FEDERAL PAY GUIDE

Within-Grade Increase Guide

A within-grade increase moves an eligible General Schedule employee to the next step within the same GS grade. Learn the OPM requirements for earning a WGI, the 52-, 104-, and 156-week waiting periods, how performance and equivalent increases affect eligibility, and what happens when a step increase is delayed or denied.

What Is a Within-Grade Increase?

A within-grade increase (WGI) is a periodic increase in a General Schedule employee's rate of basic pay from one step of the employee's current grade to the next higher step.

Each General Schedule grade contains 10 steps. A regular WGI allows an eligible employee to progress through those steps without being promoted to a higher GS grade.

For example, an employee moving from GS-9 Step 3 to GS-9 Step 4 receives a within-grade increase. The employee remains GS-9 but moves to a higher rate within that grade.

Within-Grade Increase Requirements

Completing a waiting period does not by itself guarantee a WGI. Under OPM rules, an employee must meet the applicable eligibility requirements.

For a regular GS within-grade increase, the employee generally must:

• Occupy a permanent position as defined for WGI purposes.
• Complete the required waiting period.
• Perform at an acceptable level of competence.
• Not have received an equivalent increase in pay during the waiting period.

All applicable requirements must be satisfied before the regular WGI is granted.

GS Within-Grade Increase Waiting Periods

The waiting period becomes longer as an employee advances through the steps.

These waiting periods apply to employees with a scheduled tour of duty. OPM has separate regulatory provisions for employees without a scheduled tour of duty.

How Long Does It Take to Reach GS Step 10?

Under the normal WGI schedule, progressing from Step 1 through Step 10 in the same grade takes approximately 18 years.

The normal progression is:

• Steps 1 through 4: 3 years total
• Steps 4 through 7: another 6 years
• Steps 7 through 10: another 9 years

Total normal time from Step 1 to Step 10:

3 + 6 + 9 = 18 years

This assumes the employee remains in the same grade, receives each regular WGI when eligible, and does not have an event that changes the applicable waiting-period calculation.

Why Do WGI Waiting Periods Get Longer?

The General Schedule is designed so that employees progress relatively quickly through the early steps and more slowly through the higher steps.

Steps 1 through 3 require one year at each step before normal advancement.

Steps 4 through 6 require two years at each step.

Steps 7 through 9 require three years at each step.

Step 10 is the highest regular step in a GS grade, so there is no regular Step 10-to-Step 11 WGI.

What Is an Acceptable Level of Competence?

One of the most important WGI requirements is performance at an acceptable level of competence.

For this purpose, OPM states that the employee's most recent rating of record must generally be at least Level 3, Fully Successful, or equivalent.

Therefore, a within-grade increase is not based solely on how long an employee has occupied a step.

The required waiting period and performance requirement must both be satisfied.

Is a Within-Grade Increase Automatic?

A WGI is sometimes described informally as an automatic step increase, but that description can be misleading.

An eligible employee who satisfies the statutory and regulatory requirements is entitled to the increase, but simply reaching the end of the waiting period is not enough if another requirement has not been met.

The agency must determine that the employee's performance is at an acceptable level of competence.

What Is a Permanent Position for WGI Purposes?

Regular WGIs apply to GS employees occupying permanent positions as defined by OPM's WGI rules.

For these purposes, a permanent position generally means a position filled by an employee whose appointment:

• Is not designated as temporary, and
• Does not have a definite time limitation of one year or less.

OPM also includes certain positions involving a temporary or term promotion of at least one year within the applicable definition.

An employee on a short temporary appointment should not assume that normal WGI eligibility applies.

When Does a WGI Waiting Period Begin?

OPM identifies several events that can begin a WGI waiting period.

A waiting period can begin upon:

• First appointment in Federal service.
• Receipt of an equivalent increase.
• Return following certain extended periods of nonpay status or breaks in service.

Because prior federal service and personnel actions can affect the calculation, an employee's WGI date should be verified through official personnel and payroll records.

What Is Creditable Service for a WGI?

The required waiting period is based on creditable service, not simply the passage of calendar time in every circumstance.

Federal regulations determine which periods of service count toward the waiting period.

Depending on the circumstances, creditable service can include qualifying periods of federal civilian service and certain other periods recognized by law or regulation.

Breaks in service and nonpay status can affect the WGI due date, so employees with interrupted service should not estimate their WGI solely from their appointment date.

