(2) Any test program conducted under this section shall be designed to enhance cost savings or other efficiencies that accrue to the Government. (3) Nothing in this section is intended to limit the authority of any agency to conduct test programs. (b) The Administrator shall transmit a copy of any test program approved by the Administrator under this section to the appropriate committees of the Congress at least 30 days before the effective date of the program. (c) An agency authorized to conduct a test program under subsection (a) shall provide to the Administrator and the appropriate committees of the Congress a report on the results of the program no later than 3 months after completion of the program. (d) No more than 10 test programs under this section may be conducted simultaneously. (e) The authority to conduct test programs under this section shall expire 7 years after the date of the enactment of the Travel and Transportation Reform Act of 1998. SUBCHAPTER III-TRANSPORTATION OF REMAINS, § 5741. General prohibition Except as specifically authorized by statute, the head of an Executive department or military department may not authorize an expenditure in connection with the transportation of remains of a deceased employee. §5742. Transportation of remains, dependents, and effects; death occurring away from official station or abroad (a) For the purpose of this section, "agency" means— (1) an Executive agency; (2) a military department; (3) an agency in the legislative branch; and (4) an agency in the judicial branch. (b) When an employee dies, the head of the agency concerned, under regulations prescribed by the President and, except as otherwise provided by law, may pay from appropriations available for the activity in which the employee was engaged (1) the expense of preparing and transporting the remains to the home or official station of the employee, or such other place appropriate for interment as is determined by the head of the agency concerned, if death occurred while the employee was in a travel status away from his official station in the United States or while performing official duties outside the continental United States or in transit thereto or therefrom; (2) the expense of transporting his dependents, including expenses of packing, crating, draying, and transporting household effects and other personal property to his former home or such other place as is determined by the head of the agency concerned, if death occurred while the employee was performing official duties outside the continental United States or in transit thereto or therefrom; and (3) the travel expenses of not more than 2 persons to escort the remains of a deceased employee, if death occurred while the employee was in travel status away from his official station in the United States or while performing official duties outside the United States or in transit thereto or therefrom, from the place of death to the home or official station of such person, or such other place appropriate for interment as is determined by the head of the agency concerned. (c) When a dependent of an employee dies while residing with the employee performing official duties outside the continental United States or in Alaska or in transit thereto or therefrom, the head of the agency concerned may pay the necessary expenses of transporting the remains to the home of the dependent, or such other place appropriate for interment as is determined by the head of the agency concerned. If practicable, the agency concerned in respect of the deceased may furnish mortuary services and supplies on a reimbursable basis when (1) local commercial mortuary facilities and supplies are not available; or (2) the cost of available mortuary facilities and supplies are prohibitive in the opinion of the head of the agency. Reimbursement for the cost of mortuary services and supplies furnished under this subsection shall be collected and credited to current appropriations available for the payment of these costs. (d) The benefits of this section may not be denied because the deceased was temporarily absent from duty when death_occurred. (e) Employees covered by this section include an employee who has been reassigned away from the employee's home of record pursuant to a mandatory mobility agreement executed as a condition of employment. SUBCHAPTER IV-MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS § 5751. Travel expenses of witnesses (a) Under such regulations as the Attorney General may prescribe, an employee as defined by section 2105 of this title (except an individual whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives) summoned, or assigned by his agency, to testify or produce official records on behalf of the United States is entitled to travel expenses under subchapter I of this chapter. If the case involves the activity in connection with which he is employed, the travel expenses are paid from the appropriation otherwise available for travel expenses of the employee under proper certification by a certifying official of the agency concerned. If the case does not involve its activity, the employing agency may advance or pay the travel expenses of the employee, and later obtain reimbursement from the agency properly chargeable with the travel expenses. (b) An employee as defined by section 2105 of this title (except an individual whose pay is disbursed by the Secretary of the Senate or the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives) summoned, or assigned by his agency, to testify in his official capacity or produce official records, on behalf of a party other than the United States, is entitled to travel expenses under subchapter I of this chapter, except to the extent that travel expenses are paid to the employee for his appearance by the court, authority, or party which caused him to be summoned. § 5752. Travel expenses of Senior Executive Service candidates Employing agencies may pay candidates for Senior Executive Service positions travel expenses incurred incident to preemployment interviews requested by the employing agency. § 5753. Recruitment and relocation bonuses (a) The Office of Personnel Management may authorize the head of an agency to pay a bonus to an employee who is newly appointed to a position under the General Schedule, or to an employee under the General Schedule or under any other pay authority in the executive, legislative, or judicial branch who must_relocate to accept a position under the General Schedule, if the Office determines that the agency would be likely, in the absence of such a bonus, to encounter difficulty in filling the position. (b)(1)(A) The amount of a bonus under this section shall be determined by regulations of the Office, but may not exceed 25 percent of the annual rate of basic pay of the position to which the employee is being appointed or relocated. (B) For purposes of computing a percentage of a rate of basic pay under subparagraph (A), the rate of basic pay used shall be de termined without taking into account any comparability payment under section 5304. (2) Payment of a bonus under this section shall be contingent upon the employee entering into an agreement with the agency to complete a period of employment with the agency, with the required period determined pursuant to regulations of the Office. If the employee voluntarily fails to complete such period of service or is separated from the service before completion of such period of service for cause on charges of misconduct or delinquency, the employee shall repay the bonus on a pro rata basis. (3) A bonus under this section shall be paid as a lump sum, and may not be considered to be part of the basic pay of an employee. (4) Under regulations of the Office, a recruitment bonus may be paid to a newly-hired employee before the employee enters on duty. (c) For the purposes of this section (1) the terms "agency" and "employee" have the meanings given them by section 5102; and (2) any reference to "a position under the General Schedule" or "an employee under the General Schedule" shall be considered to be a reference to any position or employee to which subchapter III of chapter 53 applies. (d) The Office shall prescribe such regulations as it considers necessary for the administration of subsections (a) through (c). (e) At the request of the head of an Executive agency, the President may authorize the application of the preceding provisions of this section with respect to 1 or more categories of employees within such agency who would not otherwise be covered by this section (including authority under subsection (d) to prescribe any necessary regulations). § 5754. Retention allowances (a) The Office of Personnel Management may authorize the head of an agency to pay an allowance to an employee under the General Schedule if (1) the unusually high or unique qualifications of the employee or a special need of the agency for the employee's services makes it essential to retain the employee; and (2) the agency determines that the employee would be likely to leave in the absence of a retention allowance. (b)(1) A retention allowance, which shall be stated as a percentage of the rate of basic pay (excluding any comparability payments under section 5304) of the employee, may not exceed 25 percent of such rate of basic pay. (2) A retention allowance may not be considered to be part of the basic pay of an employee, and the reduction or elimination of a retention allowance may not be appealed. The preceding sentence shall not be construed to extinguish or lessen any right or remedy under subchapter II of chapter 12 or under any of the laws referred to in section 2302(d). (3) A retention allowance shall be paid at the same time and in the same manner as the employee's basic pay is paid. (c) For the purpose of this section |