118 STAT. 3194 PUBLIC LAW 108–447—DEC. 8, 2004 General Services for official travel by officers or employees of the entity during fiscal year 2005 or any succeeding fiscal year. SEC. 210. VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS. (a) AUTHORITY TO OFFER PAYMENTS.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the head of any office in the legislative branch may establish a program under which voluntary separation incen tive payments may be offered to eligible employees of the office to encourage such employees to separate from service voluntarily (whether by retirement or resignation), in accordance with this section. (b) AMOUNT AND ADMINISTRATION OF PAYMENTS.—A voluntary separation incentive payment made under this section— (1) shall be paid in a lump sum after the employee’s separa tion; (2) shall be equal to the lesser of— (A) an amount equal to the amount the employee would be entitled to receive under section 5595(c) of title 5, United States Code, if the employee were entitled to payment under such section (without adjustment for any previous payment made); or (B) an amount determined by the head of the office involved, not to exceed $25,000; (3) may be made only in the case of an employee who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) under this section; (4) shall not be a basis for payment, and shall not be included in the computation, of any other type of Government benefit; (5) shall not be taken into account in determining the amount of any severance pay to which the employee may be entitled under section 5595 of title 5, United States Code, based on any other separation; and (6) shall be paid from appropriations or funds available for the payment of the basic pay of the employee. (c) PLAN.— (1) PLAN REQUIRED FOR MAKING PAYMENTS.—No voluntary separation incentive payment may be paid under this section with respect to an office unless the head of the office submits a plan described in paragraph (2) to each applicable committee described in paragraph (3), and each applicable committee approves the plan. (2) CONTENTS OF PLAN.—A plan described in this paragraph with respect to an office is a plan containing the following information: (A) The specific positions and functions to be reduced or eliminated. (B) A description of which categories of employees will be offered incentives. (C) The time period during which incentives may be paid. (D) The number and amounts of voluntary separation incentive payments to be offered. (E) A description of how the office will operate without the eliminated positions and functions. (3) APPLICABLE COMMITTEE.—For purposes of this sub section, the ‘‘applicable committee’’ with respect to an office means any committee of the House of Representatives or Senate 2 USC 60q.
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