Fillable Form SF-50

What is SF-50?

SF-50, officially Standard Form 50 or Notification of Personnel Action, is a form by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) used as the long-term Official Personnel Folder documentation of personnel actions; it is completed to document employment events.

Personnel actions affect the position and pay of an employee; thus, keeping SF-50 is important for future use, including employment, pay, and qualification decisions. If you are an employee and notice any errors in your SF-50, you must inform the Human Resources of the company you are working at immediately. It is your obligation to review all the information described in each item for accuracy.

While SF-50 is generally used as the long-term Official Personnel Folder documentation of personnel actions, any personnel actions listed below are not authorized for long-term Official Personnel Folder retention:

1. Exception to Reduction in Force Release
2. Realignment
3. Recruitment Incentive
4. Relocation Incentive
5. Retention Incentive
6. Referral Bonus
7. Student Loan Repayment
8. Individual or Group Time Off Award
9. Individual Cash Award
10. Group Award
11. Lump Sum Performance Payment
12. Individual or Group Suggestion / Invention Award
13. Foreign Language Award
14. Travel Savings Incentive
15. Senior Executive Service Performance Award

How to Fill Out SF-50?

SF-50 requires the personal and employment information of an employee. If you are the one filling it out, make sure to answer all the items accurately before giving copies to the respective recipients — Employee, OPF - Long Tem Record, Payroll, Chronological Journal File, and Utility.

Item 1 requires the full legal name of the employee as it appears on all his or her government records.

Item 2 requires the Social Security number (SSN) of the employee.

Item 3 requires the date of birth of the employee.

Item 4 asks for the effective date of the action.

First Action

Item 5-A requires the code required by the chapter that explains how to process the action.

Item 5-B requires the nature of the action for the code shown in Item 5-A.

Item 5-C requires the primary authority code

Item 5-D requires the regulation used for the nature of the action.

Items 5-E to 5-F are used only when a second authority is required for the nature of the action. For 5-E, enter the code for the second authority. For 5-F, enter the regulation used for the nature of the action.

Second Action

Items 6-A to 6-F are used when a second action with the same effective date is processed on the same SF-50. Use the First Action section as a guide to complete the items.

Item 7 requires the position title and number shown in the “To” portion of the employee’s last Notification of Personnel Action or the position the employee is leaving.

Item 8 requires the pay plan shown in the “To” portion of the employee’s last Notification of Personnel Action or the position the employee is leaving.

Item 9 requires the occupational code shown in the “To” portion of the employee’s last Notification of Personnel Action or the position the employee is leaving.

Item 10 requires the grade or level shown in the “To” portion of the employee’s last Notification of Personnel Action or the position the employee is leaving.

Item 11 requires the step or rate for the employee’s current salary.

Item 12 requires the total salary of the employee.

Item 12-A requires the employee’s rate of basic pay.

Item 12-B asks the difference between Item 12C and 12A. You may leave this blank if the employee is not entitled to administratively uncontrollable overtime pay, availability pay, or supervisory differential.

Item 12C asks the maximum adjusted rate of basic pay after taking into account all applicable pay caps.

Item 12D asks for the total amount of other allowances or differentials that are excluded from the amounts shown in Items 12 and 12D.

Item 13 requires the appropriate code for the basis on which the employee is currently being paid.

Item 14 requires the name and location shown in the “To” portion of the employee’s last Notification of Personnel Action.

Items 15 to 22 require the same details from Items 7 to 14 but in the context of the position an employee is going to, the job he or she will be doing.

Employee Data

Item 23 requires the appropriate code based on preference for the appointment, adverse action, reduction in force, or performance-based action purposes.

Item 24 asks the appropriate code for tenure.

Item 25 is only completed when required by an agency.

Item 26 is used to confirm employees Preference for Reduction in Force (RIF).

Item 27 requires the appropriate Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) code.

Item 28 requires the appropriate code and title for Annuitant Indicator.

Item 29 requires the Pay Rate Determinant code.

Item 30 requires the code for Retirement Plan.

Item 31 requires Service Computation Date (Leave). Enter month-day-year.

Item 32 requires the appropriate code for the Work Schedule.

Item 33 is only used if the employee works part-time hours.

Personal Data

Item 34 requires the code for the position occupied.

Item 35 requires the code for the Federal Labor Standards Act (FLSA) category the employee is under.

Item 36 requires the Appropriation Code.

Item 37 requires the Bargaining Unit Status.

Item 38 requires the Duty Station Code.

Item 39 requires the Duty Station. Enter the city, country, and state or overseas location.

Items 40 to 44 are applicable to the HR office.

Item 45 is for additional remarks.

Items 46 to 50 requires authentication and information on approval by the HR office.