§ 575.207 Agency relocation incentive plan and approval levels

5 CFR 575.207(a)(a) Before paying relocation incentives under this subpart, an agency must establish a relocation incentive plan. This plan must include the following elements:

5 CFR 575.207(a)(1)(1) The designation of officials with authority to—

5 CFR 575.207(a)(1)(i)(i) Review and approve payment of relocation incentives (subject to paragraph (b) of this section);

5 CFR 575.207(a)(1)(ii)(ii) Waive the relocation incentive payment limitation under § 575.209(c) (subject to the approval requirements in paragraph (b) of this section); and

5 CFR 575.207(a)(1)(iii)(iii) Waive the repayment of a relocation incentive under § 575.211(h);

5 CFR 575.207(a)(2)(2) The categories of employees who are prohibited from receiving relocation incentives;

5 CFR 575.207(a)(3)(3) Required documentation for determining that a position (or group of positions) is likely to be difficult to fill;

5 CFR 575.207(a)(4)(4) Any requirements for determining the amount of a relocation incentive;

5 CFR 575.207(a)(5)(5) The payment methods that may be authorized;

5 CFR 575.207(a)(6)(6) Requirements governing service agreements which, at a minimum, must include—

5 CFR 575.207(a)(6)(i)(i) The criteria for determining the length of a service period under a service agreement;

5 CFR 575.207(a)(6)(ii)(ii) The conditions for terminating a service agreement; and

5 CFR 575.207(a)(6)(iii)(iii) The obligations of the agency and the employee, as applicable, if an agency terminates a service agreement; and

5 CFR 575.207(a)(7)(7) Documentation and recordkeeping requirements sufficient to allow reconstruction of the action and fulfill the requirements of §§ 575.212 and 575.213.

5 CFR 575.207(b)(1)(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, an authorized agency official who is at least one level higher than the employee's supervisor must review and approve each determination to pay a relocation incentive, unless there is no official at a higher level in the agency. If a determination includes a waiver of the payment limitation in § 575.209(c), the official who is designated in the agency's plan under paragraph (a) of this section to approve waivers must approve the determination. The authorized agency official must review and approve the relocation incentive determination before the agency pays the incentive to the employee.

5 CFR 575.207(b)(2)(2) The higher level approval required by paragraph (b)(1) of this section is not needed when approving coverage of individual employees under a previously approved relocation incentive authorization if the case-by-case approval requirement is waived under § 575.208(b).

5 CFR 575.207(c)(c) Unless the head of the agency determines otherwise, an agency relocation incentive plan must apply uniformly across the agency.