Rehired in VHA and unsure about step increase.

Former competitive service VHA GS 6 step 6 (was a Pathways intern as a GS 7 and was hired after a break in service due to pandemic hiring freeze and relocating back home to be a family caregive)

Returned to VHA in 2023 and downgraded but was able to neg due to my prior service as an intern before the pandemic. Transferred a year later to a VBA position at a GS 7 step 5.

During yet another hiring freeze my husband was transferred and I wasn’t able to transfer or work remore..so I resigned from the Fed a second time.

After being transferred back to the city in 2026, where I started my VHA career as an intern, I am struggling to get rehired and accepted a GS 6 position for the second time in the same occupation as I was hired 3 years ago (before I transferred and was promoted to the VBA role).

My question is this…

Since I am being rehired in the same agency only 6 month after leaving the VBA role, and into an occupation and grade I served 52 weeks in previously.

Does my time in grade offer any type of guarantee in requesting my same step 6? (They are trying to offer me in HR all the way back to step one and really only different in locality change/increase)

Also, if I’m able to get back to step 6 or not…would be 52 weeks already served in a GS role in the same occupation count towards my time to a step increase?

Or has the clock reset itself due to my break in service or time spent in a promotional grade above as a gs 7?

(HR sent me a link from OPM to review for time in grade and I feel like I need a law degree to understand the information)

With all the budget issues I know I should be grateful just to be rehired and have a job offer, but with the inflation and price of gas..I could use every penny these days.