Does Leave Count Toward a Within-Grade Increase?

Ordinary periods in a pay status generally do not interrupt WGI credit.

However, extended periods in a nonpay status can affect the completion of the waiting period when they exceed the amount permitted under the applicable regulations.

The effect depends on the type and duration of the absence and any special statutory protections that apply.

Employees with substantial periods of leave without pay or other nonpay status should check their official WGI date with their agency human resources office.

What Is an Equivalent Increase?

A regular WGI generally requires that the employee has not received an equivalent increase during the applicable waiting period.

An equivalent increase is a personnel action that meets OPM's regulatory definition and can establish a new waiting period.

Examples can include certain:

• Within-grade increases
• Promotions
• Pay-setting actions that move an employee to a higher step within the grade
• Other personnel actions specifically identified by OPM regulations

Not every pay increase is an equivalent increase.

For example, a general annual adjustment to the GS pay schedule is not the same thing as an employee advancing from one step to another.

Does the Annual GS Pay Raise Reset Your WGI Waiting Period?

No. A Governmentwide adjustment to the General Schedule does not, by itself, mean an employee has received a regular within-grade increase.

The annual pay adjustment changes the salary associated with the employee's existing grade and step.

A WGI, by contrast, moves the employee to the next step within the grade.

These are separate pay events.

Within-Grade Increase vs. Annual Pay Raise

Within-Grade Increase vs. Promotion

A WGI and a promotion are also different personnel actions.

For example, GS-9 Step 3 to GS-9 Step 4 is a WGI.

GS-9 to GS-11 in a qualifying career ladder is a promotion, not a within-grade increase.

How Much Is a Within-Grade Increase?

The dollar value of a WGI depends on the employee's grade, current step, applicable pay schedule, and locality or special-rate coverage.

There is no single dollar amount for every WGI.

For example, the difference between GS-5 Step 1 and Step 2 is different from the difference between GS-13 Step 1 and Step 2.

The official OPM salary table should be used to compare the employee's current step with the next step.

2026 WGI Example

Using the 2026 GS base schedule, GS-9 rates include:

A GS-9 employee moving from Step 3 to Step 4 would therefore move from a base rate of $56,243 to $58,001 under the 2026 base schedule.

The employee's actual locality-adjusted salary may be higher depending on the official worksite and applicable OPM pay table.

Does Locality Pay Affect a WGI?

Locality pay affects the payable salary associated with the employee's grade and step, but it does not change the normal 52-, 104-, or 156-week WGI waiting periods.

When an employee advances to the next step, the employee should look at the next step on the applicable locality salary table.

For example, an employee covered by the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington locality schedule should compare the employee's current locality rate with the next step on that same applicable table.

Can a WGI Be Denied?

Yes.

A regular within-grade increase can be withheld when the employee's performance is not at an acceptable level of competence.

The agency must follow the applicable WGI procedures when making a negative determination.

A denial does not mean the employee permanently loses the ability to receive that step.

The employee may later receive the WGI after demonstrating an acceptable level of competence and satisfying the applicable requirements.

What Happens When a WGI Is Denied?

When an agency determines that an employee's performance is not at an acceptable level of competence, the agency must provide the employee with a written negative determination under the applicable rules.

The employee must be informed of matters such as:

• The reasons for the negative determination.
• The aspects of performance that must improve.
• The employee's right to request reconsideration.

Employees should review the agency notice carefully because procedural deadlines can apply.

Can a Denied WGI Be Granted Later?

Yes.

If an employee whose WGI was withheld later demonstrates an acceptable level of competence, the agency can grant the WGI in accordance with the applicable regulations.

The effective date depends on when the employee satisfies the requirements and the rules governing redetermination.

The employee should not assume that the increase will automatically be retroactive to the original due date.

What Is a Quality Step Increase?

A Quality Step Increase (QSI) is different from a regular periodic WGI.

A QSI is an additional step increase used to recognize and reward outstanding performance.

It can move an employee through the General Schedule pay range faster than ordinary waiting-period progression.

A QSI is not simply another name for the employee's normal scheduled WGI.

Who Is Eligible for a Quality Step Increase?

Under OPM guidance, an employee generally must:

• Be below Step 10.
• Occupy a permanent position.
• Receive the highest rating of record available under the applicable performance program, subject to OPM's rules for appraisal systems without a Level 5 rating.
• Demonstrate sustained performance of outstanding quality.
• Not have received a QSI during the preceding 52 consecutive calendar weeks.

