Domestic/Civil Service Benefits

Awards

The Department has a robust awards program to reward employee excellence through their work achievements and dedication to service. There are over 40+ specifically named Department-level awards conferred each year to employees who exemplify superior work achievements. In addition, employees may be eligible to receive performance-based and recognition awards throughout the year.

Executive Schedule (EX)

Five levels of pay to which top executives are assigned (e.g., members of the President’s Cabinet, deputy secretaries, under secretaries, and assistant secretaries).

Flexible Spending Account (FSA) Program

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) allow you to make pre-tax salary contributions to pay for eligible health care or dependent care expenses throughout the year that are not reimbursed by Federal Employees’ Health Benefits (FEHB) or any other source. The funds put into an FSA are not subject to Federal income and FICA taxes, nor most state and local income taxes.

A Health Care FSA (HCFSA) pays for the uncovered or un-reimbursed portions of qualified medical costs. The HCFSA does not replace your health insurance; it simply pays for your out-of-pocket health care expenses with pre-tax dollars. A Dependent Care FSA (DCFSA) allows you to pay eligible expenses for dependent care, such as childcare expenses or expenses for an adult who is disabled, with pre-tax dollars.

You have 60 days after your hire date, but no later than October 1 of any Plan Year, to make an election to participate in the FSA Program. Elections will be binding throughout the Plan Year unless you experience a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) (e.g., marriage, divorce, birth of a child, death of a dependent). If you are hired on or after October 1 you are ineligible to participate in that Plan Year and must wait until the annual Federal Benefits Open Season to enroll, held in the fall of each year, from mid-November to mid-December. Your elections become effective for the next calendar year.

As FSA elections are completely voluntary, you must re-enroll each year if you wish to maintain a dependent and/or health care account. FSA claims must be filed timely. Additionally, any funds deducted that are not claimed by the established deadline will be forfeited (lose). Unlike the FEHB, there are no government contributions to the program. All the money contributed to the FSA is contributed by you. For program information, visit the FSAFEDS website at www.fsafeds.com.

Child Care Center

The Department sponsors two on-site childcare centers: Columbia Plaza or State Department Annex-1, across the street from the Harry S. Truman Building between 23rd and E Streets NW in Washington, D.C., and the Foreign Service Institute’s Childcare Center on-campus in Arlington, VA. Both centers provide excellent curriculum-based programs for infants through pre-school. For information about Diplotots Childcare in Annex-1, contact enroll@brynmorearlyed.com or via telephone at (571) 347-1100.

Child Care Subsidy Program

The Child Care Subsidy Program (CCSP) is available to Department employees utilizing licensed and regulated domestic home-based or facility-based child care. This program provides child care subsidy assistance for employees whose total family income does not exceed $170,000.00 (according to their most recent federal tax return adjusted gross income (AGI)). Families who meet this and other legislative requirements may be able to receive up to $416 per month/per family in subsidy assistance towards the cost of their total child care expenses. Once onboard, information about the program and how to access the services can be found on the Department’s Child Care Subsidy Program SharePoint page. Questions regarding the CCSP may also be sent via e-mail to CCSP@state.gov.

Credit Union and Fitness Facility

Employees have access to the State Department Federal Credit Union, a fitness facility through the foreign affairs recreation association, and a host of other on-site services such as a U.S. Post Office barber/beauty shops, dry cleaner and gift/card shops at Main State.

Dental and Vision Insurance

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) allows eligible employees to enroll in a group dental and/or group vision insurance plan. To enroll, you must be eligible to enroll in FEHB (Federal Employees Health Benefits).

New employees have 60 days from the date of appointment to enroll in a participating FEDVIP plan. Failure to enroll within the 60-day period will result in NO COVERAGE. The employee must wait until the next opportunity to enroll, which is generally during the annual open season held from November through December or when a qualifying life event occurs (e.g., marriage, and birth of a child).

Employee Consultation Service

Staffed by licensed clinical social workers to provide counseling and referrals for personal and family concerns.

Employee Recreation Association

Discount tickets to movies and sporting events.

Family Medical Leave

Under The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Department employees are entitled to family and medical leave of up to a total of 12 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave for certain specified family and medical needs, and up to a total of 26 administrative workweeks of unpaid leave in connection with care of a covered servicemember, during any 12-month period. In addition, employees may substitute up to 12 weeks of Paid Parental Leave (PPL) in connection with a birth or placement (for adoption or foster care) of a child occurring on or after October 1, 2020, for certain periods of unpaid leave under the FMLA during any 12-month period, subject to the provisions set forth in 3 FAM 3530.

