
From the U.S. Code Online via GPO Access
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[Laws in effect as of January 2, 2001]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
  January 2, 2001 and January 28, 2002]
[CITE: 5USC4502]

 
             TITLE 5--GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES
 
                           PART III--EMPLOYEES
 
                     Subpart C--Employee Performance
 
                      CHAPTER 45--INCENTIVE AWARDS
 
            SUBCHAPTER I--AWARDS FOR SUPERIOR ACCOMPLISHMENTS
 
Sec. 4502. General provisions

    (a) Except as provided by subsection (b) of this section, a cash 
award under this subchapter may not exceed $10,000.
    (b) When the head of an agency certifies to the Office of Personnel 
Management that the suggestion, invention, superior accomplishment, or 
other meritorious effort for which the award is proposed is highly 
exceptional and unusually outstanding, a cash award in excess of $10,000 
but not in excess of $25,000 may be granted with the approval of the 
Office.
    (c) A cash award under this subchapter is in addition to the regular 
pay of the recipient. Acceptance of a cash award under this subchapter 
constitutes an agreement that the use by the Government of an idea, 
method, or device for which the award is made does not form the basis of 
a further claim of any nature against the Government by the employee, 
his heirs, or assigns.
    (d) A cash award to, and expense for the honorary recognition of, an 
employee may be paid from the fund or appropriation available to the 
activity primarily benefiting or the various activities benefiting. The 
head of the agency concerned determines the amount to be paid by each 
activity for an agency award under section 4503 of this title. The 
President determines the amount to be paid by each activity for a 
Presidential award under section 4504 of this title.
    (e) The Office of Personnel Management may by regulation permit 
agencies to grant employees time off from duty, without loss of pay or 
charge to leave, as an award in recognition of superior accomplishment 
or other personal effort that contributes to the quality, efficiency, or 
economy of Government operations.
    (f) The Secretary of Defense may grant a cash award under subsection 
(b) of this section without regard to the requirements for certification 
and approval provided in that subsection.

(Pub. L. 89-554, Sept. 6, 1966, 80 Stat. 442; Pub. L. 95-454, title V, 
Sec. 503(b), (c), Oct. 13, 1978, 92 Stat. 1183; Pub. L. 97-35, title 
XVII, Sec. 1703(b)(2), Aug. 13, 1981, 95 Stat. 756; Pub. L. 101-509, 
title V, Sec. 529 [title II, Sec. 201], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 
1455; Pub. L. 103-89, Sec. 3(b)(1)(D), Sept. 30, 1993, 107 Stat. 981; 
Pub. L. 106-398, Sec. 1 [[div. A], title XI, Sec. 1132], Oct. 30, 2000, 
114 Stat. 1654, 1654A-318.)

                      Historical and Revision Notes
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                    Revised Statutes and
     Derivation                U.S. Code             Statutes at Large
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                     5 U.S.C. 2123(d), (e), (g).   Sept. 1, 1954, ch.
                                                    1208, Sec.  304(d),
                                                    (e), (g), 68 Stat.
                                                    1113.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In subsections (a) and (b), the words ``cash award'' are substituted 
for ``monetary award'' and ``such award'' to conform to the remainder of 
the chapter.
    In subsection (c), the word ``Government'' is substituted for 
``Government of the United States or the government of the District of 
Columbia'' in view of the definition of ``Government'' in section 4501.
    Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable 
and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.


                               Amendments

    2000--Subsec. (f). Pub. L. 106-398 added subsec. (f).
    1993--Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 103-89 struck out par. (2) designation 
and struck out par. (1) which read as follows: ``Notwithstanding section 
4501(2), for the purpose of this subsection, `employee' includes an 
employee covered by the performance management and recognition system 
established under chapter 54.''
    1990--Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 101-509 added subsec. (e).
    1981--Subsecs. (a), (c). Pub. L. 97-35 substituted ``subchapter'' 
for ``chapter''.
    1978--Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95-454, Sec. 503(b), substituted 
``$10,000'' for ``$5,000''.
    Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 95-454, Sec. 503(c), substituted ``Office of 
Personnel Management'' for ``Civil Service Commission'', ``$10,000'' for 
``$5,000'', and ``Office'' for ``Commission''.


                    Effective Date of 1993 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 103-89 effective Nov. 1, 1993, see section 3(c) 
of Pub. L. 103-89, set out as a note under section 3372 of this title.


                    Effective Date of 1990 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 101-509 effective on such date as the President 
shall determine, but not earlier than 90 days, and not later than 180 
days, after Nov. 5, 1990, see section 529 [title III, Sec. 305] of Pub. 
L. 101-509, set out as a note under section 5301 of this title.


                    Effective Date of 1981 Amendment

    Amendment by Pub. L. 97-35 effective Oct. 1, 1981, see section 
1703(c) of Pub. L. 97-35, set out as a note under section 4501 of this 
title.


                    Effective Date of 1978 Amendment

    Section 504(a) of Pub. L. 95-454 provided that amendment by Pub. L. 
95-454 was effective on first day of first applicable pay period which 
began on or after Oct. 1, 1981, except it could take effect with respect 
to any category or categories of positions before such day to extent 
prescribed by Director of Office of Personnel Management.

                         Delegation of Functions

    Functions of President under former section 2123(e) [now subsec. 
(d)] of this section delegated to Director of Office of Personnel 
Management, see section 2 of Ex. Ord. No. 11228, June 14, 1965, 30 F.R. 
7739, set out as a note under section 301 of Title 3, The President.

                  Section Referred to in Other Sections

    This section is referred to in section 9508 of this title; title 12 
section 1441a.
