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B-196561 1 (1980-03-05)

handle is hein.gao/gaobadjbh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: 
                          A        ~'r

                4- ' 7 - '  THE COMPTROLLER GENERAL
       ~E~6IC  .(~>f   .OF: THE UNITED        STATES
                         WASHINGTON, 0. C. 20548



 FILE:      B-196561           DATE: March 5, 1980

 MATTER OF:Scott N. Lee


 DIGEST:    A GS-15 employee was detailed to a GS-16
            (supergrade) position without agency
            requesting approval from the Civil Service
            Commission as required by 5 U.S.C. § 3324(a).
            Since agency had no authority to unilaterally
            place an employee in a supergrade position,
            retroactive temporary promotion is denied.
            See 56 Comp. Gen. 432 (1977). Estoppel
            argument must fail because the agency
            acted beyond the scope of its authority.

     By a letter dated September 17, 1979, Mr. Scott N.
Lee, through his attorney, appealed our Claims Divipion's
settlement issued August 9, 1979, which denied his(claim
for d retroactive temporary promotion and backpa!9

     The record shows that at the time of the claim
Mr. Scott was employed in a GS-15 position by the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, -
Department of Transportation. 14r. Scott was assigned
the duties of Chief, Accident Investigation Division,
a GS-16 position, by a memorandum dated January 8,
1976. He was formally detailed to that position on
March 1, 1976. On May 9, 1979, Mr. Scott requested
a retroactive temporary promotion to grade GS-16 and
backpay from Januar# 8, 1976, until January 3, 1978.
His request was administratively denied on May 29,
1979, and denied by our Claims Division on August 9,
1979. Both denials were based on our decision,
Matter of Rankin, 56 Comp. Gen. 432 (1977), which
held that temporary promotions to supergrade (GS-16,
GS-17, or GS-18) positions may be made only with the
prior approval of the Civil Service Commission nUow
Office of Personnel Management). That decision was
based on the statutory requirements of 5 U.S.C.
§§ 3324(a) and 5108(a).

     In his appeal Mr. Scott contends that he should
not be penalized for the failure of his agency:

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