Compensation and Benefits
- Annual Leave
- Compensation
- Family Medical Leave
- Family Employment Health Benefits Plans
- Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA)
- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI)
- Life Insurance
- Sick Leave
- Consultation Trips
- Ten Paid Holidays per Year
- Thrift Savings Plan
- Training
- Unaccompanied Air Baggage
- Other Benefits
Annual Leave
Vacation/Personal Leave; maximum ceiling or limitation of accrual is 30 days per leave year for employees assigned to the US; maximum ceiling or limitation of accrual is 45 days per leave year for employees assigned overseas.
- 4 hours per pay period or 13 days per leave year for less than 3 years of federal service
- 6 hours per pay period or 20 days per leave year after 3 years of federal service but less than 15 years
- 8 hours per pay period or 26 days per leave year after 15 years of federal service
Compensation
Compensation for 3161's is governed by 5 U.S.C. 3161 and other applicable provisions of Title 5 of the United States Code. Authorization for premium pay will be in accordance with governing statutes and Mission overtime policy. The combination of basic pay plus premium pay (overtime pay, compensatory time off, holiday premium pay, night pay and Sunday premium pay) is capped at $212,100 for pay year 2007, in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5547. Premium pay earnings in excess of the premium cap cannot be paid and do not roll over into the following calendar year. This cap includes premium pay earned under any U.S. government appointment during the calendar year.
Under this appointment, 3161 employees will be eligible for post differentials and allowances in accordance with Department regulations. 3161 employees earn the foreign post differential, which is currently 35 percent of salary, after serving 42 continuous days at post. After 42 days, the post differential will be payable back to the first day.
3161 employees will also be eligible to receive danger pay, calculated as a percentage of basic pay for regular duty hours only (currently 35% for Iraq; 15% for Kuwait; 15% for Amman). Danger pay begins to accrue after four hours of service in-country, and is provided for every hour of regular duty worked at post. Danger pay is terminated when a person leaves country.
Annual aggregate compensation (basic pay, locality-based comparability payments, premium pay — also subject to the premium pay cap as explained above — and other payments as defined in 5 CFR 530.202) cannot exceed Level I of the Executive Schedule ($186,600 in 2007), in accordance with 5 U.S.C. 5307. Allowable earnings in excess of the aggregate cap (excluding premium pay) will be rolled over and paid at the beginning of the following calendar year.
The positions are categorized as follows and salary information represents pay year 2007 data:
| BAND | SALARY RANGE (Includes 18.59% Washington locality rate) | POSITION TYPES |
|---|---|---|
| V | $143,472 — $154,600 | Senior positions of leadership and/or responsibility. (e.g. Director ITAO, Deputy Director, ITAO) |
| IV | $93,822 — $143,471 | Expert, supervisor and manager positions (e.g. Senior Consultants, Attorneys) |
| III | $66,767 — $103,220 | Full performance administrative and technical positions (e.g. Budget Analysts, Financial Management Specialists, Information Technology Specialists, Electrical Engineers) |
| II | $46,041 — $72,421 | Technical support and expert administrative support positions (e.g. Engineering Technicians, Office Managers) |
| I | $33,872 — $54,194 | Administrative support positions (e.g. Secretaries, Program Assistants) |
Family Medical Leave
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 provides Federal employees with an entitlement of up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes:
- the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and the care of the newborn;
- the placement of a child with an employee for adoption or foster care;
- the care of a child, spouse or parent of the employee with a serious health condition; or
- a serious health condition of the employee that makes an employee unable to perform the major functions of the job.
Federal Employment Health Benefits Plans
Choice of extensive array of Federal Employment Health Benefits Plans, with costs shared by the Government Employees are eligible to enroll in a wide variety of health insurance plans, including fee-for-service plans and health maintenance organizations. The employee's portion is paid through payroll deductions.
Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA)
The Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) provides compensation benefits to federal employees for work-related injuries or illnesses, and to their surviving dependents if a work-related injury or illness results in the employee's death. The FECA is administered by the Department of Labor, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs. More information may be obtained at http://www.dol.gov/esa/regs/compliance/owcp/ca_feca.htm
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI)
The Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program is available to eligible federal employees. FEGLI provides group term life insurance and accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Under FEGLI, basic coverage is equal to the employee's annual basic salary rounded to the next higher thousand plus $2,000 or $10,000, whichever is more in the event an employees dies.
More information can be obtained at http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/.
Life Insurance
Foreign Service Officers are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance plan (FEGLI). The FEGLI plan offers low rates that are paid through payroll deductions. The U.S. Government pays one-third of the cost of this insurance. Participation in the FEGLI plan is voluntary. The plan is intended as a form of immediate protection against financial hardship or loss in the event of death. It is not offered as a form of term life insurance with a cash value, such as might be purchased through private insurance agents.
