Federal position classification can involve complex scenarios, particularly when a role includes duties spanning multiple grade levels or occupational series. Understanding how to classify mixed grade and mixed series positions requires careful application of government classification standards and principles to ensure accurate and fair evaluations.
Key Insights
- Classify mixed grade positions at the highest grade level if the employee performs that level of work for at least 50% of their time; this is considered grade controlling.
- In certain cases, higher-grade duties performed less than 50% of the time may still determine the grade if they are regular, recurring, occupy at least 25% of the employee's time, and require higher-level knowledge upon vacancy.
- Exclude temporary tasks, work performed only in the absence of others, closely supervised tasks, or duties assigned solely for training from grade-controlling considerations.
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We're going to move right into module two, mixed grade, mixed series positions. We know that most positions that we classify are single series, single grade positions.
But sometimes you may need to work with difficult classification issues. And so the learning objectives for module two are work at more than one grade level, which is a mixed grade position, and work in more than one series, which is a mixed series position. And so these are more difficult issues within classification.
And so we're going to explain the rules for classifying mixed grade, mixed series positions. We're going to apply the rules for classifying mixed grade, mixed series positions. And so I want you to understand that sometimes positions can be mixed grade only, or mixed series only.
But in a lot of instances, they end up being mixed grade and mixed series at the same time. And so you want to be able to understand fairly how to classify these positions. And so the introduction to the position classification standards and the classifiers handbook provide very specific guidance on classifying general schedule positions where the work covers several grade levels or several series.
And right now we're going to talk about classifying mixed grade positions, okay? Mixed grade positions. And so the general rule for mixed grade positions is that the highest level of work assigned to and performed by the employee for the majority of the time is grade controlling. And so, how do we define the majority of the time? And so this means generally that the highest level of work is performed at 50% or more of the employee's time, even if lower-level work is also involved.
And so the position is classified at the higher grade. The position is classified at the higher grade. And so let me give you an example.
If an HR assistant performs the following duties, recruitment and qualification determinations, say for temporary employment at the grade seven level, and that work is performed 70% of the time, and that same HR assistant answers pay inquiries and does data input at the GS-6 level, and performs that work at 30% of the time. And so based on this general rule, the grade of the position would be a grade seven, the highest level of work assigned to and performed by the employee, for the majority of the time, is grade controlling. It's grade controlling, all right? And so in some instances it may say grade determining, but the majority of the time it will say grade controlling, all right? And so there are some limited situations where higher graded duties are performed less than the majority of the time, which can be grade controlling.
And let's look at that. And so where the highest level of work is a substantial part of the overall position, occupying at least 25% of the employee's time, and the work is officially assigned to the position on a regular and reoccurring basis, the higher level knowledge and skills needed to perform the work would be required if the position will become vacant, then you give it the higher level. Then you give it the higher level, okay? And so again, I don't want to sound repetitive, but I want you to clearly understand the concept that when you're looking at mixed grade positions, number one, the highest level of work performed 50% or more of the time, even if they're doing lower level work, the position is classified at the higher grade.
And so in those limited situations where you have lower-level work being performed more than the higher-level work, the higher-level work must be regular and recurring. It is a significant and substantial part of the overall position, occupying at least 25% of the employee's time, and a higher level of knowledge and skills is needed to perform the work. If the position becomes vacant, then you give it the higher grade, all right? Then you give it the higher grade. All right, and so again, here's the example that I spoke of earlier.
GS-6 level work involving data input and pay inquiries, they perform that at 70% of the time. The GS-7 level work of recruitment and qualifications, determination for temporary employment, 30% of the time. If all three of the necessary criteria are met, then you classify the position at the higher level grade, even though it's only performing the work 30% of the time, okay? And so I want to talk about what work cannot be considered paramount for the purposes of grade level.
And so remember we talked about the highest level of work assigned to and performed by the employee, the majority of the time is grade controlling, but when you cannot use that general rule in these circumstances, you can't consider it paramount if it's temporary or short-term work. You cannot consider it paramount if the work is carried out only in the absence of another employee. If the work is performed under closer-than-normal supervision, and the work is assigned solely to train an employee for high-level work.
These are the conditions that you cannot consider the grade level to meet the general rule if these things occur, okay? And so I want you to put a little check mark on this, which cannot be considered grade controlling, all right?
