5 U.S.C. § 10105. Retention bonuses

1. (a)
   (a)

   Authority.—

   The Administrator may pay, on a case-by-case basis, a bonus under this section to an employee of the Agency if—

   1. (1)
      (a)(1)the unusually high or unique qualifications of the employee or a special need of the Agency for the employee’s services makes it essential to retain the employee; and
   2. (2)
      (a)(2)

      the Administrator determines that, in the absence of such a bonus, the employee would be likely to leave—

      1. (A)
         (a)(2)(A)the Federal service; or
      2. (B)
         (a)(2)(B)for a different position in the Federal service.
2. (b)
   (b)

   Service Agreement.—

   Payment of a bonus under this section is contingent upon the employee entering into a written service agreement with the Agency to complete a period of service with the Agency. Such agreement shall include—

   1. (1)
      (b)(1)the period of service the individual shall be required to complete in return for the bonus; and
   2. (2)
      (b)(2)the conditions under which the agreement may be terminated before the agreed-upon service period has been completed, and the effect of the termination.
3. (c)
   (c)

   Bonus Amount.—

   1. (1)
      (c)(1)

      In general.—

      The amount of a bonus under this section shall be determined by the Administrator, but may not exceed 25 percent of the annual rate of basic pay of the position involved.
   2. (2)
      (c)(2)

      Form of payment.—

      A bonus under this section shall be paid in the form of a lump-sum payment and shall not be considered to be part of basic pay.
4. (d)
   (d)

   Limitation.—

   A bonus under this section—

   1. (1)
      (d)(1)may not be based on any period of service which is the basis for a recruitment bonus under section 10104;
   2. (2)
      (d)(2)

      may not be paid to an individual who is appointed to or holds—

      1. (A)
         (d)(2)(A)a position to which an individual is appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate;
      2. (B)
         (d)(2)(B)a position in the Senior Executive Service as a noncareer appointee (as defined in section 3132(a)); or
      3. (C)
         (d)(2)(C)a position which has been excepted from the competitive service by reason of its confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character; and
   3. (3)
      (d)(3)upon completion of the strategic human capital plan, shall be paid in accordance with that plan.
5. (e)
   (e)

   Termination of Authority.—

   The authority to grant bonuses under this section shall expire 5 years after the date of enactment of this chapter.
6. (f)
   (f)

   Reports.—

   1. (1)
      (f)(1)

      In general.—

      The Office of Personnel Management shall submit to the appropriate committees of Congress, annually for each of the first 5 years during which this section is in effect, a report on the operation of this section.
   2. (2)
      (f)(2)

      Contents.—

      Each report submitted under this subsection shall include, with respect to the period covered by such report, a description of how the authority to pay bonuses under this section was used by the Agency, including, with respect to each such agency—

      1. (A)
         (f)(2)(A)the number and dollar amount of bonuses paid to individuals holding positions within each pay grade, pay level, or other pay classification; and
      2. (B)
         (f)(2)(B)a determination of the extent to which such bonuses furthered the purposes of this section.