3 FAM 2320
promotion of members of the foreign service
(CT:PER-1115; 12-06-2022)
(Office of Origin: GTM/PE)
3 FAM 2321 authority
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
These regulations are based on sections 302, 303, 305, 404-406, and 601-608 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended (the Act).
3 FAM 2322 administrative responsibilities
(CT:PER-898; 02-01-2018)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
Responsibility for the administration of the promotion of members of the Foreign Service is shared among the Director, Office of Performance Evaluation, the Director General of the Foreign Service, and the Under Secretary for Management, or designee. Responsibilities for each are found in the procedures and guidelines published in 3 FAH-1 H-2320. Those procedures and guidelines have the same force and effect as these regulations.
3 FAM 2323 PROMOTION POLICY
3 FAM 2323.1 Members of the Foreign Service at Class FS-1 and the Senior Foreign Service
3 FAM 2323.1-1 General Policy
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Promotion into and within the Senior Foreign Service (SFS) will be on the basis of merit and the needs of the Service. Career members of the SFS and of class FS-1 will be considered for promotion by Selection Boards in accordance with precepts (Selection Board Precepts) approved by the Under Secretary for Management, or designee, which have been negotiated with the exclusive representative, if any.
b. The Selection Board Precepts must emphasize performance which demonstrates the strong policy formulation capabilities, executive leadership and managerial qualities, security awareness, and highly developed functional and area expertise that are required by the Senior Foreign Service.
c. Recommendations for promotion into the SFS must be made only of career members of the Service assigned to class FS-1 who meet the requirements of 3 FAM 2324.4.
3 FAM 2323.1-2 Recommendation by the Secretary
(TL:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. The Secretary will recommend to the President the names of:
(1) Career members of the SFS who should be promoted to a higher salary class; and
(2) Career members of the Service who should be promoted into the SFS.
b. The Secretary’s recommendations will be based on the recommendations of the Selection Boards.
3 FAM 2323.1-3 Promotion of Career Members
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Career members of the SFS are promoted to a higher class in the SFS by appointment of the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
b. Career members of the Foreign Service are promoted into the Senior Foreign Service by appointment of the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
3 FAM 2323.1-4 Promotion of Members On Career Candidate Appointments
(TL:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
Members of the Senior Foreign Service on career candidate appointments will be considered for promotion as provided in 3 FAM 2260.
3 FAM 2323.1-5 Recommendation for Conferral of Personal Rank of Career Ambassador
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The Secretary may recommend to the President the conferral of the personal rank of Career Ambassador on a limited number of career members of the SFS of the class of Career Minister whose careers have been characterized by especially distinguished service over a sustained period and who meet the requirements of 3 FAM 2324.2. The Secretary’s recommendations will be based on the recommendations of a Career Ambassador Review Panel. Conferral of the personal rank of Career Ambassador will be made by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
3 FAM 2323.2 Members of the Foreign Service Below Class FS-1
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Career members of the Foreign Service below class FS-1 will be promoted by the Under Secretary for Management, or designee, in accordance with the recommendations and rankings of Selection Boards by assignment to a higher salary class in the Foreign Service schedule, with the exception of career members subject to administrative promotions under 3 FAM 2329.3.
b. Career Candidate members of the Foreign Service with limited or temporary appointments will not be considered for promotion except as provided for under 3 FAM 2240, Foreign Service Officer Career Candidate Program, under 3 FAM 2250, Foreign Service Specialist Career Candidate Program, under 3 FAM 2260, The Senior Foreign Service Officer Career Candidate Program, and in accordance with the Selection Board Precepts.
c. Members of the Foreign Service on Limited Non-career Appointments (LNAs) may be administratively promoted in accordance with the procedures in 3 FAM 2329.3, as determined by the hiring bureau.
3 FAM 2324 ELIGIBILITY
3 FAM 2324.1 General Provisions
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. The minimum period that members of the Senior Foreign Service and Foreign Service schedule must serve in class before becoming eligible for promotion by the Selection Boards must be published in the Selection Board Precepts. The minimum time-in-class periods required for Foreign Service promotions may not be waived.
b. In determining eligibility, time served on Leave Without Pay for military service, or under any type of appointment at the same or higher level in any salary schedule in the Department of State prior to the enactment of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 must be credited as time served in the equivalent FS or SFS class. Time served on Leave Without Pay for military service, or under any type of appointment at the same or higher level in any salary schedule in the USIA prior to the enactment of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 must be credited as time spent in the equivalent FS or SFS class.
c. Other eligibility criteria are published in the Selection Board Precepts.
