§ 575.211 - Termination of a service agreement.

§ 575.211 Termination of a service agreement.

(a) An authorized agency official may unilaterally terminate a relocation incentive service agreement based solely on the management needs of the agency. For example, an agency may terminate a service agreement when the employee's position is affected by a reduction in force, when there are insufficient funds to continue the planned incentive payments, or when the agency assigns the employee to a different position (if the different position is not within the terms of the service agreement).

(b) An authorized agency official must terminate a relocation incentive service agreement if an employee is demoted or separated for cause (i.e., for unacceptable performance or conduct), if the employee receives a rating of record (or an official performance appraisal or evaluation under a system not covered by 5 U.S.C. chapter 43 or 5 CFR part 430) of less than “Fully Successful” or equivalent, if the employee fails to maintain residency in the new geographic area for the duration of the service agreement, or if the employee otherwise fails to fulfill the terms of the service agreement.

(c) The termination of a service agreement is not grievable or appealable.

(d) The agency must notify an employee in writing when it terminates a relocation incentive service agreement.

(e) If an authorized agency official terminates a service agreement under paragraph (a) of this section, the employee is entitled to all relocation incentive payments attributable to completed service and to retain any portion of a relocation incentive payment he or she received that is attributable to uncompleted service.

(f) If an authorized agency official terminates a service agreement under paragraph (b) of this section, the employee is entitled to retain relocation incentive payments previously paid by the agency that are attributable to the completed portion of the service period. If the employee received relocation incentive payments that are less than the amount that would be attributable to the completed portion of the service period, the agency is not obligated to pay the employee the amount attributable to completed service, unless the agency agreed to such payment under the terms of the relocation incentive service agreement. If the employee received relocation incentive payments in excess of the amount that would be attributable to the completed portion of the service period, he or she must repay the excess amount, except when an authorized agency official waives the requirement to repay the excess amount under paragraph (h) of this section.

(g) If an employee fails to reimburse the paying agency for the full amount owed under paragraph (f) of this section, the amount outstanding must be recovered from the employee under the agency's regulations for collection by offset from an indebted Government employee under 5 U.S.C. 5514 and 5 CFR part 550, subpart K, or through the appropriate provisions governing Federal debt collection if the individual is no longer a Federal employee.

(h) If an employee received relocation incentive payments in excess of the amount that would be attributable to the completed portion of the service period under paragraph (f) of this section, an authorized agency official may waive the requirement to repay the excess amount when, in the judgment of the official, collection of the excess amount would be against equity and good conscience and not in the best interest of the United States.

(i) The full amount of the authorized relocation incentive must be prorated across the length of the service period to determine the amount of the relocation incentive attributable to completed service and uncompleted service under this section.

[70 FR 25743, May 13, 2005, as amended at 72 FR 67839, Dec. 3, 2007; 78 FR 49364, Aug. 14, 2013]