Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives

Before paying a retention incentive, an agency must establish a plan for using the authority. (See 5 CFR 575.307 and 575.315(c).) The plan must include the designation of officials with authority to review and approve payment of retention incentives, the categories of employees who are prohibited from receiving retention incentives, required documentation for determining that an employee would be likely to leave the Federal service or would be likely to leave for a different position in the Federal service, any requirements for determining the amount of a retention incentive, the payment methods that may be authorized, requirements governing service agreements (including the criteria for determining the length of a service period, the conditions for terminating a service agreement, and the obligations of the agency if it terminates a service agreement), the conditions for terminating retention incentive payments when no service agreement is required, and documentation and recordkeeping requirements.