(a) Under this section and § 158.630, and for the reasons and bases stated in § 158.630(a), the Department may provide recognition time-off to a DHS-CS employee for use within a designated timeframe not to exceed 26 work periods, as defined in § 158.705(c). Recognition time-off is time-off from duty without charge to leave or loss of compensation.

(b) Under this section and § 158.630, and for the reasons and bases stated in § 158.630(b) and as part of an offer of employment in the DHS-CS, the Department may offer up to 40 hours of recognition time-off to an individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS for use within a designated timeframe not to exceed 26 work periods, as defined in § 158.705(b). The Department may require a service agreement as part of providing, upon appointment, recognition time-off to an individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS.

(c) All recognition time-off provided, and the use of such time-off, must be recorded in a timekeeping system for purposes of salary administration and leave administration under this part.

(d) Recognition time-off provided under this section may not, under any circumstances, be converted to a cash payment to the receiving DHS-CS employee or any other type of time-off or leave.

(e) Recognition time-off under this section is based on time-off awards provided under the provisions of 5 U.S.C. 4502(e).

(f) Recognition time-off under this section is in lieu of the time-off awards provided under 5 U.S.C. 4502(e), and a DHS-CS employee is ineligible to receive any such awards.

(g) An individual selected for employment in the DHS-CS is ineligible to receive, as part of the offer of employment, any other offer of time-off or time-off award from the Department except as provided in this section and §§ 158.630 and 158.651. An individual appointed to an advisory appointment is also ineligible to receive, as part of an offer of employment in the DHS-CS, any offer of recognition under this section.

(h) A recognition time-off provided under this section to a DHS-CS advisory appointee is subject to additional requirements and restrictions in subpart J of this part.