6 C.F.R. § 158.632 – Recognition payments.

(a) Under this section and § 158.630, and for the reasons and bases stated in § 158.630(a), the Department may provide a recognition payment to a DHS-CS employee in an amount of up to 20 percent, or up to 50 percent with approval of the Secretary or designee, of the receiving DHS-CS employee's salary. The Department may require a service agreement of not less than six months and not more than three years as part of providing a recognition payment to a DHS-CS employee.
(b) Under this section and § 158.630, and for the reasons and bases stated in § 158.630(b) and as part of an offer of employment in the DHS-CS, the Department may offer a recognition payment to an individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS in an amount of up to 20 percent of the receiving individual's initial salary in the DHS-CS. The Department requires a service agreement of not less than six months and not more than three years as part of providing, upon appointment, a recognition payment to an individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS.
(c) The Department may provide a recognition payment as a lump sum payment, an installment payment, or a recurring payment.
(d) The Department may provide a recognition payment under this section to a former DHS-CS employee or to the legal heirs or estate of a former DHS-CS employee in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 4505.
(e) Acceptance of a recognition payment constitutes agreement for Federal Government use of any idea, method, device, or similar that is the basis of the payment.
(f) A recognition payment under this section is subject to and may be limited by the aggregate compensation limit described in § 158.604.
(g) A recognition payment is not salary under this part and is not basic pay for any purpose under 5 U.S.C. or 5 CFR.
(h) A recognition payment under this section is based on the following types of awards and incentives provided under 5 U.S.C.:
1. (1) Cash awards under 5 U.S.C. 4502;
2. (2) Agency awards under 5 U.S.C. 4503;
3. (3) Performance-based cash awards under 5 U.S.C. 4505a and 5384;
4. (4) Presidential rank awards under 5 U.S.C. 4507 and 4507a; and
5. (5) Recruitment, relocation, and retention incentives 5 U.S.C. 5753 and 5754.
(i) A recognition payment under this section is in lieu of the types of awards and incentives provided under 5 U.S.C. listed in paragraph (h) of this section, and a DHS-CS employee is ineligible to receive any such awards or incentives.
(j) An individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS is ineligible to receive, as part of the offer of employment, any other offer of a monetary award or incentive, a payment in addition to salary, or other monetary recognition from the Department except as provided in this section and § 158.630. An individual appointed to an advisory appointment is also ineligible to receive, as part of an offer of employment in the DHS-CS, any offer of recognition under this section.
(k) A recognition payment under this section for a DHS-CS advisory appointee is subject to additional requirements and restrictions in subpart J of this part.