GG

Pay plan used by the Department to denote a pay schedule similar to the General Schedule. Excepted service positions at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations (USUN) and the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) use the GG designation.

General Schedule (GS)

Based on equal pay for substantially equal work within each locality pay area, the majority of the Department’s Civil Service employees are compensated under the General Schedule. There are fifteen grades and ten steps within each grade that determine an employee’s rate of pay.

On an initial appointment into the Civil Service, pay is usually set at step one of the grade of the position for which the employee is selected, although it may be set higher based on superior qualifications or a special need of the agency when certain requirements are met. Additionally, pay rates for employees paid under the General Schedule may differ because of the geographic location or the level of difficulty of the position. See the section on Adjustments to Pay Section for further information.

Current GS pay tables.

Health Insurance

The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program allows eligible employees the opportunity to enroll in a group health insurance plan, regardless of age or medical condition. Nationally over 200 health plan options are offered to Federal employees. The government pays a significant part of the cost for health benefits and the employee’s cost is deducted biweekly from his/her pay.
New employees have 60 days from the date of appointment to enroll in a participating FEHB plan. To enroll, employees must complete and submit an Employee Health Benefits Election Form, SF-2809, to the HR Service Center at HRSC@state.gov or their Bureau Executive Office within 60 days of their entry on duty. Failure to enroll within the 60-day period will result in NO COVERAGE. The employee must wait until the next opportunity to enroll, which is generally during the annual open season held from November through December or when a qualifying life event occurs (e.g., marriage, and birth of a child).

Leave and Absences

There are many leave options available to U.S. Department of State employees, from Annual Leave and Sick Leave to Paid Parental Leave and Leave Without Pay, as well as many others. The Department follows OPM guidance on Leave policy and drafts Department policy based on this guidance. For more detailed information on Department Leave policy, including how much Leave an employee earns per pay period and how it can be used, please see 3 FAM Personnel and 3 FAH-1 Personnel, specifically, sections 3310-3360, 3410-3480, and 3510-3530. Questions on leave policy can be sent to GTMLeave@state.gov.

Leave Accrual Rates

Life Insurance

The Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program provides group term insurance and builds no cash value or paid-up value. FEGLI consists of Basic life insurance coverage and three options which are: Option A Standard, Option B Additional, and Option C Family. All new employees are automatically covered under Basic, unless waived. Employees must have the Basic insurance in order to elect any of the optional coverages. Optional insurance is NOT automatic – you must take action to elect it. If you want Optional Insurance, you must elect coverage within 60 calendar days after becoming eligible. If you do not make an election, you are considered to have waived optional insurance.

To waive basic life coverage or to elect additional coverage, complete a SF 2817, Life Insurance Election form. Employees are also encouraged to designate beneficiaries by completing a SF-2823, Designation of Beneficiary, Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program form to receive life insurance proceeds and to assure that benefits will be paid as desired. If beneficiaries are not designated, proceeds will be paid in accordance with the order of precedence.

Unlike health insurance, FEGLI does not have an annual open enrollment. Therefore, if you fail to enroll during the eligibility period, you must meet certain requirements and satisfy evidence of insurability in order to enroll.

Long Term Care Insurance

The Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP) is an important addition to the package of benefits available to Federal employees and retirees. The employee, however, pays the full cost for this insurance. Long-term care insurance, under the Federal program, provides you reimbursement for costs of care when you are unable to perform at least two activities of daily living, (e.g., eating, bathing, dressing) for an expected period of at least 90 days or when you

need constant supervision due to a severe cognitive impairment. As a new employee, you may be eligible to apply for this program. If eligible you will use either an abbreviated underwriting application or a full underwriting application, depending on whether you apply within 60 days of becoming eligible. For detailed information on the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program, visit www.ltcfeds.com.

Overtime and Compensatory Time

Employees identified as “nonexempt” are eligible to receive overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). Agencies must compensate these employees for work conducted in excess of the 8-hour regular workday or regular 40-hour workweek. Employees who are identified as “exempt” are not covered by the FLSA but can still receive overtime pay under Title 5 of the U.S.C. In certain instances, employees can request compensatory time off in lieu of being paid for overtime or can be required to receive compensatory time off rather than overtime pay.

The supervisor or authorizing official must approve all overtime work it is worked. To find out if you are FLSA exempt or non-exempt or to learn more about overtime and compensatory time policies and procedures, please contact your Executive Office.

Paid Holidays

• 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)
• Juneteenth
• 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)

You must be in a pay status either the day before or after the holiday in order to be paid.