A QSI is a performance award and is not guaranteed merely because an employee is eligible.

Regular WGI vs. Quality Step Increase

Does a QSI Reset the Regular WGI Waiting Period?

Not necessarily.

A QSI generally does not change the timing of the employee's next regular WGI.

However, special timing rules apply when the QSI places the employee at Step 4 or Step 7.

Those steps begin longer waiting-period ranges:

• Step 4 normally requires 104 weeks before Step 5.
• Step 7 normally requires 156 weeks before Step 8.

OPM explains that when a QSI places the employee at Step 4 or Step 7, the employee becomes subject to the full waiting period for that new step. Time already creditable toward the next WGI is not simply lost and must be handled under the applicable rules.

Can You Receive a WGI and QSI Close Together?

Yes, depending on timing and eligibility.

A QSI is not treated exactly like a regular WGI for purposes of the equivalent-increase rule.

This can allow a high-performing employee to benefit from both normal step progression and a QSI when the applicable requirements are satisfied.

The timing can become complicated around Steps 4 and 7, so employees should rely on agency HR calculations for the official next WGI date.

Does a Promotion Reset the WGI Waiting Period?

A promotion can be an equivalent increase for WGI purposes.

OPM generally treats a permanent or temporary promotion to a higher grade as an equivalent increase, subject to specified exceptions.

Because receipt of an equivalent increase can begin a new WGI waiting period, employees who are promoted should verify their new WGI date rather than carrying forward an old estimate.

Temporary Promotions and WGIs

Temporary promotions require careful treatment because OPM's equivalent-increase rules include exceptions for certain temporary promotions when the employee later returns to the grade from which promoted.

The outcome depends on the exact personnel action and circumstances.

Employees moving between permanent and temporary positions should use their SF-50 records and agency HR office to determine the correct WGI waiting period.

Can a New Federal Employee Start Above Step 1?

Yes, in certain circumstances.

Although a newly appointed GS employee is normally appointed at Step 1, an agency can use authorized pay-setting flexibilities in qualifying situations to appoint an employee above Step 1.

Starting above Step 1 is different from earning a regular WGI.

After appointment, the employee's future WGI progression is determined under the applicable waiting-period and eligibility rules.

What Happens at Step 10?

Step 10 is the highest regular step in each General Schedule grade.

There is no Step 11 under the normal GS structure.

Therefore, an employee already at Step 10 cannot receive another regular within-grade increase within that grade.

The employee can still potentially receive salary changes from other sources, such as:

• Annual GS pay adjustments
• Changes in locality rates
• Promotion to a higher grade
• Other applicable pay authorities

Does Step 10 Mean You Must Be Promoted?

No.

Reaching Step 10 does not create an automatic promotion entitlement.

A promotion requires movement to a higher-graded position under the applicable classification, qualification, staffing, and pay-setting rules.

An employee can remain at Step 10 of the same grade.

WGI and Career Ladder Promotions

A career ladder position may provide promotion potential to higher grades when the applicable requirements are met.

Career ladder promotions and WGIs are separate actions.

For example, an employee in a GS-7/9/11 career ladder might be promoted from GS-7 to GS-9 before progressing through all 10 steps of GS-7.

The employee does not need to reach Step 10 before being eligible for a career ladder promotion.

Can a WGI and Promotion Occur at the Same Time?

Yes, it is possible for a WGI and promotion to have the same effective date.

OPM's promotion rules specifically account for an applicable simultaneous WGI when determining promotion pay.

The sequence of pay-setting calculations matters because the WGI may first affect the employee's existing rate before the promotion rule is applied.

The agency should perform the official calculation.

WGI and the GS Two-Step Promotion Rule

A WGI should not be confused with the "two steps" used in the GS two-step promotion rule.

The promotion rule uses the value of two within-grade increases in the employee's grade before promotion as part of the pay-setting calculation.

That does not mean the employee simply moves two step numbers in the new grade.

A regular WGI, by contrast, normally moves the employee exactly one step higher within the same grade.

WGI and Special Rate Tables

An employee covered by an OPM special rate schedule can still be subject to the GS grade-and-step structure.

When a WGI occurs, the employee moves to the next step, and the applicable special-rate schedule must be checked to determine the new payable rate.

Special-rate and locality-pay interaction rules can affect the final salary, so employees should use the applicable OPM table rather than only the nationwide GS base schedule.

