An example retention bonus agreement to retain an employee during a merger or acquisition. Create a comprehensive employee bonus policy with this template.Ensure clarity and consistency in your company's bonus structure. This page contains Annual Bonus clauses in business contracts and legal agreements. We have organized these clauses into groups of similarly worded clauses. It is entirely proper and appropriate to propose a retention bonus or agreement. That said, retention bonuses are a bit "tricky" to navigate. Grade Retention-Placement of a General Schedule (GS) non-special rate employee in a lower-graded GS non-special rate position (no geographic conversion). A key employee retention agreement, sometimes called a stay bonus agreement, is an employment contract between a company and its employee. Wherry and Spivey are parties to Retention Bonus Agreements with Goldfield.