Paid Parental Leave

Employees are entitled to 12 administrative workweeks of paid parental leave during the 12-month period immediately following the birth or placement of a child.

Pay Adjustment

Each year the President determines whether to authorize an adjustment in the basic pay of certain categories of Federal employees. This adjustment is usually made annually and is usually implemented at the beginning of the first full pay period of January.

Presidential Inauguration Day

Federal employees in the Washington, DC, area are entitled to a holiday on the day a President is inaugurated (January 20 following a Presidential election). Employees are entitled to this holiday if they are employed in —

1. The District of Columbia;
2. Montgomery and Prince Georges Counties in Maryland;
3. Arlington and Fairfax Counties in Virginia; and
4. The cities of Alexandria and Falls Church in Virginia.

When Inauguration Day is moved to January 21st because January 20th falls on Sunday, Federal employees in the Washington, DC, area who would otherwise work on Monday, January 21st, are entitled to a holiday on that day.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (Student Loan Forgiveness)

This debt relief benefit is being administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loans. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Only payments made under certain repayment plans (primarily income-driven repayment plans) qualify for PSLF. Individuals interested in a career in public service, who also have federally insured student loan debt, are encouraged to review the PSLF program at www.PSLF.gov. It is possible for employees to qualify for the Department’s annual SLRP incentive and with ten years of qualifying public service, have the balance of their federally insured loan(s) forgiven.

Retirement

There are three retirement plans for Civil Service employees. Generally, the type of appointment determines whether an employee is covered by a retirement plan. Employees hired before December 31, 1983 are covered under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS). Those hired after January 1, 1984 are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Employees who had a break in service that exceeded one year and ended after 1983 and five years of creditable civilian service on January 1, 1987 may be covered under the CSRS Offset system.

Senior Executive Service (SES)

Includes most managerial, supervisory, and policy positions classified above the General Schedule grade 15 or equivalent positions in the Executive Branch of the Federal government. The Executive Resources

Board (ERB) pay policy allows for pay to be set based on qualifications, performance, responsibilities of the position, and private sector pay.

Current SES pay schedule.

Shared Leave Programs

The Shared Leave Program, which includes the Voluntary Leave Bank (VLB) and the Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP), assists with income protection for employees who: a) experience a personal or family medical emergency; b) have no available paid leave; and c) expect to be absent in an unpaid status for at least 24 work hours (for a full-time employee) due to the medical emergency. Once an employee becomes a VLB member, if that employee or a family member experiences a medical emergency and the employee has exhausted their paid leave, that employee may be eligible to receive up to 320 hours in VLB donations per leave year and a lifetime maximum of 1,280 hours. If an employee chooses not to become a member of the VLB and is facing an emergency, they can still apply for leave through the VLTP, where colleagues can donate directly to the employee.

Social Security

Employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) are covered also by Social Security. Social Security benefits are provided to workers and their qualified dependents under the Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance (OASDI) programs of the Social Security Act. It replaces a portion of earnings lost as a result of retirement, disability, or death.

Employees are also covered under Social Security’s Medicare Hospital Insurance program, which pays a portion of hospital expenses incurred while you are receiving Social Security disability benefits or retirement benefits at age 65 or older. For more information on Social Security benefits to include Medicare, visit the Social Security Administration Internet website.

Special Salary Rates

These rates are higher rates of basic pay that are established for a group or category of General Schedule (GS) positions in one or more geographic areas. Special rates are established to address existing or likely significant issues in recruiting or retaining well-qualified employees. These rates may be established for nearly any category of employee based on criteria such as occupational series, specialty, grade level, and geographic area.

Student Loan Repayment Program

The Student Loan Repayment Program (SLRP) is administered for the Department by the Bureau of Global Talent Management, Office of Employee Relations. The program was implemented by the Department of State in 2002 and has been funded every year since implementation. The Department has been able to provide qualifying employees with student loan debt – to include Parent Plus loans – SLRP incentives in the amount of $10k, the yearly max per applicant ($60k lifetime maximum). The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 provides SLRP incentive recipients a unique opportunity to take advantage of the tax-free status of employer provided student loan benefits until 2025.

