‘‘Subchapter IV—Limitations on Bonus 
Authority 
‘‘§ 4531. Certain forms of misconduct 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ADVERSE FINDING.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘adverse 
finding’ means a determination by the head of 
the agency employing an employee that the con-
duct of the employee— 
‘‘(i) violated a policy of the agency for 
which the employee may be removed or 
suspended for a period of not less than 14 
days; or 
‘‘(ii) violated a law for which the em-
ployee may be imprisoned for more than 1 
year. 
‘‘(B) BASIS.—A determination described in 
subparagraph (A) may be based on an inves-
tigation by, a determination of, or information 
provided by the Inspector General or another 
senior ethics official of an agency or the Comp-
troller General of the United States, as part of 
carrying out an activity, authority, or function 
of the Inspector General, senior ethics official, 
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or Comptroller General, respectively, under a 
provision of law other than this section. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY.—The term ‘agency’ has the 
meaning given the term in section 551. 
‘‘(3) BONUS.—The term ‘bonus’ means any 
performance award or cash award under— 
‘‘(A) section 4505a; 
‘‘(B) section 5384; or 
‘‘(C) section 5754. 
‘‘(4) EMPLOYEE.—The term ‘employee’ means 
an employee of an agency. 
‘‘(b) PROHIBITION.—The head of an agency may not 
award a bonus to an employee of the agency until the date 
that is 5 years after the end of the fiscal year during which 
the head of an agency makes an adverse finding relating 
to the employee. 
‘‘(c) AFTER BONUS AWARDED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For a bonus awarded to an 
employee after the date of enactment of this section, 
if the head of the agency employing the employee 
makes an adverse finding relating to the employee 
during the fiscal year in which the bonus is awarded, 
the head of the agency, after notice and an oppor-
tunity for a hearing, shall issue an order directing 
the employee to repay the amount of the bonus. 
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‘‘(2) REPAYMENT PLAN.—An agency shall allow 
an employee who is required to repay a bonus under 
paragraph (1) to repay that bonus using a repay-
ment plan. 
‘‘(3) HEARINGS.—A hearing under this sub-
section shall be conducted in accordance with regula-
tions relating to hearings promulgated by the head 
of the agency under chapter 75. 
‘‘(d) CONDITION OF RECEIPT.—As a condition of re-
ceiving a bonus awarded after the date of enactment of 
this section, an employee shall sign a certification stating 
that the employee shall repay the bonus in accordance with 
a final order issued under subsection (c). 
‘‘(e) APPEAL.—An employee determined to be ineli-
gible for a bonus under subsection (b) or against whom 
an order is issued under subsection (c) may submit an 
appeal to the Merit Systems Protection Board under sec-
tion 7701.’’. 
(b) RULEMAKING.—The head of each agency, as de-
fined in section 551 of title 5, United States Code, may 
promulgate rules to carry out section 4531 of title 5, 
United States Code, as added by subsection (a). 
(c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 
The table of sections for chapter 45 of title 5, United 
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States Code, is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘SUBCHAPTER IV—LIMITATIONS ON BONUS AUTHORITY 
‘‘4531. Certain forms of misconduct. 
SEC. 10. EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR POSI-
TIONS 
WITHIN 
THE 
SENIOR 
EXECUTIVE 
SERVICE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 3393(d) of title 5, United 
States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘1-year’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2-year’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 3592(a)(1) 
of title 5, United States Code, is amended by striking ‘‘1- 
year’’ and inserting ‘‘2-year’’. 
(c) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this 
section shall apply in the case of any individual initially 
appointed as a career appointee under section 3393 of title 
5, United States Code, on or after the effective date pro-
vided in section 12 of this Act. 
SEC. 11. EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD FOR EM-
PLOYEES IN THE COMPETITIVE SERVICE. 
(a) EXTENSION OF PROBATIONARY PERIOD.— 
(1) IN
GENERAL.—Section 3321 of title 5, 
United States Code, is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘The 
President’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to sub-
sections (c) and (d), the President’’; 
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(B) by redesignating subsection (c) as sub-
section (e); and 
(C) by inserting after subsection (b) the 
following: 
‘‘(c)(1) The length of a probationary period estab-
lished under paragraph (1) or (2) of subsection (a) shall— 
‘‘(A) with respect to any position that requires 
formal training, begin on the date of the appoint-
ment to the position and end on the date that is 2 
years after the date on which the formal training is 
completed; 
‘‘(B) with respect to any position that requires 
a license, begin on the date of the appointment to 
the position and end on the date that is 2 years 
after the date of the appointment or the date on 
which the license is granted, whichever is later; and 
‘‘(C) with respect to any position not covered by 
subparagraph (A) or (B), be a period of 2 years be-
ginning on the date of the appointment to the posi-
tion. 
‘‘(2) For purposes of paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(A) the term ‘formal training’ means, with re-
spect to any position, a training program required 
by law, rule, or regulation, or otherwise required by 
the employing agency, to be completed by the em-
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ployee before the employee is able to successfully 
execute the duties of the applicable position; and 
‘‘(B) the term ‘license’ means a license, certifi-
cation, or other grant of permission to engage in a 
particular activity. 
‘‘(d) The head of each agency shall, in the adminis-
tration of this section, take appropriate measures to en-
sure that— 
‘‘(1) any announcement of a vacant position 
and any offer of appointment made to an individual 
with respect to a vacant position clearly states the 
terms and conditions of any applicable probationary 
period, including any formal training period and any 
license requirement; 
‘‘(2) any individual who is required to complete 
a probationary period under this section receives 
timely notice of any requirements, including per-
formance requirements, that must be met in order to 
satisfactorily complete that period; 
‘‘(3) any supervisor or manager of an individual 
who is required to complete a probationary period 
under this section receives periodic notifications of 
the end date of that period not later than 1 year, 
6 months, 3 months, and 30 days before the end 
date; and 
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