1. U.S. Code
  2. title 22
  3. chapter 52
  4. subchapter IV
  5. § 3966

Collapse to view only § 3966. Within-class salary increases

§ 3961. Salaries of chiefs of mission
(a) Except as provided in section 3942(b) of this title, each chief of mission shall receive a salary, as determined by the President, at one of the annual rates payable for levels II through V of the Executive Schedule under sections 5313 through 5316 of title 5, except that the total compensation, exclusive of danger pay, for any chief of mission shall be subject to the limitation on certain payments under section 5307 of title 5 or the limitation under section 3962(a)(3) of this title, whichever is higher.
(b) The salary of a chief of mission shall commence upon the effective date of appointment to that position. The official services of a chief of mission are not terminated by the appointment of a successor, but shall continue for such additional period, not to exceed 50 days after relinquishment of charge of the mission, as the Secretary of State may determine. During that period, the Secretary of State may require the chief of mission to perform such functions as the Secretary of State deems necessary in the interest of the Government.
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 401, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2087; Pub. L. 100–204, title I, § 177(a), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1362; Pub. L. 102–138, title I, § 142(b), Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 668; Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title IV, § 412(c), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2905.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3961

§ 3962. Salaries of Senior Foreign Service members
(a) Prescription by President; basic salary rates; adjustments; determinations by Secretary
(1) The President shall prescribe salary classes for the Senior Foreign Service and shall prescribe an appropriate title for each class. The President shall also prescribe ranges of basic salary rates for each class. Except as provided in paragraph (3), basic salary rates for the Senior Foreign Service may not exceed the maximum rate or be less than the minimum rate of basic pay payable for the Senior Executive Service under section 5382 of title 5.
(2) The Secretary shall determine which basic salary rate within the ranges prescribed by the President under paragraph (1) shall be paid to each member of the Senior Foreign Service based on individual performance, contribution to the mission of the Department, or both, as determined under a rigorous performance management system. Except as provided in regulations prescribed by the Secretary and, to the extent possible, consistent with regulations governing the Senior Executive Service, the Secretary may adjust the basic salary rate of a member of the Senior Foreign Service not more than once during any 12-month period.
(3) Upon a determination by the Secretary that the Senior Foreign Service performance appraisal system, as designed and applied, makes meaningful distinctions based on relative performance—
(A) the maximum rate of basic pay payable for the Senior Foreign Service shall be level II of the Executive Schedule; and
(B) the applicable aggregate pay cap shall be equivalent to the aggregate pay cap set forth in section 5307(d)(1) of title 5 for members of the Senior Executive Service.
(b) Career appointees in Senior Executive Service accepting limited appointment in Senior Foreign Service; adjustment
(1) An individual who is a career appointee in the Senior Executive Service receiving basic pay at one of the rates payable under section 5382 of title 5 and who accepts a limited appointment in the Senior Foreign Service in a salary class for which the basic salary rate is less than such basic rate of pay, shall be paid a salary at his or her former basic rate of pay (with adjustments as provided in paragraph (2)) until the salary for his or her salary class in the Senior Foreign Service equals or exceeds the salary payable to such individual under this subsection.
(2) The salary paid to an individual under this subsection shall be adjusted by 50 percent of each adjustment, which takes effect after the appointment of such individual to the Senior Foreign Service, in the basic rate of pay at which that individual was paid under section 5382 of title 5 immediately prior to such appointment.
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 402, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2087; Pub. L. 97–241, title I, § 124, Aug. 24, 1982, 96 Stat. 281; Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title IV, § 412(a), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2905.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3962

§ 3963. Foreign Service Schedule

The President shall establish a Foreign Service Schedule which shall consist of 9 salary classes and which shall apply to members of the Service who are citizens of the United States and for whom salary rates are not otherwise provided for by this subchapter. The maximum salary rate for the highest class established under this section, which shall be designated class 1, may not exceed the maximum rate of basic pay prescribed for GS–15 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5. Salary rates established under this section shall be adjusted in accordance with section 5303 of title 5.