3 FAM 2324.2 Conferral of Personal Rank of Career Ambassador
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. The personal rank of Career Ambassador may be conferred only on a career member of the Senior Foreign Service who has:
(1) Held the rank of Career Minister for a minimum of three years;
(2) Served at least 15 years in positions of significant responsibility while in Class FS-1 or above; and
(3) Demonstrated a record of extraordinary sustained achievement as Chief of Mission, Assistant Secretary, or the equivalent (see 3 FAH-1 H-2320), as well as availability for continued service for the most important positions in the Department.
b. For conferral of the rank of Career Ambassador, the officer must have served or currently be serving as a Chief of Mission.
3 FAM 2324.3 Promotion to Class of Career Minister
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Only Minister-Counselors in the SFS are eligible for promotion to the rank of Career Minister.
b. SFS members in the class of Minister-Counselor, in order to be eligible for consideration for promotion to the rank of Career Minister, must have already clearly demonstrated, through superior achievement in positions demanding broad leadership and personnel management, policy direction, and program and resource management that the officer is fully qualified to fill the most senior and responsible positions in the Service.
3 FAM 2324.4 Promotion Into the Senior Foreign Service
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Career members of the Foreign Service may be considered for promotion into the Senior Foreign Service (SFS) only if they:
(1) Have been assigned to Class 1 for the minimum period prescribed under the Selection Board Precepts; and
(2) Request that they be competed for promotion into the SFS in accordance with procedures established by the Director General and negotiated with
(3) Class 1 generalists must have achieved the designated professional level of proficiency rating in at least one foreign language. For those subject to the Career Professional Development Program, that proficiency rating must have been tested within seven years of requesting to be competed. For those subject to the Professional Development Program, that proficiency rating must have been tested after tenure at the S-3/R-3 level (or at the 3/2 level for a hard or super-hard language), or at the 4/4 level (tested either before or after tenure) but does not have to have been within the seven years of requesting to be competed.
b. A member may withdraw a request to be considered for promotion into the SFS at any time, but if the member has been considered for promotion into the SFS one or more times prior to the withdrawal, the member may not again request consideration for promotion into the SFS. (See 3 FAM 6200 regarding the number and requirements of Senior Threshold Board reviews.)
3 FAM 2324.5 UNASSIGNED.
3 FAM 2324.6 Retroactive Promotions
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. If legally permissible, retroactive promotions may be effected whenever:
(1) Necessary to carry out the provisions of 3 FAM 2328; or
(2) The promotion is made pursuant to a recommendation of the Foreign Service Grievance Board, an Equal Employment Opportunity appeals examiner, the Special Counsel of the Merit Systems Protection Board, or to correct an administrative error.
b. Promotions must be effected retroactively, if pursuant to an order or decision of the Foreign Service Grievance Board under 22 USC 4137(d)(3)(C) or the Merit Systems Protection Board, except with respect to promotions requiring Senate confirmation and Presidential appointment, in which case they will be referred to those authorities, recommending appropriate action as permissible by law.
c. Retroactive promotions will include back pay and interest in accordance with the Federal Back Pay Act of 1966.
3 FAM 2325 DETERMINATION OF NUMBER OF PROMOTIONS
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. The Director General of the Foreign Service determines the number of promotion opportunities available annually for members of the Foreign Service reviewed by the Selection Boards, taking into account such factors as vacancies, availability of funds, estimated attrition, projected needs of the Service, and the need for retention of expertise and experience.
b. Decisions by the Director General on the number of promotion opportunities into and within, and to be retained in the Senior Foreign Service will be based upon a systematic, long-term projection of personnel flows and needs, designed to provide:
(1) A regular, predictable flow of recruitment into the Service;
(2) Effective career development to meet Service needs; and
(3) A regular, predictable flow of talent upwards through the ranks and into the SFS.
c. The number of promotion opportunities must be determined for each class and skill code prior to the submission of findings and recommendations by the responsible Selection Board. A copy of the list of the numbers of promotion opportunities will be made available to the exclusive employee bargaining representative which will hold the list in confidence. Once promotion lists have been published, the employee bargaining representative may request and will receive a briefing concerning any discrepancies that appear between the previously established numbers and the actual number of promotions by class and category.