Sick Leave
Accrued at a rate of 4 hours per pay period, 13 days per leave year.
Consultation Trips
The Revised Iraq Service Recognition Package provides that the Department will fund consultation trips to Washington, D.C. (or the employee's post of assignment) for employees serving in Iraq. All consultation trips will be taken in economy class. Employees may be authorized administrative leave to take in conjunction with a consultation trip.
In addition to the consultation visits, ITAO USG employees can be authorized Personal Leave Breaks (PLB). Five days administrative leave may be given for each. PLB trips are to be authorized at the supervisor's discretion with the intent to provide the member a break from post approximately every 60-90 days. A PLB is on No-Cost government orders. This allows the traveler to take the military flight to either Amman or Kuwait. All lodging and onward travel during the PLB is the responsibility of the traveler.
Employees will have a choice between two consultation visits and three PLB trips OR three consultation visits and no PLB trips during a 12-month period. PLBs and consultation visits are prorated for employees who serve less than 12 months.
Ten Paid Holidays per Year
- New Year's Day (January 1)
- Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Third Monday in January)
- Washington's Birthday (Third Monday in February)
- Memorial Day (Last Monday in May)
- Independence Day (July 4)
- Labor Day (First Monday in September)
- Columbus Day (Second Monday in October)
- Veterans Day (November 11)
- Thanksgiving Day (Fourth Thursday in November)
- Christmas Day (December 25)
(In addition to the above holidays, the U.S. Government also observes some local holidays celebrated at overseas posts of assignment.)
Thrift Savings Plan
Foreign Service Specialists may participate in the Thrift Savings Plan; a long-term savings and investment program for federal employees designed to provide retirement income.
Training
Employees are required to attend an eight day training course prior to deployment to Iraq. The first three days of training is conducted at the Foreign Service Center (4000 Arlington Boulevard) located at the junction of Arlington Boulevard (Route 50) and South George Mason Drive in Arlington, VA. Directions, public transportation and parking information can be found in Appendices B and C. Dress is business casual.
The first portion of the course, Iraq Area Studies/Language Overview, is designed to provide an orientation to Iraq including an overview of Iraq's history, political situation, culture and religion, and U.S. policy interests and issues and a brief language orientation. The course also includes an overview of Diplomatic Security support for the mission of Iraq, training from the Office of Medical Services and Diplomatic Security on coping with stress, and information from the Office of Casualty Assistance.
The second portion of training, Foreign Affairs Counter Threat Course (FACT), is split into two sections. The first two and one half days of training is conducted at the Diplomatic Security Training Center located at 2216 Gallows Road, Dunn Loring, VA and the second two and one half days of training is conducted at Summit Point, West Virginia. This requires a two night stay in Winchester, VA, at a specified hotel with transportation provided to and from the training site daily.
This FACT course provides participants with the knowledge and skills to better prepare them for living and working in critical and high threat environments overseas. Specifically, participants are familiarized with the practical skills necessary to recognize, avoid, and respond to potential terrorist threat situations. Participants will demonstrate the practical application of techniques taught in the course and will learn how to: conduct surveillance detection; provide emergency medical care; demonstrate improvised explosive devise (IED) awareness; participate in firearms familiarization; and perform defensive/counterterrorist driving.
ITAO Deployment will contact employees once they have accepted an assignment with detailed instructions and information on how to complete the deployment process, including scheduling and completing the Orientation and In-Processing Program, making travel arrangements and getting the necessary travel documents.
Expect to remain in Washington, DC for two weeks of training/pre-deployment actions. Please note that, because Washington, DC will be your official duty station, you will not be eligible to receive a per diem or reimbursement for other travel or living expenses while you are in training there. Under applicable regulations, State Department employees are not entitled to be reimbursed for travel or living expenses incurred at their official duty station. You may, however, request an Advance of Pay to help offset your living expenses while in DC.
Unaccompanied Air Baggage
All new employees assigned to Baghdad are eligible for inbound and outbound unaccompanied air baggage (UAB) service (UAB is not authorized for anyone going into the provinces at this time.) One company provides "door to door service." This company performs all the packing and export preparation at the origin location, moves the shipment to Iraq, and then provides delivery services at your residence in Baghdad. UAB is limited to 250 gross pounds. The gross weight includes the weight of tri-wall shipping container, all exterior wrapping and banding materials, and everything packed inside the tri-wall shipping container.
UAB MUST be on your orders before pack out can be arranged with UAB counselor.
Other Benefits
The American Foreign Service Protective Association (AFSPA) offers a $15,000 Immediate Benefit Plan (IBP) for direct hire Foreign Service and Civil Service employees of the Department of State.
