other federal agencies.

There is no one way to craft a detail opportunity. However, it may be helpful to think through the following:

• In what areas do you want to get more on-the-job training?
• In what agencies or parts of government can you receive that training?
• How can your and TTS’s networks be leveraged to connect with individuals at that organization?
• Does the receiving organization have a business need? What value will you bring to their organization?
• How would a detail with the organization align to your professional growth plan?
• How would it benefit TTS/GSA?
• Would the detail be reimbursable (the other agency pays your salary) or non-reimbursable?
• Who could backfill your duties while you’re on detail?

There is paperwork and approvals needed in order to go on detail. There are Handbook pages for the 3 most common scenarios:

• Details within TTS
• Details within GSA
• Details to/from another agency

GSA also has a policy on Details to the Legislative Branch .

Handbook.tts.gsa.gov

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Why Accept a VA Detail or Short-Term Assignment? Benefits to Employees and the Service

Wendy henderson , md, genevieve embree , md, mph.

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Correspondence: Wendy Henderson ( [email protected] )

Corresponding author.

In the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), there are frequent e-mails and requests for employees to accept a detail or short-term assignment across a wide range of positions from administrative to executive leadership. These opportunities afford an employee and the service line valuable benefits and growth opportunities; however, there are reasons why some may be reluctant to pursue these opportunities. In this article, we discuss the barriers to applying for and accepting detail positions and the benefits for the employee and the service lines during periods of standard operations as well as during emergencies requiring alternative staffing strategies.

Details are short-term assignments used to fill a vacant position while hiring for the permanent position or to fill a short-term need (eg, during a pandemic). Details usually last 30 to 120 days, though they may be extended, depending on the position, the number of people willing to serve in the detailed role, and the time to select a candidate for the permanent position. Details can be created for any skill level or type of position to meet an identified need, but they are most often needed for supervisory or leadership roles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shed light on the importance of individuals’ flexibility and adaptability both within and between roles. Many US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities stood up Incident Command structures to support the changes required to adapt to the needs created by the pandemic. Establishing an Incident Command means that people within the organization must take on new responsibilities, and in many cases, they are detailed to new positions that were not needed or prioritized before the pandemic.

An employee may be reluctant to apply for or accept a detail because he or she has little to no experience; feels uncomfortable stepping into an unfamiliar role; is concerned about making a leap from a clinical to administrative role; has uncertainty whether the job is a good professional fit; dislikes the lack of a pay increase during the detail period even if the new role has more responsibility; and has concern that serving in the detail may make them ineligible to apply for the permanent position due to a perception of being preselected. Additionally, the employee may recognize the added stress on colleagues because the same amount of work must be completed.

Although leaving a position for a period of months can be stressful, serving in a detail position provides significant opportunities for professional growth. An employee can gain knowledge and experience in an unfamiliar role before applying for or committing to a permanent position. Those serving in temporary details are often given more support as colleagues and supervisors understand that the role was accepted on short notice with little time to prepare. Other benefits include expanding professional contacts, gaining perspective on a different part of the VHA, and working on skills, such as flexibility, time management, and perseverance. By succeeding in a detail, employees build professional acumen. After taking on additional challenges they become more competitive for future jobs. The VHA Executive Candidate Development Program requires a 120-day detail, serving as either assistant or associate director, chief of staff, or associate director for patient care services/ nurse executive as part of the program. 1

Temporarily leaving a service line to detail in a different service line has an impact on the home service because of the restrictions imposed. These restrictions guarantee that the employee can return to the original position at the end of a detail, thus providing a sense of job security; however, the home service line is down an employee.

Given these considerations, the following are key points to establish before undertaking the detail: (1) length of assignment; (2) once started, potential for the assignment to be extended; (3) will the employee be doing any of their prior job or just the new job or a blend of both; (4) possible changes in hours and site of work of the employee; (5) who will supervise the employee; (6) who will write the employee’s review; (7) training or skills needed prior to starting; (8) necessary paperwork; (9) how will the new assignment be communicated to others; (10) what happens if the detail ends sooner than planned; and (11) approval and support of all involved parties.

The employee’s home service may need a temporary plan to cover the employee’s workload, especially if the employee will be detailed to a different service line. The temporary plan may require creativity and flexibility and can be a way to trial the contingency plans for staffing the home service. One benefit to the home service is that the employee will have additional skills on returning that may benefit the home service, and the service will gain a potential leader.

When an employee goes to a different service, that service gains an employee who may bring a new perspective to help solve existing conflicts or problems. This can serve as a time to reset expectations or set new goals prior to the arrival of new leadership. If the detail is a good fit, then there is the chance that the employee may return in the future or refer others to it as a professional opportunity.

CONCLUSIONS

A detail can benefit the employee and the home and host services if planned in advance, and all parties support the process. A short-term leadership or administrative assignment can help an employee gain valuable experience for the future.

Author disclosures

The authors report no actual or potential conflicts of interest with regard to this article.

The opinions expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of Federal Practitioner , Frontline Medical Communications Inc., the US Government, or any of its agencies.

• 1. US Department of Veterans Affairs. Improve VA’s employee. [Accessed October 19, 2020]. experience.obamaadministration.archives.performance.gov/node/65741.html Published 2017.
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5 CFR § 317.903 - Details.

(a) Definition. In this section, detail means the temporary assignment of an SES member to another position (within or outside of the SES) or the temporary assignment of a non-SES member to an SES position, with the expectation that the employee will return to the official position of record upon expiration of the detail . For purposes of pay and benefits, the employee continues to encumber the position from which detailed . The provisions of this section cover details within or outside of the employing agency .

(b) Time limits.

(1) Details within an executive agency or military department must be made in no more than 120-day increments.

(2) An agency may not detail an SES employee to unclassified duties for more than 240 days .

(3) An agency must use competitive procedures when detailing a non-SES employee to an SES position for more than 240 days unless the employee is eligible for a noncompetitive career SES appointment.

(4) An agency must obtain OPM approval for a detail of more than 240 days if the detail is of:

(i) A non-SES employee to an SES position that supervises other SES positions; or

(ii) An SES employee to a position at the GS-15 or equivalent level or below.

(c) SES career reserved positions. Only a career SES appointee or a career-type non-SES appointee may be detailed to a career reserved position.

(d) SES general positions. Any SES appointee or non-SES appointee may be detailed to a general position.