---
type: "LegalText"
title: "5 U.S.C. § 5759"
description: "Retention and relocation bonuses for the Federal Bureau of Investigation"
jurisdiction: "us"
corpus: "united_states_code"
kind: "code_section"
title_number: 5
title_name: "GOVERNMENT ORGANIZATION AND EMPLOYEES"
chapter_number: "57"
chapter_name: "TRAVEL, TRANSPORTATION, AND SUBSISTENCE"
section: "5759"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 5759"
status: "current"
release_point: "119-100"
release_date: "2026-06-26"
source: "official"
source_url: "https://uscode.house.gov/download/releasepoints/us/pl/119/100/xml_usc05@119-100.zip"
source_identifier: "/us/usc/t5/s5759"
source_file: "data/legal/raw/us/code/title-05/usc05.xml"
source_hash: "cebe3e49830ef799bb258366c4f3e5aaf405e4f1397481522ffe6a2a9436bcfc"
raw_snapshot_hash: "719fdb18e7085aede50e1e97c1c129fa6058e2c5c12b3d77a9b9044b1769e540"
text_hash: "ce430267d41fb5ddc08e3d7c8a93839a5181a90e29f46c6c80c5d4b407956228"
retrieved_at: "2026-07-04"
confidence: "official"
tags: ["legal", "us-code"]
---

# 5 U.S.C. § 5759 - Retention and relocation bonuses for the Federal Bureau of Investigation

## Text

(a) Authority.— The Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, after consultation with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management, may pay, on a case-by-case basis, a bonus under this section to an employee of the Bureau if—

(1) (A) the unusually high or unique qualifications of the employee or a special need of the Bureau for the employee’s services makes it essential to retain the employee; and

(B) the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation determines that, in the absence of such a bonus, the employee would be likely to leave—

(i) the Federal service; or

(ii) for a different position in the Federal service; or

(2) the individual is subject to a mobility agreement and is transferred to a position in a different geographical area in which there is a shortage of critical skills (as determined by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation).

(b) Service Agreement.— Payment of a bonus under this section is contingent upon the employee entering into a written service agreement with the Bureau to complete a period of service with the Bureau. Such agreement shall include—

(1) the period of service the individual shall be required to complete in return for the bonus; and

(2) the conditions under which the agreement may be terminated before the agreed-upon service period has been completed, and the effect of the termination, including requirements for a bonus recipient’s repayment of a bonus in circumstances determined by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

(c) Limitation on Authority.— A bonus paid under this section may not exceed 50 percent of the employee’s annual rate of basic pay. The bonus may be paid in a lump sum or installments linked to completion of periods of service.

(d) Impact on Basic Pay.— A bonus paid under this section is not part of the basic pay of an employee for any purpose.

(Added Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title I, § 113(a), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2868; amended Pub. L. 111–117, div. B, title II, § 217, Dec. 16, 2009, 123 Stat. 3141; Pub. L. 111–259, title IV, § 443, Oct. 7, 2010, 124 Stat. 2733.)

## Notes

Editorial Notes

Amendments2010—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 111–259, § 443(1), substituted “is subject to a mobility agreement and is transferred to a position in a different geographical area in which there is a shortage of critical skills” for “is transferred to a different geographic area with a higher cost of living”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 111–259, § 443(2), substituted “, including requirements for a bonus recipient’s repayment of a bonus in circumstances determined by the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.” for the period. Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 111–259, § 443(3), substituted “annual rate of basic pay. The bonus may be paid in a lump sum or installments linked to completion of periods of service.” for “basic pay.” Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 111–259, § 443(4), substituted “bonus paid under this section” for “retention bonus”. 2009—Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 111–117 struck out subsec. (e). Text read as follows: “The authority to grant bonuses under this section shall cease to be available after December 31, 2009.”