3 FAM 2326 SELECTION BOARDS AND PRECEPTS
3 FAM 2326.1 Selection Boards
3 FAM 2326.1-1 Composition
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Selection boards are normally composed of:
(1) Members of the Foreign Service; and
(2) Public members.
b. The number of Selection Boards and the composition of each will be determined by the Director General on the basis of the:
(1) Numbers and categories of employees to be evaluated;
(2) Time required for the various boards to complete their work; and
(3) Needs of the Service.
c. The organization of the boards will be published in the Selection Board Precepts.
d. The Director General will ensure that Selection Boards are fully staffed for the duration of the Selection Board process. Should members become incapacitated or otherwise incapable of performing their duties, a new member will be appointed. Newly appointed members will assume full board duties upon taking oath of office.
e. All Selection Board members must be approved by the Director General, ideally, should not serve more frequently than once every three years, and must not serve for two consecutive years.
f. All Selection Boards must include public members and a substantial number of women and members of minority groups.
g. Names of proposed Selection Board members must be provided to the exclusive employee bargaining representative, if any, for comment.
3 FAM 2326.1-2 Selection and Qualification of Members
(CT:PER-1115; 12-06-2022)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. State Members – State members of Selection Boards must, so far as possible, meet the following qualifications:
(1) Have a rank at least one class higher than that of the employees under review and, ideally, have spent a year at that higher grade;
(2) Have the depth and breadth of experience necessary to evaluate the employees designated for consideration by the boards;
(3) Have a superior record of service;
(4) Have a reputation for unbiased judgment of personnel and for perceptive evaluation of performance;and
(5) Recuse themselves from the review of the file of any relative. A “relative” is a spouse or ex-spouse, domestic partner or ex-domestic partner as described in 3 FAM 1610, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, or half-sister.
b. Public Members – Each public member of a Selection Board must, so far as possible, meet the following qualifications:
(1) Have gained extensive experience in a profession, in business, in labor, or in a non-governmental organization or institution serviced by, or having an interest in the Foreign Service;
(2) Have overseas experience, which can be through work, education, or personal travel;
(3) Be available to serve on a full-time basis during the entire time that the boards are in session;
(4) Not be employed in the Federal service at the time of appointment or during his or her service on a Selection Board;
(5) Not be a registered agent of a foreign principal, a lobbyist for a foreign entity, or receive income from a government of a foreign country;
(6) Not be a retiree from State, USAID, Foreign Commercial Service, Foreign Agriculture Service, or USGMA;
(7) Not be a friend, relative or other personal contact of any person employed in the GTM Office of Performance Evaluation (GTM/PE), the Office of the Director General and the Director of Global Talent (DGTM), or any office or individual involved in the selection/formalization of the service of the public member. A “relative” is a spouse or ex-spouse, domestic partner or ex-domestic partner as described in 3 FAM 1610, father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, first cousin, nephew, niece, father-in-law, mother-in-law, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, stepfather, stepmother, stepson, stepdaughter, stepbrother, stepsister, half-brother, or half-sister; and
(8) Not be a direct recipient of grants or other funding from the Department of State such that it could be deemed a conflict of interest.
3 FAM 2326.1-3 Functions of the Selection Boards
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The functions of the Selection Boards are:
(1) To evaluate the performance folders of members designated for consideration by the Selection Board Precepts and to rank those recommended for promotion in the order of their relative merit, in accordance with the Precepts; and to make recommendations:
(a) For promotion to the next higher class;
(b) For denial of within-class step increases to members whose performance during the most recent rating period is found to have fallen below the standards of their class;
(c) For offer or renewal of limited career extension (3 FAM 6200);
(d) Of members to be considered for possible selection-out (3 FAM 6200);
(e) For award of performance pay to career members of the Senior Foreign Service; and
(f) For review of eligible career members of the Senior Foreign Service by the Department Senior Review Board for Presidential Rank Awards.
