The student loan reimbursement program is continuing to grow, the average amount per employee receiving one dropped slightly, according to an OPM report. Agencies may provide up to $10,000 a year in those payments as a recruitment and retention incentive, and the recipient must agree to remain with the government for at least three years or else be liable for returning the money. In fiscal 2006, agencies paid out nearly $36 million, an average of just above $6,200 for the 5,755 employees who received them. That’s up from 4,409 employees in 2005, although the average payment that year was above $6,300. In fiscal 2002, the first year OPM kept such data, just 690 employees received payments, averaging about $4,600. Thirty-four departments and agencies made payments in 2006, up from 30 in 2005 and 16 in 2002.