5 U.S.C. § 5524a — Advance payments for new appointees and employees relocating within the United States and its territories

(a) (1) The agency head may advance basic pay for no more than two pay periods to a person newly appointed to an agency position. (2) The agency head may advance basic pay for no more than four pay periods to an employee assigned to an agency position outside the employee’s commuting area in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Northern Mariana Islands, or a United States territory or possession. (b) (1) Subject to the account review and adjustment in paragraph (2) and other law, the advance uses the initial basic-pay rate payable when the employee starts the appointed or assigned position, under agency procedures. (2) The agency head must: (A) review each recipient employee’s account; and (B) adjust the payment based on the basic-pay rate the employee would have received under other applicable law for the covered periods if the employee had actively served under the appointment or assignment in that position. (c) The United States or District of Columbia government may recover the advance from the employee or estate by: (1) setting it off against accrued pay, retirement credit, or another amount owed by that government; and (2) another method allowed by law. The agency head may waive all or part of recovery if it would be inequitable or against the public interest.