---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 10205"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "10205"
heading: "Service step adjustments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/10205"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart I — Miscellaneous"
  - "Chapter 102 — United States Secret Service Uniformed Division Personnel"
---

# §10205. Service step adjustments

- (a) **Definition.—** In this section, the term “calendar week of [active service](/usc/5/3501.md?p=a-1)” includes all periods of leave with [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) or other paid time off, and periods of non-[pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) status which do not cumulatively equal one 40-hour workweek.
- (b) **Adjustments.—** Each [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) whose current performance is at an acceptable level of competence shall have a [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step adjustment as follows:
  - (1) Each [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) in [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step 1, 2, or 3 shall be advanced successively to the next higher [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step at the beginning of the first [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) period immediately following the completion of 52 calendar weeks of [active service](/usc/5/3501.md?p=a-1) in the [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20)’s [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step.
  - (2) Each [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) in [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 11 shall be advanced successively to the next higher [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step at the beginning of the first [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) period immediately following the completion of 104 calendar weeks of [active service](/usc/5/3501.md?p=a-1) in the [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20)’s [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step.
  - (3) Each [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20) in [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step 12 shall be advanced successively to the next higher [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step at the beginning of the first [pay](/usc/5/7511.md?p=a-4) period immediately following the completion of 156 calendar weeks of [active service](/usc/5/3501.md?p=a-1) in the [member](/usc/5/8401.md?p=20)’s [service](/usc/5/8401.md?p=26) step.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 111–282, § 2(a), Oct. 15, 2010, 124 Stat. 3036.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective on first day of first pay period which begins after Oct. 15, 2010, see section 5 of Pub. L. 111–282, set out as an Effective Date of 2010 Amendment note under section 5102 of this title.