3 FAM 3200
ALLOWANCES
3 FAM 3210
GENERAL INFORMATION
(CT:PER-992; 05-20-2020)
(Office of Origin: A/OPR/ALS)
3 FAM 3211 AUTHORITY
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The authorities for each type of allowance can be found in 3 FAM Exhibit 3210, and the government-wide Department of State Standardized Regulations (U.S. Government Civilians, Foreign Areas) (DSSR). Refer to DSSR Section 010 for legal authorities.
b. Supplemental regulations may also be found in:
(1) Automated Directive System Chapter (ADS) Chapter 477, Allowances and Differentials;
(2) FAS and APHIS Directives (USDA);
(3) Manual of Operations and Administration (USAGM); and
(4) The Foreign Service Personnel Management Manual (Commerce).
3 FAM 3212 APPLICABILITY
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. This regulation applies to Foreign Service and Civil Service employees employed by Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies.
b. For further guidance on the applicability of these regulations to various employees, refer to Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) Section 030.
3 FAM 3213 AUTHORIZING OFFICIALS
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The authorizing officials for Department of State and other foreign affairs agencies in Washington, DC and at post are listed in 3 FAM Exhibit 3211.
3 FAM 3214 DEFINITIONS
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
· For allowance definitions, refer to 3 FAM Exhibit 3210.
· Definitions listed in the DSSR Section 040 apply to all chapters of the 3 FAM 3200 and to subchapter 3 FAH-1 H-3210 regulations, unless waived or modified in specific instances.
· Supplementary definitions, which apply to specific chapters or sections only, will be found in the General Provisions of the respective sections.
3 FAM 3215 FORM SF-1190, FOREIGN ALLOWANCES APPLICATION, GRANT AND REPORT
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. Employees eligible for temporary quarters subsistence, living quarters, extraordinary quarters, foreign transfer, home service transfer, separate maintenance, danger pay, post hardship differential, post allowance, or education allowances should complete an original Standard Form (SF) -1190, Foreign Allowances Application, Grant and Report (revised 07/2009), and submit the form to the authorizing principal or management officer following arrival at post.
b. The authorizing officer is authorized to submit a Form SF-1190 on the member’s behalf if the member is absent from post.
3 FAM 3216 HEADQUARTERS (Washington, DC)
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
Headquarters in Washington, DC may grant, revise, or terminate:
(1) Allowances specified in 3 FAM Exhibit 3210.for employees who claim payment at Headquarters on the basis of prior service at posts abroad;
(2) Separate maintenance, home service transfer and foreign transfer allowances; and
(3) Special Allowances––The Assistant Secretary of State for Administration (A) is authorized to grant, revise, or terminate special allowances for State, USAID, USAGM, Commerce, and Agriculture employees in accordance with DSSR Section 013.
3 FAM 3217 PROCEDURES
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
The procedures for filing, examining, reviewing and disposition of the Form SF-1190 are found in:
(1) Chapter 3 FAH-1 H-3210; myData Knowledge Portal (Department forms application).
(2) Office of Allowances Intranet website and Office of Allowances Internet website: Refer to Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) Section 077.
3 FAM 3218 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
(CT:PER-924; 09-21-2018)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service & Civil Service Employees)
a. The lead agency at each post, usually the Department of State, is responsible for the preparation and submission of allowance and differential reports. To determine whether your agency is the lead agency at post, refer to Section 920 of the DSSR.
b. Reports are submitted in accordance with regulations of the appropriate Foreign Service agency and/or Department of State, Office of Allowances. Refer to DSSR 072.11 and DSSR 072.12, Schedule of Allowance and Differential Reporting.
c. For further information regarding notification of new and closed posts, procedures in event of delayed reports, report forms, and/or reporting data for per diem and post allowance, etc., refer to DSSR 070-077 for guidelines and procedures.
3 FAM 3219 ADVANCE OF PAY UPON ASSIGNMENT TO A POST IN A FOREIGN AREA
(CT:PER-949; 06-27-2019)
(Uniform State/USAID/USAGM/Commerce/Foreign Service Corp-USDA)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Procedures and guidelines for advance of pay upon assignment to a post in a foreign area are found in 3 FAH-1 H-3210.
