Fillable Form SF-50

What is the SF-50 Form?

The SF-50 is a form used by the United States Federal Government to record personnel actions taken for its employees. It is also known as the "Notification of Personnel Action." This form is used to document changes in a federal employee's status, such as promotions, transfers, within-grade increases, and performance awards, among others. The SF-50 also serves as proof of federal service and is used to determine an employee's eligibility for various benefits, such as health insurance, life insurance, and retirement benefits.

The SF-50 has several sections, including the employee's personal information, the action being taken, the effective date of the action, the employee's pay plan, series, and grade, and the employee's duty station, among others. The form is also used to report changes in the employee's status such as a change in work schedule or a change in supervisory responsibilities.

How do I fill out the SF-50 Form?

The SF-50 Form has three sections that need to be filled with information about the employee, the action taken and the reason for taking that action, and the agency or company that is executing the action. There are multiple copies of this form, one of which should be given to the employee for purposes of record-keeping and their future use.

Step 1: Employee’s Name 

Enter the employee’s full legal name.

Step 2: Social Security Number

Enter the employee’s social security number.

Step 3: Date of Birth

Enter the employee’s birthdate.

Step 4: Effective Date

Enter the date that this form will go into effect. 

Section 1: First Action

Step 1: Actions and Reasoning

Enter the relevant action code and the nature of the action in the boxes provided. 

Step 2: Legal Authority

Enter the code and the full name or title of the legal authority that will be executing or overseeing the personnel action(s). 

Step 3: FROM - Position Title and Number

Enter the position title and number of the person who is taking action.

Step 4: FROM - Details

Enter the following information about the person taking action in the relevant boxes.

• Pay Plan
• Occupational Code
• Grade or Level
• Step or Rate
• Total Salary
• Pay Basis
• Basic Pay
• Locality Adjustment
• Adjusted Basic Pay
• Other Pay

Step 5: FROM - Organization Name and Location

Enter the name of the organization or company the person taking action works for, and the location of the office they report to. 

Step 6: FOR - Position Title and Number

Enter the position title and number of the employee.

Step 7: FOR - Details

Enter the following information about the employee in the relevant boxes.

• Pay Plan
• Occupational Code
• Grade or Level
• Step or Rate
• Total Salary
• Pay Basis
• Basic Pay
• Locality Adjustment
• Adjusted Basic Pay
• Other Pay

Step 8: FOR - Organization Name and Location

Enter the name of the organization or company the employee works for, and the location of the office they report to.

Section 2: Employee Data

Step 1: Veterans Preference

Enter the number corresponding with the Veterans Preference (VP) that the employee may claim (if applicable).

Step 2: Tenure

Enter the number corresponding to the tenure of the employee.

Step 3: Agency Use

Mark this box if this form is or will be allowed for an agency’s use. 

Step 4: Veterans Preference for RIF

Check “Yes” if the employee is eligible for veterans preference for RIF purposes. Otherwise, check “No”. 

Step 5: FEGLI 

Enter the Federal Employee Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) plan that the employee has, if any.

Step 6: Annuitant Indicator

Enter the employee’s annuitant indicator code. 

Step 7: Pay Rate Determinant

Enter the employee’s pay rate determinant code.

Step 8: Retirement Plan

Enter the retirement plan that the employee is covered by, if any.

Step 9: Service Computation Date (Leave)

Indicate the date when the employee’s Federal service began, a date calculated to include all years, months, and days of prior creditable civilian and military service served by the employee as if without a break.

Step 10: Work Schedule

Ender the work schedule code that applies to the employee.

Step 11: Part-Time Hours Per Biweekly Pay Period

Enter the amount of part-time hours the employee worked per biweekly pay period. 

Section 3: Position Data

Step 1: Position Occupied

Enter the number corresponding to the nature of the position of the employee.

Step 2: FLSA Category

Enter the “E” if the employee is exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Otherwise, enter “N”. 

Step 3: Appropriation Code

Enter the appropriation code of the employee’s appropriation account, if any.

Step 4: Bargaining Unit Status

Enter the Bargaining Unit Status (BUS) code of the employee, if any.

Step 5: Duty Station Code

Enter the code corresponding to the state, county, and city/town that the employee works in.

Step 6: Duty Station

Enter the city, county, and state OR the overseas location information of the employee’s duty station.

