---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 3673"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "3673"
heading: "Transition separation incentive payments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/3673"
units:
  - "Chapter 51 — Panama Canal"
  - "Subchapter I — Administration and Regulations"
  - "Part 2"
  - "Subpart iii — conditions of employment and placement"
---

# §3673. Transition separation incentive payments

- (a) In applying to the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) and [employees](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) 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](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) of certain Federal [agencies](/usc/22/3651.md?p=1) (in this section referred to as “section 663”)—
  - (1) the term “[employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3)” shall mean an [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) who has served in the Republic of Panama in a [position](/usc/22/3651.md?p=2) with the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) for a continuous period of at least three years immediately before the [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3)’s separation under an appointment without time limitation and who is covered under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal [Employees](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3)’ Retirement System under subchapter III of [chapter 83](/usc/22/chch83.md) or [chapter 84](/usc/22/chch84.md), respectively, of [title 5](/usc/5.md), other than—
    - (A) an [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) described in any of subparagraphs [(A)](#a-2-A) through (F) of subsection (a)(2) of section 663; or
    - (B) an [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) of the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) who, during the 24-month period preceding the date of separation, has received a recruitment or relocation bonus under [section 3657(c) of this title](/usc/22/3657.md?p=c) or who, within the 12-month period preceding the date of separation, received a retention bonus under [section 3657(d) of this title](/usc/22/3657.md?p=d);
  - (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](/usc/22/3651.md?p=2) 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](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) only to the extent necessary to facilitate the successful 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](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) 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](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 90-day period beginning on November 18, 1997, or during the period beginning on October 1, 1998, and ending on December 31, 1998;
  - (5) in the case of not more than 15 [employees](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) who (as determined by the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2)) are unwilling to work for the [Panama Canal Authority](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-2) after the [Canal Transfer Date](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-1) and who occupy critical [positions](/usc/22/3651.md?p=2) for which (as determined by the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2)) at least two years of experience is necessary to ensure that seasoned managers are in place on and after the [Canal Transfer Date](/usc/22/3602.md?p=d-1), such a payment (notwithstanding [paragraph (4)](#a-4))—
    - (A) may be in an amount determined by the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) not to exceed 50 percent of the basic pay of the [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3); and
    - (B) may be made (notwithstanding the limitation specified in subsection (c)(2)(D) of section 663) in the case of such an [employee](/usc/22/3651.md?p=3) who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 90-day period beginning on November 18, 1997; and
  - (6) the provisions of subsection (f) of section 663 shall not apply.
- (b) A decision by the [Commission](/usc/22/277d–43.md?p=2) to exercise or to not exercise the authority to pay a transition separation incentive under this section shall not be subject to review under any statutory procedure or any [agency](/usc/22/3651.md?p=1) or negotiated grievance procedure except under any of the laws referred to in [section 2302(d) of title 5](/usc/5/2302.md?p=d).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1233, as added Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXV, § 3526, Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2067; amended Pub. L. 115–73, title I, § 107(a)(2)(E), Oct. 26, 2017, 131 Stat. 1239; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(b)(3)(E), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1618.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

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), referred to in subsec. (a), is set out as a note under section 5597 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–91 substituted “section 2302(d)” for “section 2302(c)”.

Pub. L. 115–73 substituted “section 2302(c)” for “section 2302(d)”.