U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000


Skip to content
Facebook iconYouTube iconTwitter iconFlickr iconLinkedInInstagram

Home / Resources / Legislation, Regulations and Guidance / Directives and Memorandum / Orders

This page/policy is currently being revised. For current information about the Approvals Required for Detail of FHWA Employees, please click here. You may also contact Suzy Tyson at Suzy.Tyson@dot.gov or 202-366-1157.

Order
Subject
FHWA Personnel Management Manual; Part 1: Personnel Systems & Procedures, Chapter 3: Assignment and Utilization of Employees, Section 3: Detail of Employees
Classification Code Date
M3000.1C February 3, 2004  

  1. What is the purpose of this section?
  2. Does this directive cancel an existing FHWA directive?
  3. What are the primary references used in this section?
  4. What is a detail?
  5. What is the FHWA policy regarding a detail?
  6. What are the responsibilities for using a detail?
  7. When should a detail be used?
  8. What is the required approval authority and what documentation is necessary for a detail?
  9. What restrictions apply to the use of a detail?

  1. What is the purpose of this section? The purpose of this section is to describe provisions for detailing Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) employees to positions GS-15 and below.

  2. Does this directive cancel an existing FHWA directive? Yes. This directive cancels the FHWA's Personnel Management Manual, Part 1, Chapter 3, Section 3, dated June 28, 1996.

  3. What are the primary references used in this section?

    1. Title 5, United States Code (U.S.C.), Section 3341;
    2. Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 300 Subpart C, 300.301; and
    3. Title 5, U.S.C., Section 3343 (Detail to International Organizations).

  4. What is a detail? A detail is an official personnel action by which an employee is temporarily assigned, for a specified period of time, to duties and responsibilities other than those of his or her permanent position. During the detail, employee costs such as salary, leave, and other benefits are charged to the organization where his or her permanent position is located.

  5. What is the FHWA policy regarding a detail? It is the FHWA policy to use an employee detail primarily for meeting temporary workforce needs within the organization. Details will be confined to short timeframes.

  6. What are the responsibilities for using a detail?

    1. Supervisors. Supervisors are responsible for coordinating the detail between the gaining and losing organizations and for preparing the proper documentation, including providing a description of duties, developing critical job elements and performance standards, and arranging training to develop supervisory competencies for employees detailed to a supervisory position for more than six months.

    2. Employees. Employees may be directed to perform work other than duties ordinarily performed and different from those duties in their official position descriptions. Employees are expected to accept and successfully carry out all temporary assignments. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action and immediate cancellation of the detail.

    3. Interagency details. A detail that would require working outside of the FHWA must be coordinated with the Office of the Secretary of Transportation.

  7. When should a detail be used? A detail can be applied to duties that are classified at a higher grade, a lower grade, or at the same grade level. A detail can also be made to a position with unclassified duties. The detail can be performed in the same organizational unit or in a different organizational unit. Employee clearances must be compatible with the security requirements of detailed positions. The following are examples of when details may be appropriate:

    1. to address emergency workforce needs;

    2. to offset temporary staffing or workload imbalances, and under these conditions, as an option to minimize overtime;

    3. to fill positions needing to be staffed pending reduction-in-force assignment determinations, the classifications of positions pending a reorganization, or during a commercial activity study;

    4. to permit employee developmental assignments not involving an official position change; and

    5. to permit personnel exchanges under Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignments.

  8. What is the required approval authority and what documentation is necessary for a detail? Unit Managers are authorized to approve a detail within their respective delegations of authority. A Standard Form (SF) 52, Request for Personnel Action, recording the detail, or terminating it, will be prepared by the losing office in consultation with the gaining office, and will be processed by the servicing personnel office. See the attached Summary Chart for time limits, approval authorities, and documentation requirements.

  9. What restrictions apply to the use of a detail? The following restrictions apply to the use of a detail:

    1. Details to higher graded positions or positions with more promotion potential must be made under competitive procedures if they exceed 120 days;

    2. Details in excess of 120 days to a position with unclassified duties must be documented with an SF 52, and a statement of duties;

    3. Details exceeding 120 days must be extended in increments of no more than 120 days; and

    4. Details to a supervisory or managerial position exceeding 30 days should be rotated among eligible staff and consideration should be given to a temporary promotion.
SUMMARY CHART
DETAIL
TIME PERIOD*
APPROVAL AUTHORITY
DOCUMENTATION
Any grade level
30 days or less
Supervisor
In-Writing
Same grade
More than 30 days but less than 120
Unit Manager
In-Writing
Lower grade
More than 30 days but less than 120 days
Unit Manager
In-Writing
Higher grade or greater promotion potential
More than 30 days but less than 120 days
Unit Manager
SF 52
Higher grade or greater promotion potential
More than 120 days
Action must be made under competitive procedures as a temporary promotion
SF 52, position description, Optional Form (OF) 8
Any grade level
More than 120 days
Unit Manager
SF 52

* Time periods are expressed in calendar days.

Page last modified on October 19, 2015
Federal Highway Administration | 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE | Washington, DC 20590 | 202-366-4000