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 403, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2088; Pub. L. 101–509, title V, § 529 [title I, § 101(b)(1)], Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1427, 1439.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3963

§ 3964. Assignments to salary class
(a) The Secretary shall assign all Foreign Service officers and Foreign Service personnel (other than Foreign Service personnel who are paid in accordance with section 3967 of this title or section 3968 of this title) to appropriate salary classes in the Foreign Service Schedule.
(b)
(1) The salary class to which a member of the Service is assigned under this section shall not be affected by the assignment of the member to a position classified under subchapter V.
(2) Except as authorized by subchapter I of chapter 35 of title 5, changes in the salary class of a member of the Senior Foreign Service or a member of the Service assigned to a salary class in the Foreign Service Schedule shall be made only in accordance with subchapter VI. The Secretary shall prescribe regulations (which shall be consistent with the relevant provisions of subchapter VI of chapter 53 of title 5 and with the regulations prescribed to carry out such provisions) providing for retention of pay by members of the Service in cases in which reduction-in-force procedures are applied.
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 404, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2088; Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 180(a)(3), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 415.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3964

§ 3965. Performance pay
(a) Eligibility; additional lump sum payment; excessive compensation not precluding award
Subject to subsection (e), members of the Senior Foreign Service who are serving—
(1) under career or career candidate appointments, or
(2) under limited appointments with reemployment rights under section 3950 of this title as career appointees in the Senior Executive Service,
shall be eligible to compete for performance pay in accordance with this section. Performance pay shall be paid in a lump sum and shall be in addition to the basic salary prescribed under section 3962 of this title and any other award. The fact that a member of the Senior Foreign Service competing for performance pay would, as a result of the payment of such performance pay, receive compensation exceeding the compensation of any other member of the Service shall not preclude the award or its payment.
(b) Criteria; limitations
Awards of performance pay shall take into account the criteria established by the Office of Personnel Management for performance awards under section 5384 of title 5 and rank awards under section 4507 of title 5. Awards of performance pay under this section shall be subject to the following limitations:
(1) Not more than 33 percent of the members of the Senior Foreign Service may receive performance pay in any fiscal year.
(2) Except as provided in paragraph (3), performance pay for a member of the Senior Foreign Service may not exceed 20 percent of the annual rate of basic salary for that member.
(3) Not more than 6 percent of the members of the Senior Foreign Service may receive performance pay in any fiscal year in an amount which exceeds the percentage limitation specified in paragraph (2). Payments under this paragraph to a member of the Senior Foreign Service may not exceed, in any fiscal year, the percentage of basic pay established under section 4507(e)(1) of title 5 for a Meritorious Executive, except that payments of the percentage of the basic pay established under section 4507(e)(2) of such title for Distinguished Executives may be made in any fiscal year to up to 1 percent of the members of the Senior Foreign Service.
(4) Any award under this section shall be subject to the limitation on certain payments under section 5307 of title 5, or the limitation under section 3962(a)(3) of this title, whichever is higher.
(5) The Secretary of State shall prescribe regulations, consistent with section 5582 of title 5, under which payment under this section shall be made in the case of any individual whose death precludes payment under paragraph (4) of this subsection.
(c) Determination of amount by Secretary; distribution on basis of selection board recommendations
(d) Recommendations for meritorious or distinguished service awards
(e) Recognition in lieu of award
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 405, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2088; Pub. L. 100–204, title I, § 175(b), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1361; Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 173(d), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 412; Pub. L. 105–277, div. G, subdiv. B, title XXIII, § 2311(a), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–826; Pub. L. 105–292, title V, § 504(a), Oct. 27, 1998, 112 Stat. 2811; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title III, § 323], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–437; Pub. L. 107–228, div. A, title III, § 312(a), Sept. 30, 2002, 116 Stat. 1378; Pub. L. 108–447, div. B, title IV, § 412(b), Dec. 8, 2004, 118 Stat. 2905.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3965

§ 3966. Within-class salary increases
(a) Time period; limitation
Any member of the Service receiving a salary under the Foreign Service Schedule shall be advanced to the next higher salary step in the member’s class at the beginning of the first applicable pay period following the completion by that member of a period of—
(1) 52 calendar weeks of service in each of salary steps 1 through 9, and
(2) 104 calendar weeks of service in each of salary steps 10 through 13,
unless the performance of the member during that period is found in a review by a selection board established under section 4002 of this title to fall below the standards of performance for his or her salary class.
(b) Additional increase for meritorious service
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 406, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2089.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3966

