Sec. 303. Allowances
673 words·~3 min read·
/bill/115/s/1631/is/section-303A research copy — for the controlling text, always check the official state or federal source. Not legal advice.
It is the policy of the United States that— pay differentials for staffing overseas posts should reflect the various factors affecting the desirability of such posts, including the preference of employees bidding and the dangers or overall hardships of serving in a particular location, as perceived by the actual employees eligible to bid for positions in such locations; and the Secretary should periodically analyze fluctuations in such bidding patterns to ensure that pay differentials reflect— the changing conditions in each post; and the impact of staffing incentives through pay differentials offered during the previous year.
Chapter 59 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— by striking sections 5925 and 5928; and by inserting after section 5924 the following new section: A staffing incentive, not to exceed 70 percent of the basic pay of the employee, may be granted to an employee serving at an overseas post based on the recruitment and retention needs for filling positions at that post if such incentive— compensates the employee for conditions of environment that are substantially and unfavorably different than conditions of environment in the continental United States; compensates the employee for exposure to conditions of civil insurrection, civil war, terrorism, or wartime conditions that threaten physical harm or imminent danger to the health or well-being of the employee; or motivates the employee to serve at a post that is in low demand despite compensation for hardship and danger conditions.
A staffing incentive may be granted to an employee who is officially stationed in the United States and is on extended detail in a foreign area for as long as the employee continues to serve on such extended detail. The Secretary of State shall notify the appropriate congressional committees of— the implementation of each staffing incentive authorized under this section that applies to employees of the Department of State stationed at an overseas post; and each instance in which implementation of a staffing incentive under this section for an overseas post results in an increase of 5 percent or more or a decrease of 5 percent or more from the staffing incentive offered for service at that post during the previous year.
The Secretary of State shall— annually publish a hardship index for each diplomatic post that is based on conditions of environment at that post that differ substantially from conditions of environment in the continental United States; and semiannually rate the danger level of each post based on the Security Environment Threat List. The Secretary of State shall— track the number of bids made and how they are ranked for each open position at each overseas post within the Department of State and collect both quantitative and qualitative survey data from eligible bidders on their bid decision-making; collect data from the other foreign service agencies subject to this section on the factors that incentivize their employees to serve at each overseas post; use the information described in paragraphs
(1)and
(2)to set appropriate staffing incentives at such overseas posts; and make the information described in paragraphs
(1)and
(2)available, upon request, to the appropriate congressional committees. in this section, the term appropriate congressional committees means— the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate ; and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives . . The analysis for chapter 59 of title 5, United States Code, is amended— by striking the items relating to sections 5925 and 5928; and by inserting after the item relating to section 5924 the following new item: 5925. Staffing incentive. . Not later than 270 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the head of each Federal agency subject to the amendment made by subsection
(b)shall submit a plan to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader of the Senate that describes how the agency intends— to comply with the policy set forth in subsection (a); and to implement the staffing incentives set forth in section 5925 of title 5, United States Code, as added by subsection (b).