How to Read and Understand Your SF50
- shaunaweatherly
- Feb 14
- 4 min read
Feds...I found this easy to understand resource below on the Department of Commerce site and it is accurate and current.
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GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING YOUR NOTIFICATION OF PERSONNEL ACTION FORM, SF-50 The SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action Form is a very important document. It is your written documentation of a personnel action that affects your position or pay. Keep it with your records because it could be used to make employment, pay, and qualifications decisions about you in the future. It is your responsibility to read all the information on the front of your SF-50 and notify the Human Resources staff immediately if you notice an error.
NOTE - This guide does not provide instructions for reviewing every block on your SF-50; the primary purpose of this guide is to assist you in reviewing those blocks that contain data that have a significant impact on your pay, position, employment benefits, and tenure. When reviewing your SF-50s, please review the data in the blocks described below as well as the instructions on the back of your SF-50. If you have further questions, please contact your agency Human Resources staff.
Blocks #1-3 Name/Social Security Number/Date Of Birth information
Verify the accuracy of this information.
Block #4 Effective Date
This block indicates the effective date of the specific action described in block#5B.
Block #5B Nature of Action
This block indicates the type of action being taken, such as appointment, reassignment, promotion, within-grade increase, separation, award, etc.
Block #15 Position Title & Number
This block indicates your position title - verify the accuracy of this information by comparing it with the title on your position description (a written description of your major duties and responsibilities). The two titles should match.
Block #16 Pay Plan
Most employees are covered by the general schedule, (GS) pay system, which covers Awhite collar@ positions.
Block #17 Occupational Code
This code corresponds to the series for your position as developed by the Office of Personnel Management. Verify the accuracy of this information by comparing it to the series code shown on your position description.
Blocks #18-20 Grade / Level / Step / Rate / Total Salary Award
Verify the accuracy of this information by comparing it to your job offer letter or other documentation you have received. Refer to the back of your SF-50 for further explanation.
Block #23 Veterans Preference
If you are a veteran, verify the accuracy of this information. If you are a veteran and your SF-50 does not reflect the appropriate code, provide the Human Resources staff with a DD-214 as proof of service.
Block #24 Tenure
This block indicates the tenure of your position. Codes are defined as follows:
A1 - (Competitive Service) Indicates you are a career employee. You have completed three years of qualifying service and have completed your initial appointment probation. (Excepted Service) indicates you are on a permanent appointment.
A2 - Indicates you are serving in a permanent position with less than three years of qualifying service and may also be serving an initial appointment probation.
A3 - Indicates you are on a temporary, term, or time-limited appointment.
Block #27 FEGLI
This block indicates your life insurance coverage. If you have elected life insurance, verify the accuracy of the coverage shown.
Block #30 Retirement Plan
This block indicates the retirement plan under which you are covered.
If your appointment is for longer than one year and you began your initial employment after 12/31/83, the code AK@,AFERS and FICA@ should be in this block.
If your initial Federal employment was before 12/31/83, and you DID NOT elect to switch to the FERS retirement system, the code A1",ACS@ or ACSRS@ should appear here.
Employees on temporary appointments of one year or less are not eligible for retirement coverage and will have a remark indicating AFICA@ in this block.
If you are a civil service retirement system offset employee, this block will have the code AC@, AFICA & CSRS@.
Block #31 Service Computation Date (SCD)
This block either indicates when your Federal service began or is a date calculated to include all years, months, and days of prior creditable civilian and military service as if it was all served without a break. This date is used to determine your leave category.
Block #35 FLSA
This block indicates whether or not your position is covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
Exempt employees are not covered by the minimum wage and overtime law.
Nonexempt employees ARE covered and are entitled to overtime pay protections.
Generally, managers, professionals, and most administrative personnel above GS-7 are exempt from coverage.
Block #37 Bargaining Unit Status
If your position is not covered by a Bargaining Unit, the correct code is “8888”.
If your position is eligible for coverage but no unit currently exists, the correct code is “7777”.
If your position is both eligible and a bargaining unit exists, you will have a different numeric code, i.e., “0121”.
If you have questions regarding your bargaining unit code, please contact the Employee and Labor Relations Group in your HR Office
Block #38 Duty Station (City, County, State or Overseas Location)
Verify the accuracy of the duty station listed for your position. For example, if your official duty station is Washington, DC, this block should list Washington, DC.
Original LinkedIn post is found here: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/shauna-weatherly_understanding-your-sf50-activity-7292192119442526211-HRLL?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_desktop&rcm=ACoAAA6vqSABLArM73HgjpmDnYG-5LRTJXgTTYQ
DISCLAIMERS:
CONSULT YOUR AGENCY HR OFFICE OR AN ATTORNEY KNOWLEDGABLE IN FEDERAL EMPLOYEE LAW OR PAY BEFORE MAKING ANY DECISION OR TAKING ANY ACTION THAT IMPACTS OR CHANGES YOUR FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT STATUS.
ADVICE PROVIDED BY FEDSUBK DOES NOT CONSTITUTE LEGAL OR FIDUCIARY ADVICE NOR DOES IT CREATE A BINDING LEGAL OR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY BETWEEN FEDSUBK AND CLIENT. CLIENTS ARE ADVISED TO HAVE ALL DOCUMENTS REVIEWED BY AN ATTORNEY PRIOR TO USE.