U.S. Office of Personnel Management - Recruiting, Retaining and Honoring a World-Class Workforce to Serve the American People

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• Appraisal Program Requirements/Flexibilities
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• Honorary Awards and Informal Recognition Awards
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• Time-off Awards

• What is an honorary award?
  An honorary award is a gesture of respect given to an employee to recognize his or her performance and value to the organization. Honorary awards are generally symbolic. Many agencies...
• What are informal recognition awards?
  Informal recognition awards are a type of award that may be given to recognize performance that, taken alone,does not merit a larger award, such as cash, time-off, or an honorary...
• Are there special criteria for honorary awards?
  Because honorary awards represent symbolic formal recognition, items presented as honorary awards must meet all of the following criteria: The item must...
• What criteria do informal recognition awards have to meet?
  Items used effectively and efficiently as informal recognition award items are often extremely casual and low-cost. In addition, informal recognition awards typically have more informal approval procedures and presentation settings...
• Can an agency give a gift certificate as an award?
  Agencies may present such certificates and vouchers if they are being used as informal recognition awards.Merchant gift certificates should not be confused with cash surrogates(which are vouchers or checks that...
• Can savings bonds be given as an award?
  The Office of Personnel Management has determined that U.S. Savings Bonds have distinctive, positive qualities that make them appropriate recognition items. Despite the fact that U.S. Savings Bonds clearly convey...
• Can agencies give employees merchandise items as awards?
  In some limited circumstances merchandise items could be used as an honorary award or informal recognition award.Merchandise may be used for awards purposes if and only if the item meets...