Ask the Lawyer received the following question (paraphrased for easier reading and clarity) from a reader on a legal matter that might be of interest to the entire audience. Q: Is it legal for one federal employee to get a temporary promotion over another if the individual who received the promotion does not have as much experience and has never been in the acting GS-15 position, while the other employee has? A: Yes. There is a merit promotion plan at your agency that governs this. The selected does not have to be the most experienced employee. The merit system envisions…