3 FAM Exhibit 3210
Allowance Reference Table
(CT:PER-873; 08-28-2017)
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ALLOWANCE |
LEGAL AUTHORITY |
FOREIGN AFFAIRS MANUAL |
FOREIGN AFFAIRS HANDBOOK |
DEPARTMENT OF STATE STANDARDIZED REGULATIONS |
DEFINITIONS |
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Quarters Allowances |
Generally, 5 U.S.C 5923 |
3 FAH-1 H- 3220 |
Generally, DSSR, Chapter 100 |
Quarters allowances are granted under authority of 5 U.S.C. 5923 and Department of State Standardized Regulations (DSSR) Chapters 100-130. Each quarters allowance is designed to reimburse an employee for substantially all costs of residing in either temporary or permanent living quarters. A quarters allowance is not granted when Government housing is provided. (See further explanations below.) |
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QUARTERS ALLOWANCES |
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Temporary Quarters Subsistence Allowance (TQSA) |
5 U.S.C. 5923 (a)(1) |
3 FAH-1 H- 3220 |
Subchapter 120 and Section 960 TQSA Worksheet |
A quarters allowance granted to an employee for the reasonable cost of temporary quarters, meals and laundry expenses incurred by the employee and/or family member at the foreign post upon initial arrival or preceding final departure. |
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Living Quarters Allowance (LQA) |
5 U.S.C. 5923 (a)(2) |
3 FAH-1 H- 3220 |
Subchapter 130 and Section 960; Form DS-0130 "Living Quarters Allowance Annual/Interim Expenditure Worksheet" |
A quarters allowance granted to an employee for the annual cost of suitable, adequate, living quarters for the employee and his or her family. |
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Extraordinary Quarters Allowance (EQA) |
5 U.S.C. 5923 (a)(3) |
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Subchapter 138 and Section 960; Form DS-0138 "Extraordinary Quarter Allowance Worksheet" |
A quarters allowance granted to an employee when the employee must vacate his/her permanent quarters due to USG renovations or unhealthy or dangerous conditions. |
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Cost of Living Allowances |
Generally, |
3 FAH-1 H- 3230 |
Generally, DSSR, Chapter 200 |
Allowances intended to reimburse employees for certain extra costs that they incur because of being assigned overseas. Cost of living allowances are granted under the authority of title 5 U.S.C. 5924 and include the post allowance, the foreign transfer allowance, the home service transfer allowance, the separate maintenance allowance, the education allowances, and educational travel. |
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COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCES |
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Post Allowance |
5 U.S.C. 5924(1) |
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Subchapter 220 and Section 960 Omnibus Exhibit |
A cost-of-living allowance granted to an employee officially stationed at a post in a foreign area where the cost of living, exclusive of quarters' costs, is substantially higher than in Washington, DC. The post allowance is designed to permit employees to spend the same portion of their salaries for their standard living expenses as they would if they were residing in Washington, DC. |
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Foreign Transfer Allowance (FTA) |
5 U.S.C. 5924(2)(A) |
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Subchapter 240 and Section 960; Form DS-0240 "Foreign Transfer Allowance Worksheet" |
An allowance granted to employees for extraordinary, necessary and reasonable expenses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred by an employee incident to establishing him or herself at any post of assignment in a foreign area, prior to departure for such post. FTA includes a miscellaneous expense portion, a wardrobe expense portion, a pre-departure subsistence expense portion, and a lease penalty expense portion. |
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Home Service Transfer Allowance (HSTA) |
5 U.S.C. 5924(2)(B) |
3 FAH-1 H 3230 |
Subchapter 250 and Section 960; Form DS-0250 "Home Service Transfer Allowance Worksheet" |
An allowance for extraordinary necessary and reasonable expenses, not otherwise compensated for, incurred by an employee incident to establishing him/herself at a post of assignment in the U. S. HSTA includes a miscellaneous expense portion, a wardrobe expense portion, a subsistence expense portion, and a lease penalty expense portion. |
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Separate Maintenance Allowance (SMA) |
5 U.S.C. 5924(3) |
3 FAH-1 3230 |
Subchapter 260 and Section 960 Omnibus Exhibit |
An allowance to assist an employee who is required to maintain family members at locations other than his/her overseas post of assignment either due to (a) dangerous, notably unhealthful, or excessively adverse living conditions at the post, (b) for the convenience of the Government, or (c.) because of special needs or hardship involving the employee or family member. |
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Education Allowance |
