Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 111 Part 2.djvu/987

 PUBLIC LAW 105-85—NOV. 18, 1997 111 STAT. 2067 by the Commission to be necessary for their recruitment or retention, and to other persons". SEC. 3526. TRANSITION SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS. Chapter 2 of title I (22 U.S.C. 3641 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end of subchapter III the following new section: "TRANSITION SEPARATION INCENTIVE PAYMENTS "SEC. 1233. (a) In applying to the Commission and employees 22 USC 3673. of the Commission the provisions of section 663 of the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations Act, 1997 (as contained in section 101(f) of division A of Public Law 104- 208; 110 Stat. 3009-383), relating to voluntary separation incentives for employees of certain Federal agencies (in this section referred to as 'section 663')— "(1) the term 'employee' shall mean an employee of the Commission who has served in the Republic of Panama in a position with the Commission for a continuous period of at least three years immediately before the employee's separation under an appointment without time limitation and who is covered under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees' Retirement System under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84, respectively, of title 5, United States Code, other than— "(A) an employee described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (a)(2) of section 663; or "(B) an employee of the Commission who, during the 24-month period preceding the date of separation, has received a recruitment or relocation bonus under section 1217(c) of this Act or who, within the 12-month period preceding the date of separation, received a retention bonus under section 1217(d) of this Act; "(2) the strategic plan under subsection (b) of section 663 shall include (in lieu of the matter specified in subsection (b)(2) of that section)— "(A) the positions to be affected, identified by occupational category and grade level; "(B) the number and amounts of separation incentive payments to be offered; and "(C) a description of how such incentive payments will facilitate the successful transfer of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama; "(3) a separation incentive payment under section 663 may be paid to a Commission employee only to the extent necessary to facilitate the successfiil transfer of the Panama Canal by the United States of America to the Republic of Panama as required by the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977; "(4) such a payment— "(A) may be in an amount determined by the Commission not to exceed $25,000; and "(B) may be made (notwithstanding the limitation specified in subsection (c)(2)(D) of section 663) in the case of an eligible employee who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 90-day period beginning on the date of the enactment of this section or during the period beginning on October 1, 1998, and ending on December 31, 1998;

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