Question about VA steps and annually updated salary table

[MidWestLass]

Hello! I had a question about how the steps work at the VA. It was once explained to me that you get locked into the salary table the year you start. So despite the table being updated annually, you are still kind of stuck in the indicated salaries listed in the pay scale for the year you began your career with the VA. Someone else recently said they believe your salary gets updated to the amount listed in your step with each new annual pay scale, suggesting that your salary increases each year even if you are in the same step. I hope this is making sense. Can someone clarify for me?

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[WisNeuro]

Unless they changed things, your salary table is updated when adjustments are made. As far as salary increases aside from step increases, that is solely up to Congress. There have definitely been years where COLA increases have been frozen.

 

[Sanman]

You get locked into a Grade step level when you start. For example, if you accept a position at a GS-13 step 2, you can't get a salary increase to step 4 or 5 without doing your time in step 3. If you take a promotion, the increase in pay is generally equivalent to two steps above your previous position. No renegotiating your salary with the new promotion or asking for more money. The automatic COL increases you see when a new GS schedule is released are generally reflected in your paycheck.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

As was said above, any changes to the pay tables (e.g., COLA) are applied to your salary, so you are definitely not locked in to whatever set of salary tables was in use when you were hired. Sometimes there's a bit of a lag, either before the adjustments are applied or before Congress actually enacts the changes, but you'll receive backpay retroactive to the date of application for any missed money. For example, if Congress finally votes on March 1 to approve a 2% COLA adjustment for VA employees (for simplicity's sake; the full COLA adjustment can actually be impacted by your locality pay) effective as of January 1, you'll eventually get the "missing" 2% that should've applied to all paychecks dating to January 1.

Step increases occur at pre-determined intervals of 1, 2, or 3 years. You can get an early step increase for certain achievements (e.g., board certification), but that's entirely facility-dependent. Grade increases are harder to get and usually involve you moving into some type of supervisory position (e.g., Lead Psychologist or Chief of Psychology, Program Manager, Associate Chief of Staff, or in some places Director of Training). As Sanman said, they adjust the Step in your new Grade to be about two steps above where you were previously, give or take.

TL;DR--Yes, if there are annual COLA adjustments to the GS pay scales, then you will receive those adjustments.

 

[MidWestLass]

Awesome - that makes so much more sense. Really appreciate you taking the time to clarify so thoroughly!

 

[ela]

Super late to this thread, but bump for a f/u question. For someone coming in licensed for over 5 years, but only prac exp. in a VA and intervening experience at other sites, how is step level typically determined? Any ideas where a mid-career transplant TO the VA lands on steps typically?

 

[WisNeuro]

Super late to this thread, but bump for a f/u question. For someone coming in licensed for over 5 years, but only prac exp. in a VA and intervening experience at other sites, how is step level typically determined? Any ideas where a mid-career transplant TO the VA lands on steps typically?

Depends on the VA, but I've seen them "pro-rate" steps based on years of independent practice.

 

[Sanman]

Depends on the VA, but I've seen them "pro-rate" steps based on years of independent practice.

This is generally how it works. As an FYI, there is some local flexibility depending on the job you are transferring from prior to the VA and the job you are applying for. If you at a lower paying job or less relevant to the VA job, they may round down your experience. A higher paying gig and they may round up.