Below are the first 10 and last 10 pages of uncorrected machine-read text (when available) of this chapter, followed by the top 30 algorithmically extracted key phrases from the chapter as a whole.
Intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text on the opening pages of each chapter.
Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
Do not use for reproduction, copying, pasting, or reading; exclusively for search engines.
OCR for page 286
Appendix E
Federal Recruitment Tools
Recruitment Incentive (formerly referred to as “Recruitment Bonus”) provides
newly appointed employees with a lump sum payment up to a maximum of 25% of basic salary
(including locality pay) and may be paid annually for up to four years.
Relocation Incentive covers current Federal employees who accept a position requiring
relocation; provides for positions that would be difficult to fill. A one-time lump sum payment is
given up to a maximum of 25% of basic annual salary (including locality pay).
Retention Incentive can be given to current Federal employees who are essential to
retain, who perform work that satisfies an essential and critical need, or who have unusually high
or unique qualifications and who would likely leave Federal service. It provides for positions that
would be difficult to fill in the absence of such an incentive and is a one-time lump sum payment
up to a maximum of 25% of basic annual salary (including locality pay).
Flexible Work Schedules can be offered that include job sharing, part time employment
and flexible hours to attract employees who have other personal and professional commitments.
Due to the bureaucratic management complexities of job sharing and flexible hours, many
regulatory agencies are reluctant to offer this, especially to field frontline veterinarians.
However, there are examples where if there is the will, a way has been found. As a result, more
veterinarians with children, eldercare, and other responsibilities are more willing to work in
government when such flexibilities are routinely offered.
Travel and Transportation Expenses to First Duty Station can be paid to cover actual
costs incurred as a result of travel and transportation of household goods to the first post of duty.
As of 2009, USDA FSIS has blanket authority to offer this incentive to all VMO 701 Series
nationwide.
Payment of Travel for Pre-Employment Interview can be used when a hiring manager
needs to conduct a face-to-face interview for a critical position. It often is not used due to a lack
of adequate budget allocations.
Student Loan Repayment covers new Federal employees and former employees with at
least a 90 day break in service. This may be used as retention flexibility for employees who, if
they left, would affect the agency’s ability to carry out an activity or perform a function deemed
essential to the Agency’s mission. It also may be used as a recruitment flexibility based upon
shortages and difficulty in recruiting individuals with high or unique qualifications, or a special
need of the agency.
PREPUBLICATION COPY
286
OCR for page 287
Appendix E 287
Superior Qualifications Appointment may be used when an applicant possesses
outstanding/high qualifications and for which the agency has a special need, such as an MPH or
Board Certification in a relevant mission-specific specialty. This powerful tool enables the
agency to set the rate of basic pay above the minimum level of the applicable civil service grade.
Highest Previous Rate may be used to set pay at a rate equivalent to the highest rate
previously received when employed.
Creditable Service for Annual Leave Accrual covers new Federal employees and
former employees with at least a 90 day break in service and may be used, for example, when the
employee’s background is unique or demonstrates that the employee will contribute significantly
to the mission and is highly qualified for the position. It provides for accruing more annual leave
per pay period.
Referral Bonus Award can be paid to employees who successfully recruit new talent
needed by the agency.
Dual Compensation Waiver for Reemployed Annuitants covers retirees wishing to be
reemployed and provides a reemployed annuitant to receive both full salary and an annuity when
reemployed with a Federal agency. A justification must be made explaining the uniqueness of
the situation.
Physicians Comparability Allowance is provided specifically to physicians because the
government has determined that they are a shortage profession and there is a significant pay gap
between private and public pay scales. Currently the American Veterinary Medical Association
has a policy stating that the government should provide veterinary medical officers GS-701
Veterinary Medical Officer the same comparability allowance as physicians as well as the same
pay to a veterinarian performing the same job as a physician (Refer to DCVMA HOD
Resolution). Currently, physicians receive more pay than veterinarians performing the same job
if the physician is employed as a new and current Federal employee in the GS-602 Medical
Officer series and who perform work associated with planning, formulating, and establishing
public health programs aimed at controlling the incidence of foodborne disease. Both
veterinarians and physicians are in government jobs that perform work that has materially and
measurably improved the health outcomes of the target population; that has substantially
improved policy development or made a significant scientific or regulatory advancement; have
achieved substantial, documented efficiencies in the design or implementation of projects to
maximize health care quality and better serve beneficiary needs; and have demonstrated
exemplary performance in improving health outcomes of the agency’s target population as
evidenced by two or more “Outstanding” performance ratings. However, only physicians receive
the additional pay benefits.
The physicians who agree to one or two years of service with these terms of employment
can receive:
• Payments of up to $14,000 per annum paid in bi-weekly installments with less than 24
months of creditable Federal service.
• Payments of up to $30,000 per annum paid in bi-weekly installments with 24 months or
more of creditable Federal service.
PREPUBLICATION COPY
OCR for page 288
288 Appendix E
SOURCE: Recruitment and Retention Flexibilities and Authorities (USDA, FSIS, Office of
Management, August 2008)
PREPUBLICATION COPY