(2) To prepare such other lists and recommendations as required by the Selection Board Precepts; and
(3) To prepare recommendations for improving the Department’s policies and procedures for evaluating the performance of members of the Service and for the operation of future Selection Boards.
3 FAM 2326.1-4 Reconstituted Boards
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
Reconstituted boards are and will be governed by an agreement between the Department and AFSA.
3 FAM 2326.2 Precepts
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. Precepts for the Selection Boards must establish the rules, procedures, and criteria governing Selection Board review including:
(1) The organization of the Selection Boards;
(2) The specific responsibilities of the Selection Boards;
(3) The categories of personnel eligible or ineligible for Selection Board review:
(4) The minimum time-in-class required of eligible employees for Selection Board review;
(5) The competition groups in which eligible employees will be reviewed;
(6) The criteria on which Selection Board recommendations are to be based; and
(7) Such other provisions relevant to Selection Board review as may be deemed appropriate.
b. The Precepts must be published and distributed to members of the Selection Boards for their guidance.
c. The Precepts must:
(1) Inform the Selection Boards of the Department’s policies on promotion and factors to be considered in evaluating employees, and
(2) Include a description of the needs of the Service for performance requirements, skills, and qualities which are to be considered in recommendations for promotion.
d. Precepts for Selection Boards responsible for recommending promotions into and within the Senior Foreign Service must:
(1) Emphasize performance that demonstrates the strong policy formulation capabilities, executive leadership and managerial qualities, and highly developed functional and area expertise that are required for the Senior Foreign Service;
(2) Emphasize that security is an inherent, inextricable and indispensable component for all employee positions at the Department of State, but especially in the Department’s most senior positions; that employees competing for promotion into or within these positions are expected to be leaders in the area of security awareness; and that Selection boards may have at their disposal information regarding an employee’s security record, including the security incident history report; and
(3) Provide instructions to the Selection Boards for rating employees of the Service on the basis of relative merit.
e. In all cases, if the language of the Selection Board Precepts varies from the FAM or the FAH, the language in the Precepts shall be governing.
3 FAM 2327 UTILIZATION OF PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES MADE AVAILABLE BY CHANGES IN PERSONNEL STATUS
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. To assure that promotion opportunities are properly utilized each year, the Office of Performance Evaluation (GTM/PE) will follow the policies below concerning addition of names to promotion lists to fill unexpected vacancies.
b. Whenever retirement, resignation, death, or other change in personnel status creates a vacancy on the pending promotion lists giving effect to Selection Board recommendations, the promotion opportunity thereby made available will be assigned to the employee recommended for promotion in that competition group who is first in rank order below the promotion cutoff point.
c. For Foreign Service members whose recommendations for promotions require Presidential appointment with the advice and consent of the Senate, to the fullest extent feasible, such substitutions will be made to the annual promotion list before it is sent by the Secretary to the White House. Where this is not possible, for example, in the case of officers resigning after the list leaves the Department, the additions will be made to the next promotion list prepared for the President.
d. The officer receiving the promotion opportunity will be notified by GTM/PE.
e. With regard to the Foreign Service promotion list approved by the Under Secretary for Management, or designee, substitutions to complete the list as provided in paragraph b above will be made to the fullest extent feasible up to the time the promotion list is approved by the Under Secretary, or designee. Where changes in personnel status free additional opportunities before promotions become effective but cannot be reflected through additions to the annual list, approval by the Under Secretary, or designee, of a promotion for the nominee will be sought as soon as feasible by separate memorandum, and the member added will be notified.
f. All promotion opportunities which become available before the effective dates of promotions as the result of changes in the status of personnel on the promotion list will be utilized through these procedures. These procedures do not apply, however, in cases of temporary removal of names from the promotion list under the provisions of 3 FAM 2328.
g. Resignations, retirements, and other changes in personnel status effective on for or after the effective date of promotion lists do not create “unutilized opportunities,” and action will not be taken to promote substitutes.
