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1. Purpose

2. Reference

3. Retirement Recognition

4. Responsibilities

5. Career Service Awards

1. PURPOSE. To provide procedures and guidelines for recognizing employees of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) at the time of retirement.

2. REFERENCE. Departmental Personnel Manual, Chapter 451.

3. RETIREMENT RECOGNITION. Each FHWA employee retiring under the provisions of the Civil Service Retirement Act or the Federal Employee Retirement System will receive a Department of Transportation retirement plaque.

4. RESPONSIBILITIES.

   1. Washington Headquarters. Washington Headquarters Program Coordinators will:

      (1) notify the Office of Personnel and Training (OPT) not less than three weeks in advance of a retirement date to allow sufficient time for preparation and delivery of the plaque; and

      (2) prepare appropriate wording for a retirement letter to be signed by the Federal Highway Administrator.

   2. Field. Servicing personnel offices will:

      (1) notify the Office of Personnel and Training in writing at least four weeks prior to the employee's retirement date to allow sufficient time for the preparation and delivery of the plaque; and

      (2) prepare appropriate wording for a retirement letter to be signed by the Federal Highway Administrator.

   3. Office of Personnel and Training. The Office of Personnel and Training will:

      (1) arrange for the preparation of the plaque;

      (2) finalize an appropriate retirement letter for each retiring employee; and

      (3) forward the plaque and the retirement letter to the appropriate Unit Manager for presentation.

5. CAREER SERVICE AWARDS. In addition to retirement plaques, the following awards may be made.

   1. Superior Career Service Award.

      (1) First level supervisors may recommend Superior Career Service awards for employees who have 20 or more years of Federal service at the time of retirement. The recommendation should be made on FHWA-1156, Recommendation for Quality Step Increase, Cash or Honor Award. The Form FHWA-1156 should:

      (a) identify significant accomplishments throughout the employee's career;

      (b) include a short resume of the employee's service; and

      (c) include a listing of any honors and awards that the employee has received.

      (2) The FHWA-1156 should be forwarded to the appropriate Unit Manager for approval. Once the form is approved the servicing personnel office or the appropriate Program Coordinator should forward a copy of the approved form to the Office of Personnel and Training for preparation of the award. The approved FHWA-1156 should be submitted at least 4 weeks prior to the employee's retirement date in order to ensure sufficient time to prepare the award.

      (3) The award is a wooden plaque.

   2. Distinguished Career Service Award.

      (1) The Administrator at his or her option may grant the Distinguished Career Service Award to an employee who in addition to meeting the criteria for the Superior Career Award, has been recognized by any combination of two or more of the following:

      (a) Outstanding performance ratings;

      (b) quality step increases;

      (c) special act cash or time-off awards; or

      (d) any of the Secretary's or Administrator's Honor Awards.

      (2) If a Unit Manager determines that an employee's Federal service has been especially meritorious, he or she may recommend that the employee be considered for the Distinguished Career Service Award. The recommendation should consist of all of thedocumentation outlined above plus a memorandum which further supports the recommendation. The request should be submitted to the Administrator through the Director, Office of Personnel and Training.

      (3) The award is an engraved wooden plaque.