29-1 Chapter 29. Bonuses, Awards and Other Incentives (Natures of Action 815, 816, 817, 825, 827, 840, 841, 842, 843, 844, 845, 846, 847, 848, 849, 878, 879, 885, 886, 887, and 889) Contents Page 1. Coverage ............................................................................................29-3 2. Separation Incentives .........................................................................29-3 3. Presidential Rank Awards ..................................................................29-3 4. All Other Bonuses, Awards, and Incentives ......................................29-3 Table 29 Bonuses, Awards, and Incentives.......................................................29-5 Page 29-2 is blank. 29-3 Chapter 29. Bonuses, Awards and Other Incentives 1. Coverage. a. Actions covered. This chapter covers the following time off and cash payment actions that do not affect an employee's rate of basic pay: 815/Recruitment Incentive, 816/Relocation Incentive, 817/Student Loan Repayment, 825/Separation Incentive, 827/Retention Incentive, 840/Individual Cash Award RB, 841/Group Award - Ch 45, 842/Individual Suggestion/Invention Award (only those recognized with cash), 843/Group Suggestion/Invention Award (only those recognized with cash), 844/Foreign Language Award (always given to individuals as cash; only approved for law enforcement positions), 845/Travel Savings Incentive (always given to individuals as cash; only allowed for agencies that have established travel savings incentive programs), 846/Individual Time Off Award, 847/Group Time Off Award, 848/Referral Bonus, 849/Individual Cash Award NRB 878/Presidential Rank Award, 879/SES Performance Award. 885/Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-ILPA 886/Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-NILPA 887/Lump Sum Performance Payment NRB 889/Group Award - Other b. >Enterprise Human Resources Integration.< All actions described in this chapter must be reported to >Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI).< Use the nature of action codes and, if required, legal authority codes in Table 29 to report these actions to >EHRI.< Refer to the operating manual, >The Guide to Human Resources Reporting Requirements,< for specific instructions. 2. Separation Incentive. a. Effective Date. Separation Incentives are payments authorized to encourage employees to separate voluntarily to avoid or reduce the need for involuntary separations. These actions are effective on the same date as the employee's separation. b. Standard Form 52. Use of the Standard Form 52, Request for Personnel Action, to process these actions is not required. Follow your agency's instructions. c. Standard Form 50. These actions may be documented as the second nature of action on Standard Form 50, Notification of Personnel Action, documenting the separation or may be documented as a separate action. In either case, a Standard Form 50 documenting a Separation Incentive should be prepared and a copy should be filed on the right side of the Official Personnel Folder. 3. Presidential Rank Awards. a. Standard Form 52. Use of the Standard Form 52 to process these actions is not required. Follow your agency's instructions. b. Standard Form 50. A Standard Form 50 should be prepared to document Presidential Rank Awards. A copy of this Standard Form 50 should be filed on the right side of the Official Personnel Folder. 4. All Other Awards and Bonuses. a. Effective Date. The agency sets the effective date of awards and bonuses. 29-4 THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS b. Standard Form 52. Use of the Standard Form 52 to process these actions is not required. Follow your agency's instructions. c. Standard Form 50. Use of the Standard Form 50 for all other awards and bonuses is not required. Documentation of awards and bonuses other than Separation Incentives, and Presidential Rank Awards is not authorized for long-term Official Personnel Folder retention. Agencies may not file documentation of the following award and bonus actions on the right side of the Official Personnel Folder: Recruitment Incentive, Relocation Incentive, Retention Incentive, Student Loan Repayment, Individual Cash Award RB Individual Cash Award NRB Group Award - Ch 45, Group Award - Other, Individual Suggestion/Invention Award, Group Suggestion/Invention Award, Foreign Language Award, Travel Savings Incentive, Individual Time Off Award, Group Time Off Award, Referral Bonus, Senior Executive Service Performance Award, Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-ILPA Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-NILPA Lump Sum Performance Payment NRB d. Employee Notification. Agencies must notify employees of awards granted them. To do so, the agency may choose to use the Standard Form 50 or may choose any other method that meets the requirements in Chapter 4 of this Guide. As examples, agencies may choose to use earnings statements or award certificates or agency forms to notify employees of awards. Even if an agency uses a Standard Form 50 to notify employees of awards, no legal authority code is required, and the SF-50 may not be filed on the right side of the Official Personnel Folder. Chapter 29. Bonuses, Awards and Other Incentives 29-5 Table 29. Bonuses, Awards, and Other Incentives R U L E And If Basis for Action is 1 Made to a group of employees 2 Award is based on group contributions that do not represent suggestions or inventions A group of employees will receive time off as a reward for a specific achievement 4 5 To a law enforcement officer whose job responsibilities involve substantial use of foreign language skills in job 6 Given to employees who achieve travel savings 7 Given to employees who refer applicant(s) who are hired and successfully employed by the agency 8 Given to employee to repay student loan 841 Nature of Action is Group Award - Ch 45 Agency has an established travel savings incentive program in place Agency has established criteria in place for granting referral bonuses Other than chapter 45 889 Group