---
kind: "section"
citation: "5 U.S.C. § 3522"
title: "5"
title_heading: "Government Organization and Employees"
number: "3522"
heading: "Agency plans; approval"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/5/3522"
units:
  - "Part III — Employees"
  - "Subpart B — Employment and Retention"
  - "Chapter 35 — Retention Preference, Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments, Restoration, and Reemployment"
  - "Subchapter II — Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments"
---

# §3522. Agency plans; approval

- (a) Before obligating any resources for voluntary separation incentive payments, the head of each [agency](/usc/5/3521.md?p=1) shall submit to the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management a plan outlining the intended use of such incentive payments and a proposed organizational chart for the [agency](/usc/5/3521.md?p=1) once such incentive payments have been completed.
- (b) The plan of an [agency](/usc/5/3521.md?p=1) under [subsection (a)](#a) shall include—
  - (1) the specific [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) and functions to be reduced or eliminated;
  - (2) a description of which categories of [employees](/usc/5/4701.md?p=a-2) will be offered incentives;
  - (3) the time period during which incentives may be paid;
  - (4) the number and amounts of voluntary separation incentive payments to be offered; and
  - (5) a description of how the [agency](/usc/5/3521.md?p=1) will operate without the eliminated [positions](/usc/5/5102.md?p=a-3) and functions.
- (c) The [Director](/usc/5/8401.md?p=8) of the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management shall review each [agency](/usc/5/3521.md?p=1)’s plan an[^1] may make any appropriate modifications in the plan, in consultation with the [Director](/usc/5/8401.md?p=8) of the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Management and Budget. A plan under this section may not be implemented without the approval of the Directive[^2] of the [Office](/usc/5/5402.md?p=3) of Personnel Management.

## Footnotes

[^1]: So in original. Probably should be “and”.
[^2]: So in original. Probably should be “Director”.

## Source credit

(Added Pub. L. 107–296, title XIII, § 1313(a)(1)(A), Nov. 25, 2002, 116 Stat. 2292.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section effective 60 days after Nov. 25, 2002, see section 1313(a)(4) of Pub. L. 107–296, set out as a note under section 3521 of this title.