| |  Hiring Mechanisms to Employ Family Members in U.S. Missions OverseasWhat is a hiring mechanism?
A hiring mechanism is the means by which someone is employed within an organization.
There are four different hiring mechanisms used to employ family members in positions at U.S. embassies and consulates abroad.
- FMA - Family Member Appointment
This is a Department of State hiring mechanism. Those eligible to be hired under the FMA are U.S. citizen spouses, or an unmarried U.S. citizen child at least age 18 but under age 21. These individuals must be on orders accompanying a career Foreign Service or Civil Service employee or uniformed service member at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad. The FMA is the preferred appointment for family members and carries employee benefits including life and health insurance, retirement and thrift savings eligibility.
- TEMP - Temporary Appointment
The TEMP hiring mechanism is a direct hire appointment. The TEMP appointment was previously called a PIT appointment. It is a Temporary Appointment for periods not to exceed one year and can be renewed in increments not to exceed one year. A TEMP appointment is appropriate only when the job itself is not ongoing and is of short duration. The TEMP appointment must also be used when the work schedule is not 16-32, or 40 hours per week. Those eligible to be hired under the TEMP Appointment are U.S. citizen spouses, or an unmarried U.S. citizen child at least age 18 but under age 21. These individuals must be on orders accompanying a career Foreign Service or Civil Service employee or uniformed service member at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad and under Chief of Mission authority.
- PSA Program - Personal Service Agreement Program
This is a Department of State hiring mechanism that has replaced the Personal Services Contract (PSC). Other agencies participating in this program are Department of Commerce (DOC), Department of Agriculture (USDA), Customs, Secret Service (USSS), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Benefits vary depending on individual hired.
Those eligible for employment under the PSA Program include:
- A non-U.S. citizen spouse on the travel order of a Foreign Service or Civil Service employee or uniformed service member assigned to a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad.
- Retired federal employees who are receiving a pension. These individuals are termed "annuitants".
- A Member of Household (MOH) not on the employee's travel orders.
- A U.S. citizen residing in the host country not with the diplomatic community and employed inside the mission. These individuals are termed "resident hires.
- PSC - Personal Service Contract
The PSC mechanism is used by USAID and Peace Corps. The PSC is subject to government contracting authorities and does not confer retirement benefits or USG service credit.
Please note: The preceding information is only a thumbnail sketch. Federal hiring mechanisms are complex and may have different implications depending on the employment history of the individual. Please consult an experienced human resource counselor and the complete regulations in 3 FAM 8200.
Information provided by the Family Liaison Office
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