How Long Do IPA Assignments Last?

Current EPA policy is that assignment agreements can be made for up to two years, and may be intermittent, part-time, or full-time. The EPA Administrator, or her/his designee, may extend an assignment for one or two additional years when the extension will benefit both organizations.

If you serve for four continuous years on a single assignment, you may not be sent on another assignment without at least a 12-month return to duty to EPA (or home employer). Successive assignments without a break of at least 60 calendar days are regarded as continuous service (i.e., a single assignment).

Federal regulations also prohibit a Federal agency from sending on assignment an employee who has served on an IPA assignment for more than a total of six years, though the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) may waive this provision upon the written request of the Administrator. Assignments made to Indian tribes or tribal organizations may be extended to any length of time where it is determined that the assignment will continue to benefit both the Federal agency and the Indian tribe or tribal organization. See 5 C.F.R. 334.104 for the Federal rule. Consult with EPA's Office of Human Resources for how EPA's policy affects this regulation, if at all (here's a link).

Lastly, if you are an EPA employee on an IPA assignment to a non-Federal entity, you must serve with the Government (upon completion of your assignment) to a period equal to the length of the assignment. Otherwise, you might have to reimburse EPA for its share of the costs of the assignment (exclusive of salary and benefits). For more information, see 5 C.F.R. 334.105 (here's a link).