Should the time-in-grade requirement of a Federal Employee not be abolished? My own experience has been that I spend 12 years in a GS-5 Federal position that had no promotion potential. But it was a steady, dependable position. And it was available when I needed a job! I found myself (suddenly)a single mom and sole support of the family, so I needed to take what I could get. I was well qualified, by experience from before I hired into that position (series), for higher graded jobs, but there weren't any available then. However, every time I applied for the higher graded jobs later, it was noted that I was a Federal employee (GS-5) and had not held a Federal grade of GS-6 or 7, so I was disqualified. How ridiculous! Yet, someone who had not served the Federal government faithfully for all those years--someone less qualified than I--could apply for and be hired into a GS-7 (or 9 or whatever) position because they did not have to have time-in-grade. Once one is hired into the Federal system he/she may as well forget seeking advancement--unless his/her particular position happens to have promotion potential to the grade she/he desires. The way I had to get around it was to QUIT Federal Service after my children were grown, and now try to re-hire at a higher grade. How ridiculous is that?!!!