DEMOTION — See CHANGE TO LOWER GRADE

DENIAL OF WITHIN-GRADE INCREASE — The decision to withhold (not grant) a within-grade increase to a General Schedule employee because of a determination that the employee's performance is not at an acceptable level of competence.

DETAIL — A temporary assignment of an employee to a different position for a specified period, with the employee returning to his or her regular duties at the end of the detail.

DIRECT HIRING AUTHORITY — OPM-approved agency recruiting plans, which expedite recruitment of persons for appointment to positions in shortage occupations.

DISABILITY RETIREMENT PAY (from a uniformed service) — Money paid by a uniformed service for disability incurred in or the proximate result of performance of active duty.

DISABLED VETERAN — Means a person who was separated under honorable conditions from active duty in the Armed Forces performed at any time and who has established the present existence of a service-connected disability or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department.

DISCHARGE — A nature of action used for an agency-initiated separation (for work performance and/or misconduct or delinquency) of an employee who was serving on an appointment that did not afford appeal rights.

DISCHARGE DURING PROBATION/TRIAL PERIOD — An agency-initiated separation (for pre-appointment conditions or for post-appointment work performance and/or misconduct or delinquency) of an employee who was serving initial appointment probation or was serving on a trial period required by civil service or agency regulations.

DISCHARGE UNDER HONORABLE CONDITIONS — Means either an honorable or a general discharge from the Armed Forces. The term does not apply to the honorable discharge given an enlisted person to allow commissioning as an officer without a break in service. In this situation the officer's discharge must be under honorable conditions.

DUAL COMPENSATION — Payment for more than one civilian office involving a total of more than 40 hours a week.

DUTY STATION — The city/town, county, and State in which the employee works. For most employees, this will be the location of the employee's work site.