§ 3967. Salaries for Foreign Service personnel abroad who perform routine duties
(a) The Secretary may establish salary rates at rates lower than those established for the Foreign Service Schedule for the Foreign Service personnel described in subsection (b). The rates established under this subsection may be no less than the then applicable minimum wage rate specified in section 206(a)(1) of title 29.
(b) The Secretary may pay Foreign Service personnel who are recruited abroad, who are not available or are not qualified for assignment to another Foreign Service post, and who perform duties of a more routine nature than are generally performed by Foreign Service personnel assigned to class 9 in the Foreign Service Schedule, in accordance with the salary rates established under subsection (a).
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 407, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2090.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3967

§ 3968. Local compensation plans
(a) Establishment; rates of pay; leaves of absence; supplemental payments; transfer from Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund
(1) The Secretary shall establish compensation (including position classification) plans for foreign national employees of the Service and United States citizens employed under section 3951(c)(1) of this title. To the extent consistent with the public interest, each compensation plan shall be based upon prevailing wage rates and compensation practices (including participation in local social security plans) for corresponding types of positions in the locality of employment, except that such compensation plans shall provide for payment of wages to United States citizens at a rate which is no less than the then applicable minimum wage rate specified in
(2) The Secretary may make supplemental payments to any civil service annuitant who is a former foreign national employee of the Service (or who is receiving an annuity as a survivor of a former foreign national employee of the Service) in order to offset exchange rate losses, if the annuity being paid such annuitant is based on—
(A) a salary that was fixed in a foreign currency that has appreciated in value in terms of the United States dollar; and
(B) service in a country in which (as determined by the Secretary) the average retirement benefits being received by individuals who retired from competitive local organizations are superior to the local currency value of civil service annuities plus any other retirement benefits payable to foreign national employees who retired during similar time periods and after comparable careers with the Government.
(3)
(A) Whenever a foreign national employee so elects during a one-year period established by the Secretary of State with respect to each post abroad, the Secretary of the Treasury (at the direction of the Secretary of State) shall transfer such employee’s interest in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund to a trust or other local retirement plan certified by the United States Government under a local compensation plan established for foreign national employees pursuant to this section (excluding local social security plans).
(B) For purposes of subparagraph (A), the phrase “employee’s interest in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund” means the total contributions of the employee and the employing agency with respect to such employee, pursuant to sections 8331(8) and 8334(a)(1) of title 5, respectively, plus interest at the rate provided in section 8334(e)(3) of such title.
(C) Any such transfer shall void any annuity rights or entitlement to lump-sum credit under subchapter III of chapter 83 of such title.
(b) Employment programs
(c) Regulations
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 408, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2090; Pub. L. 98–164, title I, § 127(a), Nov. 22, 1983, 97 Stat. 1026; Pub. L. 101–246, title I, § 141(a), Feb. 16, 1990, 104 Stat. 35; Pub. L. 102–138, title I, §§ 148, 152, Oct. 28, 1991, 105 Stat. 670, 672; Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 180(a)(4), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 415; Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title III, § 322], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–436; Pub. L. 107–228, div. A, title III, § 313, Sept. 30, 2002, 116 Stat. 1378.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3968

§ 3968a. Locally-employed staff wages
(a) Market-responsive staff wages
Not later than 180 days after December 16, 2016, and every 3 years thereafter, the Secretary shall establish and implement a prevailing wage rates goal for positions in the local compensation plan, as described in section 3968 of this title, at each diplomatic post that—
(1) is based on the specific recruiting and retention needs of each such post and local labor market conditions, as determined annually; and
(2) is not less than the 50th percentile of the prevailing wage for comparable employment in the labor market surrounding each such post.
(b) Exception
(c) Recordkeeping requirement
The analytical assumptions underlying the calculation of wage levels at each diplomatic post under subsection (a), and the data upon which such calculation is based—
(1) shall be filed electronically and retained for not less than 5 years; and
(2) shall be made available to the appropriate congressional committees upon request.
(Pub. L. 114–323, title IV, § 401, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1926; Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXII, § 6226(a), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 980.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3968a

§ 3969. Salaries of consular agents

The Secretary of State shall establish the salary rate for each consular agent. Such salary rate shall be established after taking into account the workload of the consular agency and the prevailing wage rates in the locality where the agency is located, except that, in the case of a consular agent who is a citizen of the United States, the salary rate may not be less than the then applicable minimum wage rate specified in section 206(a)(1) of title 29.

