This is the only thing I use the bank for. You should keep a balance of at least 10 hours in there. If PBS builds you a line under the GS trigger, which I think is 75 hours every month now, and you get a GS you won't get double pay for the hours that take you to 75. You need to have some in the bank to bring it up to 75 so you can get the double pay for the whole thing. I learned that the hard way and always have 10 hours in there to bring me up to to the GS trigger.

You can also fill the bank up if you are expecting a big raise and pull it out when you get the raise. I did this when I was on first year pay and pulled it out on 2nd year pay. The only problem with pulling out your hours is you cannot pull them out all at once. I think you can only pull out enough to bring you up to 82 hours or the ALV + 5. So if you fill it up to 60 it takes some low time months to get the hours pulled out.

I think that the bank is something we should "give up" for those of you who think we need to give stuff up. That and the hat.