§10104 Recruitment Bonuses

Summary

The Administrator may pay a one-time recruitment bonus to hire people for Agency jobs that are hard to fill. The bonus amount is set by the Administrator but cannot be more than 25 percent of the job’s yearly basic pay. Bonuses must be paid in a single lump sum and do not count as basic pay. A written service agreement is required. That agreement must state how long the person must work for the Agency and what happens if the agreement ends early. Bonuses must follow the Agency’s strategic human capital plan once that plan is completed. The authority to pay these bonuses ends 5 years after the chapter was enacted. The Agency must send yearly reports to the appropriate congressional committees for each of the 5 years. Each report must explain how the bonus program was used, give the number and dollar amounts of bonuses by pay grade, and say how well the bonuses achieved their purpose. Bonuses cannot be paid to (1) Presidential appointees confirmed by the Senate, (2) noncareer Senior Executive Service appointees, or (3) jobs excepted from the competitive service for confidential or policy-making reasons.