Award - Other 843 Group Suggestion/ Invention Award 847 Group Time Off Award 844 Award is based on a group suggestion/invention 3 Made under chapter 45 Then NOAC is Foreign Language Award 845 Travel Savings Incentive 848 Referral Bonus 817 Student Loan Repayment THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS 29-6 Table 29. Bonuses, Awards, and Other Incentives (continued) R U L E If Basis for Action is 9 Presidential Rank Award (Meritorious) Presidential Rank Award (Distinguished) 878 Nature of Action is Presidential Rank Award A cash award based on employee's performance rating of record And Authority is SES Performance Award 5 U.S.C. 4507(e)(1) 5 U.S.C. 4507a(c) 5 U.S.C. 4507(e)(2) V9P 879 V7G V8G Employee is a member of the SES Employee is in the Senior Executive Service or a Senior Executive Service-type system where awards can be paid consistent with 5 U.S.C. 5384 on the last day of the current performance appraisal period (i.e., on the last day of the period for which the rating of record was issued) Authority Code is V9N Employee holds a career appointment in an OPMallocated SL or ST position; is paid under 5 U.S.C. 5376; and have at least 3 years of (continuous or non-continuous) career or career-type Federal civilian service above GS-15. 12 13 Employee is a member of the SES Then NOAC is Employee holds a career appointment in an OPMallocated SL or ST position; is paid under 5 U.S.C. 5376; and have at least 3 years of (continuous or non-continuous) career or career-type Federal civilian service above GS-15. 10 11 And 5 U.S.C. 4507a(c) VWK 5 U.S.C. 5384 Chapter 29. Bonuses, Awards and Other Incentives 29-7 Table 29. Bonuses, Awards, and Other Incentives (continued) R U L E 14 If Basis for Action is A recruitment incentive And Payment is 25% or less Then NOAC is 815 Nature of Action is Recruitment Incentive Payment is terminated VPF 5 U.S.C. 5753 5 U.S.C. 5753(e) VPT 16 17 18 A relocation incentive 19 20 21 Establishment or change of retention incentive where employee or member receives biweekly payments in equal percentage and no service agreement is required Payment is 25% or less Payment is above 25% (critical agency need) Payment is terminated 816 Payment is 25% or less for an individual or 10% or less for a group 827 Payment is terminated And Authority is VPO Payment is above 25% (critical agency need) 15 Authority Code is Relocation Incentive (Enter Law, Executive Order or Regulation that authorizes the action) 5 U.S.C. 5753 5 U.S.C. 5753(e) VPW Retention Incentive VPF VPO VPN (Enter Law, Executive Order or Regulation that authorizes the action) 5 U.S.C. 5754(d)(3)(A) VPX Reg. 575.311 THE GUIDE TO PROCESSING PERSONNEL ACTIONS 29-8 Table 29. Bonuses, Awards, and Other Incentives (continued) R U L E If Basis for Action is 22 23 24 25 26 Establishment of retention incentive when a service agreement is required and employee is likely to leave Federal service Establishment of retention incentive when a service agreement is required and employee is likely to leave for a different position in the Federal service 27 28 29 30 A separation incentive for an employee who resigns or retires (see Note 1 of this table) And Then NOAC is Payment is 25% or less for an individual or 10% or less for a group Payment is above 25% for an individual or above 10% for a group (critical agency need) Payment is terminated Payment is 25% or less for an individual or 10% or less for a group Payment is above 25% for an individual or above 10% for a group (critical agency need) Payment is terminated 827 Employee is in the Department of Defense 825 Nature of Action is Retention Incentive Authority Code is And Authority is VPR 5 U.S.C. 5754(e) VPS 5 U.S.C. 5754(f) VPY VPA Reg. 575.311 Reg. 575.315 VPB Reg. 575.315 (Higher Cap) VPC Reg. 575.315(g) VWN >(Cite authority specific to DoD)< Employee is not in the Department of Defense and incentive was granted prior to 3/1/95 with approval for a delayed separation Z2R P.L. 103-226 Not Rule 25 or 26 ZAA (Enter Agency Authority) (See Note 2) Separation Incentive Chapter 29. Bonuses, Awards and Other Incentives 29-9 Table 29. Bonuses, Awards, and Other Incentives (continued) R U L E > 31 < > 32 < > 33 < If Basis for Action is And Made to an individual employee Payment is based on rating of record or contribution And Made under chapter 45 And Is rating-based Is not ratingbased Other than chapter 45 Is a rating-based lump-sum payment Then NOAC is 840 849 > 35 < > 36 < Is performancerelated lumpsum payment that is not ratingbased Cash award is based on suggestion/invention Employee will receive time off as a reward for a specific achievement In lieu of pay adjustment due to range maximum or control point In lieu of pay adjustment - other reason 885 Not in lieu of pay adjustment; separately administered > 34 < > 37 < > 38 < And 886 Nature of Action is Individual Cash Award RB (See Note 3 of this table) Individual Cash Award NRB (See Note 3 of this table) Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-ILPA (See Note 3 of this table) Authority Code is And Authority is 842 846 (Cite law, E.O., or regulation that authorizes the action) V3B 887 V3A (Cite law, E.O., or regulation that authorizes the action) Lump Sum Performance Payment RB-NILPA (See Note 3 of this table) Lump Sum Performance Payment NRB (See Note 3 of this table) Individual Suggestion/Invention Award Individual Time Off Award NOTES: 1. If documenting the Separation Incentive on the same Standard Form 50 as the separation, use blocks 6A-F and 20 of the resignation or retirement Standard Form 50 to document the 825/Separation Incentive action; document the amount of the Separation Incentive in block 20. 2. P.L. 104-208 may not be cited as the authority for a separation incentive when an agency-specific authority was granted. 3. The following are translations for the abbreviations shown in rules 28-33 above: "RB" means Rating Based; "NRB" means Not Rating Based; "RB-ILPA" means Rating Based - in Lieu of Pay Adjustment; and "RB-NILPA" means Rating Based - Not in Lieu of Pay Adjustment.