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Personnel Delegation #41


Personnel Delegation #41

Date:  FEB 7 1994

From: Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Management Operations

Subject: Delegation of Authority to Approve Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances

To: PHS Agency Heads

Authority Delegated and To Whom

  1. Pursuant to the authority delegated by the Assistant Secretary for Personnel Administration (ASPER) to the Assistant Secretary for Health on September 29, 1993, and the January 14, 1991, Delegation of Personnel Administration and Personnel Management Authorities from the Acting Assistant Secretary for Health to the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Health Management Operations (DASHMO), I hereby delegate to the PHS Agency Heads, for their respective organizations, the authority to:
    1. approve individual recruitment bonuses of up to 25 percent of base pay when necessary to:
      1. match current non-Federal salary;
      2. match current non-Federal salary and fringe benefits;
      3. match a recent, written, competing, non Federal salary offer for a similar position; and
      4. compensate for cost-of-living disparity, as shown in a Runzheimer International Two Location Comparison, or a combination of cost of living and salary offer disparity.
    2. approve individual relocation bonuses of up to:
      1. 25 percent of base pay when necessary to match a recent, written, competing, non-Federal salary offer for a similar position;
      2. 25 percent of base pay to compensate for cost of living disparity, as shown in a Runzheimer International Two-Location Comparison;
      3. 10 percent of base pay when a two-year service agreement is proposed and it is necessary to provide an incentive to relocate, because of adverse factors; and
      4. 5 percent of base pay when a one-year service agreement is proposed and it is necessary to provide an incentive to relocate, because of adverse factors.
    3. approve an initial retention allowance of up to 25 percent of base pay when necessary to:
      1. match a recent, written, competing, non-Federal salary offer for a similar position;
      2. match a recent, verbal salary offer from an interested non-Federal employer that the employee is considering actively, as verified by the approving or recommending official.
    4. approve renewals of retention allowances.

Redelegations and Restrictions

  1. This delegation excludes the authority to approve or renew recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Schedule C, Executive Level and SES positions.
  2. The authority delegated in paragraph 1 above includes only professional, scientific and technical positions at GS-15 and below, in the occupational groups: 400, 600, 800, 1300, and 1500, and in the series: 110, 180, 701, and 1811.
  3. The DASHMO retains the authority to:
    1. approve recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Office of -the Assistant Secretary for Health employees at GS-15 and below;
    2. approve recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for PHS employees at M-15 and below for cases not within the authority of the PHS agency heads;
    3. approve requests for streamlined recruitment or relocation bonuses, when individual approvals are required; and recommend categorical relocation bonuses to the ASPER for recommendation to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (USOPM) when individual approvals are to be waived;
    4. recommend recruitment or relocation bonuses or retention allowances for Schedule C, Executive Level and SES positions to the Secretary; and
    5. approve all requests for waivers of repayment of the prorata amount of recruitment/relocation bonuses for failure to complete service agreements, when waiver is required.
  4. The authorities delegated in paragraphs 1a (1), (3), and (4), 1b (1) through (4), 1c (1) and 1d, may be redelegated to officials who report directly to an agency head and principal agency field officials.  The authorities delegated in paragraphs 1a (2) and 1c (2), may not be redelegated.

Information and Guidance

  1. Requirements and instructions for exercising these authorities are contained in USOPM regulations, DHHS policy, and Personnel Instruction PHS 575-1, Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances.

Prior Delegations

  1. This delegation supersedes the December 18, 1992, Delegation of Authority to Approve Recruitment and Relocation Bonuses and Retention Allowances from the Assistant Secretary for Health to the PHS Agency Heads.

Effective Date

  1. This delegation is effective upon date of signature.

/Tony Itteilag/
Anthony L. Itteilag


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