3 FAM 7150
LE STAFF EMPLOYEE-MANAGEMENT RELATIONS
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Office of Origin: GTM/OE)
3 FAM 7151 GENERAL
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Applies Locally Employed Staff Only)
a. In line with the Chief of Mission’s responsibility for the direction, coordination, and supervision of all employees at post, missions shall establish open lines of communication with LE Staff to better facilitate effective and secure operations at posts. Communication may be achieved through such means as:
(1) Regular and consistent dissemination of information via administrative notice;
(2) Periodic meetings between mission management and LE Staff of all agencies and locations; and
(3) Periodic meetings between mission management and representatives of an LE Staff association.
b. All conditions of LE Staff employment are suitable for discussion between mission management and LE Staff or representatives of an LE Staff association, although in sharing of information, mission management must be cognizant of good management practices and the protection of personnel-sensitive information.
c. For matters of individual concern, missions must establish a grievance system whereby LE Staff may seek to resolve workplace disputes and complaints (see 3 FAM 7740).
3 FAM 7152 MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Applies to Locally Employed Staff Only)
While providing authority for open discussions regarding conditions of employment between LE Staff and mission management, this policy does not affect the U.S. government’s authority to establish LE Staff personnel policies, including policies governing position classification; compensation; contracting; hiring; termination; discipline; promotion; assignment; or any other condition of employment, as well as policy regarding, inter alia, the following:
(1) U.S. foreign policy or the goals of the mission;
(2) The mission's budget or organization;
(3) The size or composition of the mission's workforce;
(4) Security operations; and
(5) Requirements of U.S. law or regulations.
3 FAM 7153 LE STAFF ASSOCIATIONS
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Applies to Locally Employed Staff Only)
a. LE Staff associations may serve as a forum at post for coordinating and raising LE Staff workplace issues of general concern to management. LE Staff associations are established and governed by LE Staff. As such, U.S. direct-hire personnel must not participate in the formulation of LE Staff association policies or direction, nor exercise an oversight function over an LE Staff association’s internal affairs, nor participate in discussions with mission management on behalf of an LE Staff association.
b. Managers and supervisors are encouraged to allow attendance at LE Staff association sponsored events and meetings, consistent with applicable policies and procedures governing leave and hours of work. However, employees are not granted administrative leave to attend such events.
c. An LE Staff association may request the use of post resources, such as meeting rooms, in accordance with generally applicable post policies and procedures.
d. LE Staff association activities at post along with any outside, private activities must follow applicable U.S. government laws and regulations and Department policy and must be consistent with local law.
e. The Department does not recognize LE Staff associations as unions, including for purposes of collective bargaining or formal representation of LE Staff, even when the formation of a union may be permitted under local labor law. Mission management must not negotiate any conditions of employment with LE Staff. Further, LE Staff associations do not affect the U.S. government’s authority to establish, change, and/or administer policies governing all aspects of overseas employment.
f. LE Staff associations do not serve a role in the LE Staff grievance process nor may they prohibit LE Staff from going directly to management/HR for issues of individual concern. Personnel-sensitive information will not be shared with LE Staff associations or their representatives.
g. Participation in an LE Staff association is not compulsory and LE Staff may always use other channels for communicating with mission management, as appropriate.
3 FAM 7154 LE STAFF ADVOCACY COUNCIL (LESAC)
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Applies to Locally Employed Staff Only)
a. The LE Staff Advocacy Council (LESAC) serves to provide regular, formalized access for LE Staff to Department of State leadership to discuss worldwide, cross-cutting LE Staff issues.
b. GTM/OE will administer elections for LE Staff to select LE Staff representatives to participate in the LESAC for a defined term of office. GTM/OE will monitor and amend the timeline for elections and the composition of the LESAC as needed (e.g., if it is determined that more or fewer representatives are needed for a bureau).
c. The LESAC will meet at least once annually. Typically, this annual meeting will take place in Washington, DC. Regional bureaus will be responsible for funding the travel costs of the bureau representatives to Washington for the annual LESAC meeting. Additional virtual meetings may also be organized. GTM/OE will be responsible for the logistics of the LESAC meetings and will act as the facilitator for LESAC meetings.
d. At any time, the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent, in consultation with GTM/OE, may terminate the LESAC. There is no appeal mechanism with respect to the Director General’s changes to the LESAC, including the termination of the LESAC.
3 FAM 7155 LE STAFF Handbook
(CT:PER-1074; 01-13-2022)
(Uniform State/USAID/Commerce/Agriculture)
(Applies to Locally Employed Staff Only)
a. Each post must develop and maintain an LE Staff Handbook that documents the Mission’s LE Staff employment policies and procedures, as well as LE Staff responsibilities and expected conduct.
b. When developing or updating an LE Staff Handbook, posts are encouraged to use GTM/OE’s LE Staff Handbook template, which can be accessed on the GTM/OE SharePoint site. For policies in the LE Staff Handbook that implicate local law (e.g., discipline and grievance), post should consult with local counsel.
c. The LE Staff Handbook serves as a companion to post’s Local Compensation Plan (LCP). The LCP provides the official guidance and basis for all LE Staff compensation and benefits, and, in order to avoid discrepancies and confusion, the LE Staff Handbook should not duplicate information from the LCP. In the event of a discrepancy between the LCP and the LE Staff Handbook, the LCP shall serve as the official guidance on all LE Staff salary and benefits issues.
c. Both the LE Staff Handbook and the LCP should be made available to all LE Staff (e.g., by posting on the Mission intranet site and maintaining hard copies in the HR office).
3 FAM 7156 THROUGH 7159 UNASSIGNED