5 U.S.C. 5924(4) |
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Subchapter 270 and Section 960; Form DS-0270 "Education Allowance Worksheet" |
An allowance to assist an employee in meeting the extraordinary and necessary expenses incurred by the employee in providing adequate elementary and secondary education for dependent children at an overseas post of assignment. |
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Educational Travel |
5 U.S.C. 5924(4)(B) |
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Subchapter 280 and Section 960 Omnibus Exhibit. |
An allowance permitting travel to and from a school for purposes of attending secondary school, post-secondary (undergraduate or graduate level) college or university, or an accredited post-secondary vocational or technical institution. Students receiving the educational travel allowance while attending secondary school may not receive the education allowance. |
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OTHER ALLOWANCES |
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Representation Allowance |
22 U.S.C. 4085 |
3 FAH-1 H 3240 |
Chapter 300 |
An allowance intended to cover allowable expenditures by employees, including foreign national employees, and by adult family members acting on behalf of those employees, when these expenditures are made to help establish and maintain relationships of value to the U.S. in foreign countries. |
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Official Residence Expenses (ORE) |
5 U.S.C 5913 |
3 FAH-1 H 3250 |
Chapter 400 |
An allowance granted to assist principal representatives with the unusual expenses which they incur in the operation and maintenance of a suitable official residence. The expenses must be in excess of the usual expenses incident to the operation and maintenance of the residence he or she would occupy if he or she were serving at the post in any other capacity. |
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Post Hardship Differential |
5 U.S.C. 5925(a) |
Chapter 500 and section 960 Omnibus Exhibit |
A differential to provide additional compensation of 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 percent over basic compensation to employees for service at places in foreign areas where conditions of environment differ substantially from conditions of environment in the continental United States and warrant additional compensation as a recruitment and retention incentive. A hardship differential is established for locations where the living conditions are extraordinarily difficult, involve excessive physical hardship, or are notably unhealthy. |
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Danger Pay Allowance |
5 U.S.C. 5928 |
NA |
Chapter 650 and Section 960 Omnibus Exhibit |
An allowance that provides additional compensation of 15, 25, or 35 percent over basic compensation to U.S. Government civilian employees, including chiefs of mission, for service at places in foreign areas where dangerous conditions that could threaten the health or well-being of an employee exist. |
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Advance of Pay |
5 U.S.C. 5927 |
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Chapter 850 |
The head of an agency may provide for the advance payment of up to three months' pay to or for the account of an employee proceeding to or arriving at a post of assignment in the foreign area. Advance of pay may also be paid for certain medical emergencies. |
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Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential (also known as Service Need Differential or Special Incentive Differential) |
5 U.S.C. 5925(b) |
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Chapter 1000 |
The head of the agency may grant a Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential of an additional 15 percent over basic compensation to employees assigned to a hardship post upon a determination additional pay is warranted to fill the employee’s position at that post. |
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3 FAM Exhibit 3211
Authority
(CT:PER-992; 05-20-2020)
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AGENCY |
WASHINGTON, D.C. |
AT POST |
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State |
The Executive Director of the Bureau to which the employee is assigned. The Bureau of Global Talent Management (GTM) for FTA and HSTA |
Principal/Management officer or designee for the principal post. Also refer to DSSR 013. |
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USAID |
ADS, Series 400, Chapter 477 |
The Mission Director or designee. |
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Commerce |
HR Manager, Office of Foreign Service Human Capital |
Head of establishment abroad |
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USDA |
FAS, Deputy Administrator Foreign Agricultural Affairs |
FAS- principal/management officer or designee; APHIS-Deputy Administrator, International Services, in Headquarters, Washington, DC |
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USAGM |
Director of Personnel, M/P |
See MOA V-B, 122.3 |