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 409, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2091.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3969

§ 3970. Compensation for imprisoned foreign national employees
(a) Eligibility; rates of compensation; terms and conditions of payment; applicability of powers under other statutory provisions
(b) Time spent imprisoned considered as period of employment
Any period of imprisonment of a current or former foreign national employee which is compensable under this section shall be considered for purposes of any other employee benefit to be a period of employment by the Government, except that a period of imprisonment shall not be creditable—
(1) for purposes of subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, unless it is expressly creditable under that subchapter; or
(2) for purposes of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, unless the individual was employed by the Government at the time of his or her imprisonment.
(c) Time of filing of claims
No compensation or other benefit shall be awarded under this section unless a claim therefor is filed within 3 years after—
(1) the termination of the period of imprisonment giving rise to the claim, or
(2) the date of the claimant’s first opportunity thereafter to file such a claim, as determined by the appropriate agency head.
(d) Regulations
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 410, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2091.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3970

§ 3971. Temporary service as principal officer

For such time (in excess of such minimum period as the Secretary of State may establish) as any member of the Service is temporarily in charge of a Foreign Service post during the absence or incapacity of the principal officer, that member shall receive, in addition to the basic salary paid to the member and notwithstanding sections 5535 and 5536 of title 5, an amount equal to that portion (which the Secretary of State may determine to be appropriate) of the difference between such salary and the basic salary provided for the principal officer, or, if there is no principal officer, for the former principal officer.

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 411, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2091.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3971

§ 3972. Special differentials
(a) Additional work requirements
(b) Salary limitations
(c) Compensatory time off
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 412, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2092; Pub. L. 103–236, title I, § 139(6), Apr. 30, 1994, 108 Stat. 398; Pub. L. 114–323, title II, § 206, Dec. 16, 2016, 130 Stat. 1917.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3972

§ 3973. Death gratuities
(a) Criteria; amount; payment deemed gift
(b) Other executive agencies
(c) Guidance
(d) Eligibility to elect monthly compensation as condition to payment
(e) Definitions
As used in this section—
(1) the term “Foreign Service employee” means any member of the Service or United States representative to an international organization or commission; and
(2) each of the terms “widow”, “widower”, “child”, and “parent” shall have the same meaning given each such term by section 8101 of title 5.
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 413, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2092; Pub. L. 113–76, div. K, title VII, § 7082(a), Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 565.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3973

§ 3974. Border equalization pay adjustment
(a) In general
(b) Employee defined
For purposes of this section, the term “employee” means a person who—
(1) is an “employee” as defined under section 2105 of title 5; and
(2) is employed by the Department of State, the United States Agency for International Development, or the International Joint Commission of the United States and Canada (established under Article VII of the treaty signed January 11, 1909) (36 Stat. 2448), except that the term shall not include members of the Service (as specified in section 3903 of this title).
(c) Treatment as basic pay
(d) Regulations
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 414, as added Pub. L. 106–113, div. B, § 1000(a)(7) [div. A, title III, § 333(a)], Nov. 29, 1999, 113 Stat. 1536, 1501A–439.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3974

§ 3975. Group life insurance supplement applicable to those killed in terrorist attacks
(a) Foreign Service employees
(1) In general
(2) Designation of beneficiary
(b) Other executive agencies
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 415, as added Pub. L. 113–76, div. K, title VII, § 7082(b)(1), Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 565; amended Pub. L. 114–113, div. K, title VII, § 7034(d)(5)(A), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 2763; Pub. L. 115–31, div. J, title VII, § 7034(k)(8), May 5, 2017, 131 Stat. 651.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3975

§ 3976. Survivors’ and dependents’ educational assistance
(a) Foreign Service employees
(b) Other executive agencies
(c) Amount of assistance
(d) Program of education and educational institution defined
(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 416, as added Pub. L. 113–76, div. K, title VII, § 7082(b)(1), Jan. 17, 2014, 128 Stat. 566.)

CITE AS: 22 USC 3976