Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives

For each determination to pay a recruitment or relocation incentive, an agency must document in writing—

• The basis for determining that a position is likely to be difficult to fill;
• The basis for authorizing an incentive; and
• The basis for the amount and timing of the approved incentive payment and the length of the required service period.
• Also, for a relocation incentive, that the worksite of the employees new position is not in the same geographic area as the worksite of the position held immediately before the move (or that a waiver was approved under 5 CFR 575.205(b)) and that the employee established a residence in the new geographic area.

The authorized agency official must review and approve the recruitment or relocation incentive determination before the agency pays the incentive to the employee. (See 5 CFR 575.108(a) and 575.208(a).)