The characteristics of Special Awards are as shown in Exhibit 496.1.
Exhibit 496.1
Special Awards
Type
|
Who Is Eligible
|
Description
|
Approval Authority
|
Basis
|
Limit
|
|---|
Team Award
|
Nonbargaining, Non-Inspection Service career employees
|
Cash, cash equivalent item, or noncash tangible item
|
Vice President
|
Recognizes superior team contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition.
|
Cash, from $50 to $2,000 per team member, Cash equivalent, from $100 to $2,000 per team member, or noncash tangible item valued from $100 to $2,000 per team member. Limit of $2,000 per employee, per fiscal year.
|
Vice President Award
|
All career employees
|
Cash
|
Vice President
|
Recognizes superior individual contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition.
|
Cash, up to $5,000 per award. Limit of $10,000 per employee, per fiscal year.
|
Postmaster General Award
|
All career employees
|
Cash
|
Postmaster General, executive committee members, and senior vice presidents
|
Recognizes exceptional individual contribution and achievement deserving of system-wide recognition.
|
Cash, up to $12,500 per award. Limit of $12,500 per employee, per fiscal year.
|
ELT Award
|
All career employees
|
Cash
|
ELT members
|
Recognizes superior individual contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition.
|
Cash, up to $10,000 per award. Limit of $10,000 per employee, per fiscal year.
|
Benjamin Franklin Award
|
Designated by the Postmaster General
|
Plaque showing a bust of Benjamin Franklin and a canceled 1847 issue of a 5-cent stamp
|
Postmaster General
|
The highest award given by the Postal Service, reserved for employees in highly responsible Postal Service positions to recognize unusually significant service.
|
Noncash award.
|
The purpose of the Team Award is to reward superior team contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition.
The Team Award can be any of the following:
- A check from $50 to $2,000 issued by Accounting Services given to an individual team member. (See 491.31 for an explanation of cash awards.)
- A cash equivalent product valued from $100 to $2,000, given to an individual team member. (See 491.32 for an explanation of cash equivalent awards.)
- A noncash tangible item valued from $100 to $2,000, given to an individual team member. (See 491.33 for an explanation of noncash tangible awards.)
The amount of the award should be commensurate with the magnitude of the team achievement.
Note: Noncash tangible awards valued at $100 or more, and all cash equivalent awards must be reported in eAwards.
All career nonbargaining employees are eligible for the Team Award. Eligibility for the Team Award is without regard to:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent; and past, present, or future military service.
The maximum amount for an individual Team Award is $2,000, whether it is cash, a cash equivalent item, or a noncash tangible item. The minimum cash award amount is $50. The minimum award amount for noncash tangible items is $100. The minimum cash equivalent award is $100. An employee may receive up to $2,000 in Team Awards in a fiscal year (independent of other awards received).
Only vice presidents can approve Team Awards, and they are responsible for establishing administrative procedures for issuing these awards within their respective organizations.
The official who is recommending the Team Award initiates the request for a cash award in eAwards. All cash equivalent and noncash tangible Team Awards must be purchased locally in accordance with Postal Service and local purchasing guidelines and reported in eAwards under the appropriate award category. The reporting of these items in eAwards should occur in the same pay period the award is presented to the recipient. Reporting must take place in the same calendar year as the award is presented to avoid tax reporting discrepancies. Cash equivalent and noncash tangible awards are automatically grossed up by eAwards so that the Postal Service assumes the tax liability for the recipient. The additional tax liability for grossed up awards is charged to the finance number indicated in eAwards.
The Vice President Award is cash recognition to acknowledge and reward superior individual contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition. It is intended to recognize contributions not encompassed by basic salary, merit salary adjustments, or formal pay for performance programs.
The Vice President Award is a cash award (check issued by Accounting Services) valued at up to $5,000. The amount awarded should be commensurate with the magnitude of the effort or achievement.
The Vice President Award is considered ordinary income for tax purposes (see 491.32).
All career employees are eligible for the Vice President Award. Eligibility for the Vice President Award is without regard to:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent; and past, present, or future military service.
Vice presidents must approve these awards, and they are responsible for establishing administrative procedures for issuing this award within their respective organizations.
The Vice President Award is submitted by the intended recipient’s manager or functional area executive and approved via eAwards. When the award is approved, Accounting Services generates a check and mails it to the official Postal Service address indicated in eAwards.
The Postmaster General Award is a cash payment to acknowledge and reward superior individual contribution or achievement that deserves system-wide recognition. It is intended to recognize contributions not encompassed by basic salary, merit salary adjustments, or formal pay for performance programs.
The Postmaster General Award is a one-time cash award (a check issued by Accounting Services) valued at up to $12,500. The amount of the award should be commensurate with the magnitude of the effort or achievement.
The Postmaster General Award is considered ordinary income for tax purposes (see 491.32).
All career employees are eligible for the Postmaster General Award. Eligibility for the Postmaster General Award is without regard to:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent; and past, present, or future military service.
The Postmaster General, executive committee members, or senior vice presidents must approve Postmaster General Awards, and they are responsible for establishing administrative procedures for issuing these awards within their respective organizations.
The ELT Award is cash recognition to acknowledge and reward superior individual contribution or achievement deserving of system-wide recognition. It is intended to recognize contributions not encompassed by basic salary, merit salary adjustments, or formal pay for performance programs.
The ELT Award is a cash award (check issued by Accounting Services) valued at up to $10,000. The amount awarded should be commensurate with the magnitude of the effort or achievement.
The ELT Award is considered ordinary income for tax purposes (see 491.32).
All career employees are eligible for the ELT Award. Eligibility for the ELT Award is without regard to:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent; and past, present, or future military service.
ELT members must approve these awards, and they are responsible for establishing administrative procedures for issuing this award within their respective organizations.
The ELT Award is submitted by the intended recipient’s manager or functional area executive and approved via eAwards. When the award is approved, Accounting Services generates a check and mails it to the official Postal Service address indicated in eAwards.
The Benjamin Franklin Award, the highest award given by the Postal Service, is a plaque showing a bust of Benjamin Franklin and a canceled 1847 issue of a 5-cent Benjamin Franklin stamp. An engraved metal plate is attached to the plaque.
The Postmaster General designates those to be honored and does not accept recommendations. Eligibility for the Benjamin Franklin Award is without regard to:
- Race, color, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity, including transgender status), national origin, religion, age (40 or over), genetic information, disability, or retaliation for engaging in EEO-protected activity as provided by law; or
- Other non-meritorious factors, such as political affiliation; marital status; status as a parent; and past, present, or future military service.
This award is reserved for employees serving in highly responsible Postal Service positions who meet either of these criteria:
- The employee’s accomplishments have had a unique impact on major Postal Service programs.
- The employee’s accomplishments have resulted in an unusually significant improvement in service to the public or in general operations.
The Postmaster General has sole authority to approve this award.