The SLRP benefits career Civil Service (CS) employees that encumber mission critical occupational (MCO) series positions. The Civil Service pre-qualifying criteria for the MCO list is reviewed and approved annually and is dependent on agency-specific recruitment and retention needs. Although the list of qualifying occupational series is updated annually, certain positions have consistently been eligible in the past:

1. GS-0130, Foreign Affairs Series

2. GS-0967, Passport and Visa Examining Series

3. GS-2210, Information Technology Management Series

4. GS-0510, Accounting Series

5. GS-0201, Human Resources Management Series

Employees interested in benefiting from this annual incentive must be appointed into a qualifying occupational series during the eligibility period between March 1 – July 31. Once onboard, information can be found on the Department’s Intranet SLRP page. Individual questions may also be sent via e-mail to SLRP@state.gov.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program (Student Loan Forgiveness)

This debt relief benefit is being administered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Direct Loans. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program forgives the remaining balance on your Direct Loans after you have made 120 qualifying payments while working full-time for a qualifying employer. Only payments made under certain repayment plans (primarily income-driven repayment plans) qualify for PSLF. Individuals interested in a career in public service, who also have federally insured student loan debt, are encouraged to review the PSLF program at www.PSLF.gov. It is possible for employees to qualify for the Department’s annual SLRP incentive and with ten years of qualifying public service, have the balance of their federally insured loan(s) forgiven.

The Wage Grade (WG)

Schedule is referred to as “blue collar” or “prevailing rate” and is based on the prevailing rates in a given local wage area. This system covers trade, craft, labor, and other blue-collar jobs. Each wage area pay scale is divided into three classes: WG (worker), WL (leader), and WS (supervisor).

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

The Thrift Savings Plan is a retirement savings and investment plan for Federal employees and contributions are tax deferred. The purpose of the TSP is to provide supplemental retirement income. TSP offers Federal employees the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under the 401(k) plans. By participating in the Thrift Savings Plan an employee has the opportunity to save part of his/her earnings before they are taxed. Contributions are made to your account through payroll deductions.

Employees covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) can enhance retirement income by participating in TSP. However, there are different rules for each group. FERS employees can contribute a percentage of their basic pay each pay period and receive matching agency contributions.

CSRS employees can also contribute a specific percentage of their basic pay each pay period but do not receive matching agency contributions. There are six TSP investment funds from which to choose:

• Government Securities Investment (G) Fund
• Fixed Income Index Investment (F) Fund
• Common Stock Index Investment (C) Fund
• Small Capitalization Stock Index Investment (S) Fund
• International Stock Index Investment (I) Fund
• Lifecycle (L) Funds

Transit Benefits Program

The Department also administers a Transit Benefits Program which encourages employees to use public transportation for commuting to and from work on a regular and ongoing basis. This non-taxable subsidy provides encouragement by reducing the cost of an employee’s daily work commute. Thus, occasional or sporadic use of public transportation does not qualify an employee for enrollment in this program. Although this program is intended to supplement employees’ commuting costs, the Department can only reimburse these costs up to the maximum allowable amount.

To participate in the Transit Benefits Program, employees must complete the online electronic application eTransit and certify that they will comply with the rules and procedures of the program. eTransit is an Employee Self-Service application that is available via the Department’s intranet. Anyone making a false, fictitious, or fraudulent certification may be subject to criminal prosecution under Title 18, United States Code, Section 1001, or agency disciplinary actions up to and including dismissal from the Federal service.

Within-Grade Increases (WIG)

Employees under the GG and General Schedule (GS) pay plan who are paid at less than the maximum rate of the grade (i.e., step 10) of their position may earn an advance to the next higher step of the grade or the next higher rate within the grade. This increase is called a within-grade (WIG) or step increase.

Waiting periods for a WIG range from 1 to 3 years and are defined in 5 CFR 531.405. Employees paid under a prevailing rate system (e.g., wage grade) also earn within grades. However, the WIG is paid in accordance with the rules at 5 CFR, Part 532. Employee performance must be at an acceptable level of competence and the most recent performance rating of record shall be at least fully successful or an equivalent level.

Voluntary Leave Transfer Program

federal program that enables one federal civilian employee to transfer annual leave to another federal employee who faces a personal medical emergency or a medical emergency of a family member.

WorkLife4You(WL4Y)

is a comprehensive and confidential resource and referral service that assists employees who are searching for ways to balance the demands of their professional and personal lives. WL4Y specialists are accessible 24/7 and can provide expert guidance and referrals for a wide variety of services, including childcare, adult care, fitness centers, schools, financial aid options, home improvement professionals, movers, pet care, financial/legal services, health and wellness, prenatal care and adoption, relocation, and other personal support for urgent everyday issues. WL4Y also provides free Care Kits such as: Prenatal, Child Safety, Be Well, or Adult Care Kits, loaded with practical products, educational guides, and information designed to help employees proactively manage their parenting and adult care responsibilities. Once onboard, information about the program and how to access the services can be found on the Department’s WL4Y SharePoint page. Questions about WorkLife4You may also be sent via e-mail to WorkLife4You@state.gov.