WGI and the GS Pay Cap

At high grades and in high-locality areas, statutory pay limitations can cause multiple steps to have the same payable salary.

An employee can still advance to a higher underlying step even if the payable locality rate does not immediately increase because both steps are limited by the same statutory pay cap.

The employee's step remains important even when pay compression temporarily prevents a visible salary increase.

How to Estimate Your Next WGI Date

A simple estimate begins with three pieces of information:

1. Your current GS step.
2. The date your current WGI waiting period began.
3. The required waiting period for your step.

For example, an employee at Step 2 normally needs 52 weeks of creditable service before advancing to Step 3.

An employee at Step 5 normally needs 104 weeks before Step 6.

An employee at Step 8 normally needs 156 weeks before Step 9.

However, promotions, equivalent increases, breaks in service, nonpay status, QSIs, and other personnel actions can change the calculation.

Where Can You Find Your WGI Information?

Useful records can include:

• Your most recent SF-50
• Agency employee portal
• Payroll records
• Electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF)
• Agency human resources records

If the expected WGI date is unclear, your agency HR office can review your personnel history and determine the official date.

Common Within-Grade Increase Mistakes

Assuming Every Step Takes One Year

Only the early steps use 52-week waiting periods. Later steps require 104 or 156 weeks.

Assuming a WGI Is a Promotion

A WGI keeps the employee in the same grade. A promotion moves the employee to a higher grade.

Assuming Time Alone Guarantees a WGI

The employee must also satisfy the performance requirement and other WGI eligibility conditions.

Confusing a QSI With a Regular WGI

A QSI is a separate performance-based award that can accelerate step progression.

Assuming an Annual Pay Raise Resets the WGI Clock

A general adjustment to the GS salary schedule is different from an individual within-grade increase.

Ignoring Promotions or Other Equivalent Increases

Certain personnel actions can affect when a new WGI waiting period begins.

Assuming Locality Pay Changes the Waiting Period

Locality pay affects the salary associated with the step, not the normal WGI waiting-period schedule.

Within-Grade Increase Frequently Asked Questions

What does WGI mean in federal employment?

WGI means within-grade increase. It is the periodic movement of an eligible GS employee from one step to the next higher step within the same grade.

How often do GS employees receive step increases?

The normal waiting period is 52 weeks at Steps 1 through 3, 104 weeks at Steps 4 through 6, and 156 weeks at Steps 7 through 9.

How long does it take to go from GS Step 1 to Step 10?

Under normal periodic WGI progression, it takes approximately 18 years to move from Step 1 through Step 10 while remaining in the same grade.

Is a GS step increase automatic?

Not based on time alone. An employee must satisfy the applicable WGI requirements, including the waiting period and acceptable-level-of-competence requirement.

What performance rating is required for a WGI?

OPM states that the employee's most recent rating of record must generally be at least Level 3, Fully Successful, or equivalent to meet the acceptable-level-of-competence requirement.

Can a WGI be denied?

Yes. A WGI may be withheld when the employee's performance is not at an acceptable level of competence, subject to the applicable notice and reconsideration procedures.

Does a promotion count as a WGI?

No. A promotion and a WGI are different actions. However, a promotion can constitute an equivalent increase that affects the WGI waiting period.

Does locality pay affect when I receive a WGI?

No. Locality pay affects the payable salary but does not change the standard WGI waiting periods.

Can I receive a WGI at Step 10?

No regular WGI is available beyond Step 10 because Step 10 is the highest step in a GS grade.

What is the difference between a WGI and a QSI?

A regular WGI is normal periodic step progression for an eligible employee. A Quality Step Increase is a discretionary additional step increase used to recognize outstanding performance.

Can a QSI affect my next regular WGI?

Yes, particularly when the QSI places the employee at Step 4 or Step 7. OPM has specific rules for calculating the waiting period in those situations.

Where can I verify my next WGI date?

Check your official personnel records and contact your agency human resources office. HR can account for promotions, equivalent increases, nonpay periods, breaks in service, and other events that can affect the calculation.

Official OPM Within-Grade Increase Guidance

The official rules governing General Schedule within-grade increases are primarily found in 5 U.S.C. 5335 and 5 CFR part 531, subpart D.

OPM also publishes guidance covering WGI eligibility, waiting periods, acceptable levels of competence, equivalent increases, and Quality Step Increases.

For an individual employee, agency human resources records should be used to determine the official WGI eligibility and effective date.