---
kind: "section"
citation: "25 U.S.C. § 1616i"
title: "25"
title_heading: "Indians"
number: "1616i"
heading: "Additional incentives for health professionals"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/25/1616i"
units:
  - "Chapter 18 — Indian Health Care"
  - "Subchapter I — Indian Health Professional Personnel"
---

# §1616i. Additional incentives for health professionals

- (a) **Incentive special pay—** The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) may provide the incentive special pay authorized under section [302(b)](/usc/37/302.md?p=b) or [335(b)](/usc/37/335.md?p=b) of title 37 to civilian medical officers of the [Indian](/usc/25/1603.md?p=13) Health [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) who are assigned to, and serving in, positions included in the [list](/usc/25/5130.md?p=3) established under [subsection (b)(1)](#b-1) for which recruitment or retention of personnel is difficult.
- (b) **List of positions; bonus pay—**
  - (1) The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) shall establish and update on an annual basis a [list](/usc/25/5130.md?p=3) of positions of health care professionals employed by, or assigned to, the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) for which recruitment or retention is difficult.
  - (2)
    - (A) The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) may pay a bonus to any commissioned officer or civil [service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) employee, other than a commissioned medical officer, dental officer, optometrist, and veterinarian, who is employed in or assigned to, and serving in, a position in the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18) included in the [list](/usc/25/5130.md?p=3) established by the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) under [paragraph (1)](#b-1).
    - (B) The total amount of bonus payments made by the [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) under this paragraph to any employee during any 1-year period shall not exceed $2,000.
- (c) **Work schedules—** The [Secretary](/usc/25/1603.md?p=17) may establish programs to allow the use of flexible work schedules, and compressed work schedules, in accordance with the provisions of subchapter II of [chapter 61](/usc/5/chptIII/sptE/ch61.md) of title 5, for health professionals employed by, or assigned to, the [Service](/usc/25/1603.md?p=18).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 94–437, title I, § 116, as added Pub. L. 100–713, title I, § 109, Nov. 23, 1988, 102 Stat. 4798; amended Pub. L. 102–573, title I, § 117(b)(8), title IX, § 901(1), Oct. 29, 1992, 106 Stat. 4544, 4590; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 618(f), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1427.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

2017—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–91 inserted “or 335(b)” after “section 302(b)”.

1992—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 102–573, § 901(1), struck out subsec. (d) which required a report to Congress by the Secretary no later than 6 months after Nov. 23, 1988, relating to overtime pay for individuals employed by the Service.

Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 102–573, § 117(b)(8), struck out subsec. (e) which authorized appropriations for fiscal years 1990 to 1992.