In applying to the Commission and employees of the Commission the provisions of section 663 of the Treasury, Postal Service, and General Government Appropriations Act, 1997 (as contained in section 101(f) of division A of Public Law 104–208; 110 Stat. 3009–383), relating to voluntary separation incentives for employees of certain Federal agencies (in this section referred to as “section 663”)—

the term “employee” shall mean an employee of the Commission who has served in the Republic of Panama in a position with the Commission for a continuous period of at least three years immediately before the employee’s separation under an appointment without time limitation and who is covered under the Civil Service Retirement System or the Federal Employees’ Retirement System under subchapter III of chapter 83 or chapter 84, respectively, of title 5, other than—

(A) an employee described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (F) of subsection (a)(2) of section 663; or

(B) an employee of the Commission who, during the 24-month period preceding the date of separation, has received a recruitment or relocation bonus under section 3657(c) of this title or who, within the 12-month period preceding the date of separation, received a retention bonus under section 3657(d) of this title;

the strategic plan under subsection (b) of section 663 shall include (in lieu of the matter specified in subsection (b)(2) of that section)—

(A) the positions to be affected, identified by occupational category and grade level;

(B) the number and amounts of separation incentive payments to be offered; and

(C) a description of how such incentive payments will facilitate the successful transfer of the Panama Canal to the Republic of Panama;

(3) a separation incentive payment under section 663 may be paid to a Commission employee only to the extent necessary to facilitate the successful transfer of the Panama Canal by the United States of America to the Republic of Panama as required by the Panama Canal Treaty of 1977;

such a payment—

(A) may be in an amount determined by the Commission not to exceed $25,000; and

(B) may be made (notwithstanding the limitation specified in subsection (c)(2)(D) of section 663) in the case of an eligible employee who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 90-day period beginning on November 18, 1997, or during the period beginning on October 1, 1998, and ending on December 31, 1998;

in the case of not more than 15 employees who (as determined by the Commission) are unwilling to work for the Panama Canal Authority after the Canal Transfer Date and who occupy critical positions for which (as determined by the Commission) at least two years of experience is necessary to ensure that seasoned managers are in place on and after the Canal Transfer Date, such a payment (notwithstanding paragraph (4))—

(A) may be in an amount determined by the Commission not to exceed 50 percent of the basic pay of the employee; and

(B) may be made (notwithstanding the limitation specified in subsection (c)(2)(D) of section 663) in the case of such an employee who voluntarily separates (whether by retirement or resignation) during the 90-day period beginning on November 18, 1997; and

(6) the provisions of subsection (f) of section 663 shall not apply.

A decision by the Commission to exercise or to not exercise the authority to pay a transition separation incentive under this section shall not be subject to review under any statutory procedure or any agency or negotiated grievance procedure except under any of the laws referred to in section 2302(d) of title 5.

(Pub. L. 96–70, title I, § 1233, as added Pub. L. 105–85, div. C, title XXXV, § 3526, Nov. 18, 1997, 111 Stat. 2067; amended Pub. L. 115–73, title I, § 107(a)(2)(E), Oct. 26, 2017, 131 Stat. 1239; Pub. L. 115–91, div. A, title X, § 1097(b)(3)(E), Dec. 12, 2017, 131 Stat. 1618.)