General Questions

Yes. When the rating of record is completed at the end of the appraisal period, a summary level must be assigned. The principal reason for this requirement is that several other personnel systems and actions rely on the rating of record as a trigger or threshold (e.g., granting within-grade increases, noncompetitive promotions) or as an otherwise necessary input (e.g., for granting additional service credit in a reduction in force (RIF)). Agencies may use between two (Levels 1 and 3) and five (Levels 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) summary levels, or a specified combination in between, as permitted by the agency's performance appraisal system and specified in the applicable appraisal program.