3 FAM 2328 TEMPORARY REMOVAL OF NAMES FROM RANK ORDERED LIST
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The procedures governing the removal of names from the rank ordered lists of those recommended for promotion, as authorized by section 605 of the Act, are as follows:
(1) At any time prior to the effective date of promotion members of class FS-1 or below, or prior to the date of Presidential appointment for members promoted into or within the Senior Foreign Service, the Director General will take action to at least temporarily stay the promotion of the member if the Director General determines, on the basis of notification by an appropriate office, that reason exists to believe such promotion would be inconsistent with the national interest or the efficiency of the Service. If such issues arise with a name on a rank ordered list sent to the President, the Director General or designee will confer appropriately regarding further action. Temporary removals must be based upon written notification of:
(a) Issues of loyalty, security, misconduct, suitability, or malfeasance;
(b) Failure to meet eligibility requirements established in the Selection Board Precepts or by regulation; or
(c) Indications that documentation available to the Selection Board regarding the member’s performance may have been significantly inaccurate or incomplete.
(2) Following action under 3 FAM 2328 (1), the Director General or designee will inform, unless subject to a “do not notify” order, the member concerned in writing as soon as practical of the action taken and will initiate, pursue, or monitor such inquiry, investigation, or proceedings as are appropriate to the issue giving rise to the action. The member may submit whatever information or documents the member believes are pertinent to the case. Upon disposition or resolution of the issue, the Director General will take one of the following actions:
(a) For those members below FS-01 removed from the rank ordered promotion list under 1(a), if resolution of the issue results in the inclusion of a letter of reprimand or other documentation in the member’s performance folder under 3 FAM 2810, reconvene the Selection Board that included the member on a rank ordered list to determine whether the member is qualified on the basis of the complete performance file to remain on the rank order list. If the resolution does not result in insertion of additional documentation into the member’s performance folder, order the promotion of the member retroactive to the effective date of other promotions granted by the appropriate year’s Selection Boards;
(b) For those members removed from the rank ordered promotion list under 1(b) who subsequently meet eligibility requirements, order the processing of the Board’s recommendation for the promotion of the member in accordance with the Selection Board Precepts;
(c) For those members at or above FS-01 whose actions requiring Senate confirmation and Presidential appointment and who have been removed from the rank ordered promotion list under 1(a), if resolution of the issue results in the inclusion of a letter of reprimand or other documentation in the member’s performance folder under 3 FAM 2810, reconvene the Selection Board that included the member on a rank ordered list to determine whether the member is qualified on the basis of the complete performance file to remain on the rank order list. If the resolution does not result in insertion of additional documentation into the member’s performance folder, order the inclusion of the name on the next list with the recommendation that the appointment be made retroactive to the Presidential appointment date of the rank-order list from which the member was removed.
(d) Notwithstanding the requirements of 3 FAM 2328(2)(c), where the Director General becomes aware of factors outside the control of the Department of State that prevent retroactive promotion, the Director General may order the inclusion of the member on the next list without the recommendation that the appointment be made retroactive. However, the affected member must agree in writing to a non-retroactive promotion and waive any claim to retroactive benefits.
(3) Upon reconvening, the Selection Board will receive only information on the member previously supplied to it, and material supplied under 3 FAM 2328 (2)(a). Prior to board review, the member will be supplied copies of all material added to the file and will be accorded the opportunity to submit a response or rebuttal for placement in the file. If any member of the original board is unavailable for personal participation, that member may participate by correspondence or may be excused from participation by the Director General;
(4) The finding of the reconvened board regarding the member in question will be final and binding to the same extent as if made at the initial session. If the board concludes that the member is qualified, based on current record, to retain his or her place on the rank order list, the Director General will order the inclusion of the name on the next promotion list with the effective date retroactive to the date of the promotion list from which the name was initially excluded (except for promotions requiring Senate confirmation and Presidential appointment, which will be handled in accordance with 3 FAM 2328(2)(c)), or, for Selection Board lists prior to 2017, order the conferral of an MSI retroactive to the date of other MSIs granted by the appropriate year’s Selection Boards where applicable. If the board concludes that the member is not currently qualified, based on current record to retain his or her standing on the rank order list, the Director General will confirm the prior exclusion from the specific list at issue;
(5) Notwithstanding the time-in-class (TIC) limits established in 3 FAM 6213, mandatory retirement for expiration of maximum TIC of a member whose name has been removed from a promotion list under the authority of 3 FAM 2328(1) will be suspended until one of the following occurs:
(a) The Director General orders the inclusion of the member’s name on a promotion list (see 3 FAM 2328(2) and 3 FAM 2328(4)); or
(b) The Director General confirms the prior exclusion of the name from the promotion list (see 3 FAM 2328(4)).
