Department of the Interior
Departmental Manual
Effective Date:
7/16/08
Series: Personnel Management
Part 370: Departmental Personnel Program
Chapter 451: Awards and Recognition Program
Subchapter 4: Monetary Awards
Originating Office: Office of Human Resources
370 DM 451.4
4.1 General. Monetary awards are cash awards that may be
granted to recognize an individual or team of employees of the Department. An employee can be recognized for the same
accomplishment by granting two different types of awards provided that the
combined value of both awards is commensurate with the accomplishment. Monetary awards may be given for:
A. Achieving organizational results.
B. Providing quality customer service.
C. Displaying exemplary behavior, dedication, innovation, and/or
team cooperation.
D. Fostering partnerships.
E. Promoting diversity.
F. Ensuring safety in the workplace.
4.2 Scope. This policy covers all employees of the
Department. Volunteers, contract
employees, and partners are not eligible for monetary awards unless a different
authority states otherwise.
4.3 Monetary
Performance-Based Awards. Monetary
performance-based awards (Performance Awards and Quality Step Increases) are
covered in 370 DM 451.1. The other types
of monetary awards are: Special Thanks
for Achieving Results Awards (STAR), Productivity Improvement Awards, and
Invention/Patent Awards. On-the-Spot
Awards may no longer be issued but STAR Awards of amounts consistent with the
criteria in Appendix A to this chapter can be issued. The scale of awards based on intangible
benefits and the scale of award amounts based on tangible benefits to
the government can be found in Appendices A and B to this chapter. All monetary awards are processed using
gross, not net, dollar amounts.
A. Special Thanks for Achieving Results Award. A STAR Award is used to recognize noteworthy
accomplishments that are limited to a one-time occurrence or for exceptional
accomplishments over a period of months.
It should not be issued in relation to an employee’s annual performance
appraisal. Accomplishments may be either
within or outside the scope of an employee’s normal duties. Examples of situations for which it would be
appropriate to give an employee a STAR Award are those in which employees: produce exceptionally high quality work under
tight deadlines; perform added or emergency assignments in addition to their
regular duties; or exercise extraordinary initiative or creativity in addressing
a critical need or difficult problem.
B. Productivity Improvement Award. Productivity Improvement Awards are
recognition for process improvement, cost-saving suggestions, streamlining, or
the elimination of non-value added processes.
The award shares some portion of actual savings resulting from cost
reduction or productivity gains with the employee(s) who recommends or achieves
the savings. Suggested guidelines to use, when deciding on the award amount,
are provided in Appendices A and B to this chapter.
C. Invention/Patent Award. The Department encourages the use of monetary
awards to reward employees for their inventions. An automatic $500 (gross) compensation is
awarded upon the actual filing of a patent application at the Patent Office by
the Office of the Solicitor. An additional
$800 (gross) will be awarded if the patent is granted. Further recognition based on the benefit of
the contribution may be granted through the use of an additional cash
award. The awardee’s organization is
responsible for payment of the award amount. Suggested guidelines to use to award employees
are provided in Appendix B to this chapter.
4.4 STAR Awards.
A. An employee may be recommended for a STAR award by another
Federal employee who is aware of an achievement he/she believes deserves recognition.
Form DI-451, Award Certification, is
used to recommend a STAR award and must be submitted to the proposed
recipient’s supervisor for concurrence.
Supervisors concur and/or transmit award nominations to the approving official
for the amount recommended. If an award
recognizes team achievements and members are to receive different award
amounts, the justification must describe each individual team member’s
contribution. There is no limit to the
number of STAR awards an employee may receive, but managers should administer
the program fairly to ensure consistent and equitable opportunity for employee
recognition.
B. When another bureau within the Department of the Interior, or another agency, wishes to recognize an individual through a monetary award, the outside bureau or agency will prepare the award documentation and contact the award recipient’s servicing personnel office for guidance on how to process the award. The award must be submitted for approval within six months following the contribution.
4.5 Approval Authority for
Monetary Awards.
A. Assistant
Secretaries, the Solicitor, and the Inspector General have approval
authority for individual awards from $5,001 to $10,000. However, when a performance-based cash award
that is based on a percentage of pay instead of a set dollar amount is over
$5,000, approval by an Assistant Secretary, the Solicitor, or the Inspector
General is not required. All awards in
excess of $10,000 must be submitted by bureau/office heads through the
appropriate Assistant Secretary, the Director of Human Resources, and the
Assistant Secretary - Policy, Management and Budget, to the Office of Personnel
Management for approval or further processing.
B. Bureau and office heads may approve group awards up to
$10,000 if no group member receives more than $5,000. They may also approve individual awards up to
$5,000, QSIs, and Performance Based Cash Awards; however, bureau/office heads are
encouraged to delegate approval authority for these awards to the lowest practical
level.
C. The Department’s Executive Resources Board must approve all
monetary awards for SES including non-career and limited term employees. The White House Liaison Office should be
consulted on all awards for Schedule C employees.
Appendix A
SCALE
OF AWARDS BASED ON INTANGIBLE BENEFITS
|
Value of
Benefit |
EXTENT OF
APPLICATION |
||
|
Local |
Bureau |
Department
Wide |
|
|
Example Affects: ·
one or more
field facilities or Central Office organizational elements or staff office,
or ·
a minor change
or correction of a DOI form, policy, or procedure, or ·
optional use of
an idea or procedure, or ·
minor change in
the area of technology or automation |
Example
Affects: ·
an entire
network, region, or ·
all Central
Office organizations, or ·
ideas approved
for optional use in the Department or an administration, or ·
important area
of technology or automation |
Example Affects: ·
more than one
region, or bureau ·
has impact DOI
wide or beyond. |
|
|
Moderate. Change or contribution to an operating
principle, practice, procedure or program of limited impact or use. |
Up to $500 |
Up to
$1,500 |
Up to
$3,000 |
|
Substantial. Significant
or important change, contribution to, or modification of an operating
principle, practice, procedure, program, or service to the public. |
Up to $1,500 |
Up to
$3,000 |
Up to
$5,000 |
|
Exceptional. Complete revision or initiation of a major policy,
practice, or procedure that has significant impact on DOI’s mission. Major improvement in the quality of a
critical product, activity, program or service to the public. |
Up to
$3,000 |
Up to
$5,000 |
Up to
$10,000 Awards more than $10,000
require OPM approval. Awards more than
$25,000 require Presidential approval after OPM review. |
Appendix B
SCALE
OF AWARD AMOUNTS BASED ON
TANGIBLE BENEFITS TO THE GOVERNMENT
|
Benefits |
Awards |
|
Estimated First-Year Benefits |
Amount of Award to Employee |
|
Up to $100,000 in benefits |
10% of benefits |
|
$100,001 and above in benefits |
$10,000 plus 1% of benefits above $100,001, up to $25,000 with the approval of the Office of Personnel Management |
|
|
Presidential approval is required for all awards of more than $25,000 |
7/16/08 #3807
Replaces 2/96 Sec. 1-4, HRM Handbook; 2/21/89 FPM-378; and 6/28/84 FPM-334