Recruitment, Relocation and Retention Incentives

For each determination to pay a retention incentive, the agency must document in writing—

• The basis for determining the agency has a special need for the employee’s (or group of employees‘) services that makes it essential to retain the employee(s), based on the agency‘s mission needs and the employee’s (or group of employees‘) competencies, during a period of time before the closure or relocation of the employee’s (or group of employees‘) office, facility, activity, or organization;
• The basis for determining, in the absence of a retention incentive, the employee (or a significant number of employees in the group) would be likely to leave for a different position in the Federal service; and
• The basis for determining the amount and timing of the incentive payments and the length of the service period.

(See 5 CFR 575.315(d)(1).)