(6) If a member whose name was temporarily removed from a promotion list receives a retroactive promotion under 3 FAM 2328(2) or 3 FAM 2328(4), the member’s maximum single-class time-in-class for the class to which the member has been promoted must begin from the date the promotion is implemented rather than from the effective date of the promotion; and
(7) When a member in the circumstances described in 3 FAM 2328(6) is also subject to a cumulative time-in-class, the full balance remaining in such time-in-class at the time promotion was suspended must be restored as of the date the promotion is implemented.
3 FAM 2329 EFFECTING PROMOTIONS FOR MEMBERS OF THE FOREIGN SERVICE
3 FAM 2329.1 Effective Date for Members of the Foreign Service Promoted Into and Within the Senior Foreign Service
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The effective date of promotion for members promoted into or within the Senior Foreign Service must be the first day of the pay period after the President appoints the member after receiving the advice and consent of the Senate, unless the President specifies another date.
3 FAM 2329.2 Effective Date for Other Foreign Service Members
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The effective date for members of the Service promoted by assignment to a higher salary class in the Foreign Service schedule must be established by the Under Secretary for Management, or designee.
3 FAM 2329.3 Administrative Promotions
3 FAM 2329.3-1 Policy
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
a. These policies and procedures govern the promotion of all members of the Foreign Service in classes designated as eligible for administrative promotion who are serving in career candidate or career appointments. These regulations apply to both categories of personnel as specified.
b. In order to be promoted administratively, career and career candidate members of the Foreign Service in the applicable classes need only meet the time-in-class requirements in 3 FAM 2329.3-2 and demonstrate that their performance has been satisfactory.
3 FAM 2329.3-2 Time-in-Class Considerations for Administrative Promotions
(CT:PER-898; 02-01-2018)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
The following time-in-class requirements apply to members of the Foreign Service to whom this section applies:
(1) Members in class FS-9 will be promoted administratively to class FS-8 on the basis of satisfactory performance after 12 months in class;
(2) Members with primary skill codes in the office management field will be promoted administratively based on satisfactory performance from class FS-8 to FS-7 after 12 months in class and from FS-7 to FS-6 after 12 months in class;
(3) All other members who are at class FS-5 or below will be promoted administratively, one class at a time, up to class FS-5 following completion of 12 months in each class with satisfactory performance and from class FS-5 to FS-4 following completion of 18 months in class with satisfactory performance; and
(4) Members entering skill code and class subject to administrative promotion, through skill code conversion or other lateral transfer, will be given credit in calculating required time-in-class for periods of previous service in present class or higher while assigned to a position with the primary skill code of the new occupational category.
3 FAM 2329.3-3 Deferral or Denial of Administrative Promotion
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
At the time a member becomes eligible for a scheduled administrative promotion, the Director General may order the deferral or denial of a promotion if the Director General determines such promotion would be inconsistent with the national interest or the efficiency of the Service. Such determinations must be based upon the procedures published in 3 FAH-1 H-2320.
3 FAM 2329.3-4 Effective Date
(CT:PER-714; 12-09-2013)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
Foreign Service career candidates and career members in classes FS-5 and below who meet the criteria for promotion under these regulations will be promoted effective the beginning of the first pay period following eligibility.
3 FAM 2329.3-5 Transitional Period
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
These regulations will apply to Foreign Service members at class FS-5 and below who have been converted to career appointments or career candidate appointments (02 tenure code) under sections 2101 and 2106 of the Act, if such members were converted to classes and occupational categories subject to administrative promotions identified in 3 FAH-1 H-2320. In calculating the TIC requirement for promotion, such members must receive credit toward eligibility for promotion for any period spent in the equivalent class from which converted during which they had a primary skill code in their current occupational category or were assigned to a position with such a primary skill code.
3 FAM 2329.3-6 Foreign Service Members Not Covered by Administrative Promotion
(CT:PER-1009; 07-20-2020)
(State Only)
(Applies to the Foreign Service Only)
Foreign Service members above those class levels designated for administrative promotion will compete for available promotion opportunities in their occupational categories along with other eligible members in their classes and competition groups in regular Selection Board competition in accordance with Selection Board Precepts.