§5753 Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses

Summary

Lets federal agencies give extra money to recruit or move workers when a job is hard to fill. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must OK the payment. It can be used for employees in the General Schedule or other groups OPM approves. It cannot be paid to Presidential appointees who need Senate approval (except some top foreign‑service posts), noncareer Senior Executive Service appointees, or jobs that are excepted from the competitive service because they are confidential or set policy. OPM will allow a bonus only if the job is likely hard to fill without it and the person is either new to the federal government or already works for the government and is moving jobs or relocating. The worker must sign a written service agreement for up to 4 years (OPM can set a minimum). The agreement must say the start and end dates, the bonus amount, how it will be paid, and what happens if the person leaves early. Normally the total bonus cannot be more than 25% of the employee’s yearly basic pay times the number of years in the agreement, but OPM can let an agency raise that to a 50% rate in critical cases, never more than 100% of one year’s pay. Bonuses can be paid up front, in parts, or at the end, and may be paid before starting work if rules allow. Agencies must have written plans before paying these bonuses, and OPM makes rules, including rules about repaying the bonus if the service period is not completed.