Step 7: Agency Data

Complete boxes 40 to 44 according to what your agency requires to be put as agency data.

Step 8: Remarks

Enter here an explanation for why the action is being taken. 

Step 9: Employing Department or Agency

Enter the department or agency that the employee serves under. 

Step 10: Agency Code

Enter the code associated with the agency.

Step 11: Personnel Office ID
Enter the personnel office ID associated with the employee.

Step 12: Approval Date

Enter the date that this form was approved.

Signature/Authentication and Title of Approving Official

Have the official approving this form sign it in the space provided, then enter their full legal name. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Who files the SF-50 form?

The SF-50 must be completed by the employing agency and must be kept in the employee's official personnel file. The form must also be provided to the employee upon request, and a copy must be kept in the employee's official file.

What is a Bargaining Unit Status?

Every civilian position in the Coast Guard is assigned a Bargaining Unit Status (BUS) code. BUS codes are 4-digit numbers used to identify which Bargaining Unit a position belongs to, if any. If a position is in a bargaining unit, the BUS code also identifies which one it belongs to.

What is an Appropriation Account?

Appropriation accounts show how companies and governments distribute their funds. Companies and governments appropriate funds in order to delegate cash for the necessities of business operations.

What is Veterans Preference?

Veterans who are disabled or who served on active duty in the armed forces during certain recognized periods, or in military campaigns, are entitled to preference over other qualified candidates from competitive lists of eligible applicants.

What does Annuitant Indicator mean?

Annuitant Indicator refers to the code used to indicate the status of an annuitant (recipients of annuities) appointed to a position in the Federal civilian service. 

What is an Annuity?

Annuities are financial products that pay out a fixed stream of payments to an individual, primarily used as an income stream for retirees.

Can I ask for a copy of a previous SF-50 form?

Yes. Simply contact your employer and ask for a copy of your SF-50 from a previous year. 

How long do companies keep copies of previous SF-50 forms?

It depends on the company or agency, but generally they will keep records for at least around seven years after an employee has been terminated. 

What is Tenure?

Tenure refers to how long a person has held their position at a company or organization.

What do I NOT need to file Form SF-50?

The Notification of Personnel Action is not required for the following actions:

• Exception to Reduction in Force Release
• Realignment
• Recruitment Incentive
• Relocation Incentive
• Retention Incentive
• Referral Bonus
• Student Loan Repayment
• “Individual” or “Group” Time Off Award
• Individual Cash Award
• Group Award
• Lump Sum Performance Payment
• “Individual” or “Group” Suggestion/Invention Award;
• Foreign Language Award
• Travel Savings Incentive; and
• Senior Executive Service Performance Award

What do I do if there is an error on the SF-50 form?

You can contact the employment agency that filed the SF-50 form for you and make them aware of the error so they can correct it. 

What can employees use the SF-50 form for?

The SF-50 form serves as verification of the employee’s federal service, and so it can be used in any situation that requires them to provide proof of their service.

Do any other documents need to be provided alongside the SF-50 form?

Depending on the action being taken, other documents may or may not need to be filed alongside the SF-50 form. 

How do I write the Nature of Action?

The first digit of the nature of action code indicates the type of action:

• 100 series—appointments
• 200 series—returns to duty from nonpay status
• 300 series—separations
• 400 series—placements in nonpay and/or nonduty status
• 500 series—conversions to appointment
• 600 series—(reserved for Office of Personnel Management use)
• 700 series—position changes, extensions, and miscellaneous changes
• 800 series—pay changes and miscellaneous changes
• 900 series—(Reserved for use by agencies)

The second and third digits of the nature of action code indicate the

particular kind of action.

Are there restrictions on what codes can be used?

Nature of action codes 000-899 may be used only as authorized by the Office of Personnel Management. Within the 000-899 group of codes are ones used to record actions involving particular groups of employees. If your agency is authorized to use any of these special codes, your personnel office will have a list of them and instructions on when and how they are to be used.

When can I use the 900 series of codes?

Codes 900-999 may be used by agencies to document personnel matters that are of interest to the agency and for which the Office of Personnel Management does not require a Standard Form 50, for example, a change in the employee's position number when no other change occurs, or a change in the appropriation from which the employee is paid.