37 U.S.C. § 302c–1 — Special pay: accession and retention bonuses for psychologists
submitted 18 years ago by Pub. L. 110-417 to r/title-37-PAY-AND-ALLOWANCES-OF-THE-UNIFORMED-SERVICES · 579 words · no verdicts yet
This law offers bonuses to attract and keep military psychologists. A new psychology graduate can get up to $400,000 to become an officer and serve at least four years. An experienced officer can get up to $25,000 a year to stay longer.
(a) Accession Bonus. (1) A qualifying person who signs a written agreement (described in subsection (d)) to accept a commission and stay on active duty* at least four straight years may, if the secretary accepts the agreement, get an accession bonus in an amount the secretary sets, capped under subsection (c)(1). (2) To qualify, the person must (A) have graduated from an accredited psychology school and (B) hold a valid state license as a doctoral-level psychologist. (3) A person cannot get this bonus if (A) they already got Defense Department financial help to study psychology in exchange for agreeing to become an officer*, or (B) the secretary decides they aren't qualified to become and stay certified as a psychologist.
(b) Multiyear Retention Bonus. (1) A qualifying officer who signs an agreement (described in subsection (d)) to stay on active duty up to four more years after finishing any other service commitment may, if accepted, get a retention bonus. (2) To qualify, the officer must (A) be a psychologist in the armed forces*, (B) be below pay* grade* O-7, (C) have at least eight years of creditable service (as section 302b(f) computes it) or have finished any service commitment tied to psychology training, (D) have finished initial residency training or be due to finish it by September 30 of the year they sign, and (E) hold a valid state doctoral-level psychologist license.
(c) Maximum Amount of Bonus. (1) An accession bonus cannot exceed $400,000. (2) A retention bonus cannot exceed $25,000 for each year covered by the officer's agreement.
(d) Agreement. The agreement must say that, based on the service's needs, the person or officer will be assigned as a psychologist for the whole period the agreement covers.
(e) Repayment. (1) A person who signs an accession agreement but is never commissioned, never becomes a licensed psychologist, or doesn't finish the agreed active-duty period must repay under section 303a(e). (2) An officer who doesn't finish the agreed period under a retention bonus must repay the same way.
(f) Termination of Authority. No one could sign a new agreement under subsection (a) or (b) after December 31, 2018.
A person described in paragraph (2) who executes a written agreement described in subsection (d) to accept a commission as an officer* of the armed forces* and remain on active duty* for a period of not less than four consecutive years may, upon acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned*, be paid an accession bonus in an amount, subject to subsection (c)(1), determined by the Secretary concerned.
A person described in paragraph (1) is any person who—
is a graduate of an accredited school of psychology; and
holds a valid State license to practice as a doctoral level psychologist.
A person may not be paid a bonus under this subsection if—
the person, in exchange for an agreement to accept an appointment as an officer, received financial assistance from the Department of Defense to pursue a course of study in psychology; or
the Secretary concerned determines that the person is not qualified to become and remain certified as a psychologist.
An officer described in paragraph (2) who executes a written agreement described in subsection (d) to remain on active duty for up to four years after completion of any other active-duty service commitment may, upon acceptance of the agreement by the Secretary concerned, be paid a retention bonus as provided in this section.
An officer described in paragraph (1) is an officer of the armed forces who—
is a psychologist of the armed forces;
is in a pay* grade* below pay grade O–7;
has at least eight years of creditable service (computed as described in section 302b(f) of this title) or has completed any active-duty service commitment incurred for psychology education and training;
has completed initial residency training (or will complete such training before September 30 of the fiscal year in which the officer enters into the agreement under this subsection); and
holds a valid State license to practice as a doctoral level psychologist.
The amount of an accession bonus under subsection (a) may not exceed $400,000.
The amount of a retention bonus under subsection (b) may not exceed $25,000 for each year of the agreement of the officer concerned.
The agreement referred to in subsections (a) and (b) shall provide that, consistent with the needs of the armed force concerned, the person or officer executing the agreement will be assigned to duty, for the period of obligated service covered by the agreement, as an officer of such armed force as a psychologist.
A person who, after signing an agreement under subsection (a), is not commissioned as an officer of the armed forces, does not become licensed as a psychologist, or does not complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.
An officer who does not complete the period of active duty specified in the agreement entered into under subsection (b) shall be subject to the repayment provisions of section 303a(e) of this title.
No agreement under subsection (a) or (b) may be entered into after December 31, 2018.
Source credit: (Added Pub. L. 110–417, [div. A], title VI, § 620(b)(1), Oct. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 4490; amended Pub. L. 111–84, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Oct. 28, 2009, 123 Stat. 2353; Pub. L. 111–383, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Jan. 7, 2011, 124 Stat. 4236; Pub. L. 112–81, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Dec. 31, 2011, 125 Stat. 1449; Pub. L. 112–239, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 1776; Pub. L. 113–66, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Dec. 26, 2013, 127 Stat. 780; Pub. L. 113–291, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3400; Pub. L. 114–92, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Nov. 25, 2015, 129 Stat. 838; Pub. L. 114–328, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Dec. 23, 2016, 130 Stat. 2158; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title VI, § 612(b)(1), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1421.)
- 2008Enacted · Pub. L. 110-417 · 122 Stat. 4490
- 2009Amended · Pub. L. 111-84 · 123 Stat. 2353
- 2011Amended · Pub. L. 111-383 · 124 Stat. 4236
- 2011Amended · Pub. L. 112-81 · 125 Stat. 1449
- 2013Amended · Pub. L. 112-239 · 126 Stat. 1776
- 2013Amended · Pub. L. 113-66 · 127 Stat. 780
- 2014Amended · Pub. L. 113-291 · 128 Stat. 3400
- 2015Amended · Pub. L. 114-92 · 129 Stat. 838
- 2016Amended · Pub. L. 114-328 · 130 Stat. 2158
- 2017Amended · Pub. L. 115-91 · 131 Stat. 1421
A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by Pub. L. 110-417 on 2008-10-14.
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