13 FAH-1 H-420

Description of Programs

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Office of Origin: FSI)

13 FAH-1 H-421 Retirement Planning Seminars

13 FAH-1 H-421.1 Description

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. The Retirement Planning Seminar (RPS) explores financial, health, and other areas of interest associated with retirement, as well as possibilities for post-retirement life options.

b. The two day Mid-Career Retirement Planning Seminar (MCRPS) is designed for personnel who are 10 to 15 years from retirement. It provides information on annuities and benefits, TSP, financial management and estate planning.

13 FAH-1 H-421.2 Eligibility Criteria

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. The following U.S. citizen employees are eligible to attend the RPS and MCRPS:

(1) All full-time permanent Foreign Service and Civil Service employees of the Department who are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System, Federal Employees Retirement System, Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System, or the Foreign Service Pension System;

(2) Employees from other U.S. Government Agencies, on a space available, reimbursable basis; and

(3) Spouses of those State employees enrolled in the RPS are encouraged and welcome to attend (i.e., the same session with their spouse employee sponsor only) on a space-available basis, but will not be formally enrolled. (In the case of tandem couples, where both spouses are State employees, each should enroll separately.)

b. Priority enrollment into the RPS is given to employees facing mandatory or involuntary retirement or separation (except separation for cause).

13 FAH-1 H-421.3 Enrollment Procedures

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. The Career Transition Center, in the Transition Center (FSI/TC/CTC) maintains a regular schedule of retirement planning seminars, which may be adjusted to assure maximum attendance. FSI/TC/CTC announces the seminars in the annual Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Schedule of Courses, by Department Notices and telegrams to the field, and on the Departments OpenNet.

b. State employees should apply for the RPS and MCRPS via online enrollment through the FSI OpenNet Web site. Non-State applicants should use Form SF-182, Request, Authorization, Agreement and Certification of Training.

(1) Foreign Service personnel must request their Career Development Officer (CDO) in the Office of Career Development and Assignments (HR/CDA) to register them for the RPS if they plan to take the RPS during a period of post-to-post (onward assignment) training or in connection with home leave in Washington, DC (i.e., the training needs to be reflected in travel orders issued by the Bureau of Human Resources (HR));

(2) Personnel (excepting those Foreign Service (FS) employees registering through HR/CDA) should obtain their supervisors approval and register through their bureau training officer;

(3) The completed form, approved by the participants supervisor and training officer, should be submitted to FSI; and

(4) State participants interested in having their spouses attend the RPS with them should contact FSIs Career Transition Center to have the spouse placed on a waiting list.

c. FSI Registrars Office (FSI/EX/REG) sends email confirmation to individuals when enrollment is finalized.

d. Employees attending the RPS may be entitled to per diem only to the extent allowed by HR.

e. Employees requesting the RPS at time of retirement who are assigned to a location other than Washington, DC will be authorized travel to their service separation address via Washington, DC to attend the course, if they have not taken the RPS previously and the separation address is not in the Washington, DC area. Eligible family members (EFMs) will be authorized to travel directly to the service separation address only. (This is not applicable to the MCRPS.)

13 FAH-1 H-422 Job Search Program (JSP)

13 FAH-1 H-422.1 Description

(CT:FSIH-01; 12-20-2007)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. The JSP is an intensive learning experience based on individual and group training and counseling. The programs purpose is to help participants make the transition from employment by the Department to other employment or activities. The primary focus is to help participants acquire the skills and knowledge needed to find jobs outside the Department.

b. The program consists of three phases:

(1) Assistance in self-analysis, appraisal, resume preparation, and interview practice;

(2) Developing job-search strategies; and

(3) Advice in conducting the job search.

c. The full program lasts 60 days. Depending on the eligibility criteria given below, employees may participate in the program in pay status for 60 calendar days or 30 calendar days.

13 FAH-1 H-422.2 Eligibility Criteria

13 FAH-1 H-422.2-1 Full-Time Participation

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. Career U.S. citizen Foreign Service employees may participate in the program for the last 60 calendar days before their retirement or involuntary separation. Employees separated for cause are not eligible to participate in the program.

b. Career U.S. citizen Civil Service employees may participate in the program for the last 30 calendar days before their voluntary retirement, or the last 60 days before involuntary separation. Employees separated for cause are not eligible to participate in the program.

c. Spouses of those enrolled in the JSP are encouraged and welcome to attend many of the general sessions on an informal basis, space permitting. Small group workshops, individual counseling, resume evaluations, and courses from the FSI catalog are not open to spouses through this program.

13 FAH-1 H-422.2-2 Participation After Separation

(CT:FSIH-01; 12-20-2007)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. Former employees may participate in the JSP up to one year after separation, if they applied to do so before separation and were accepted.

b. Such post-separation participation must be in a non-pay status, and per diem or other reimbursements will not be authorized.

13 FAH-1 H-422.2-3 Other Requirements

(CT:FSIH-01; 12-20-2007)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

Those retiring voluntarily must have applied for retirement before entering the program, and must submit a retirement agreement (see 13 FAH-1 Exhibit H-422.2-3) in which they agree to repay to the U.S. Government their basic salary and the cost of tuition for the time they participated in the program if they withdraw their retirement application. The Transition Center (FSI/TC) will refer repayment actions to the Office of Retirement (HR/RET).

13 FAH-1 H-422.2-4 Employees Assigned Abroad

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

Separation orders for employees assigned abroad will include authorization to travel to the Service separation address via Washington, DC to attend the JSP. Neither per diem nor transfer allowances will be authorized; participation will be at the expense of the employees. If the Retirement Planning Seminar is attended immediately preceding the JSP, per diem will not be authorized in connection with either course. Family members will be authorized travel directly to the service separation address only.

13 FAH-1 H-422.3 Enrollment Procedures

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. Foreign Service personnel: Employees must request their Career Development Officer in HR/CDA to register them for the JSP. Applications must be received no later than the deadlines listed in course listings, online, and/or the FSI Schedule of Courses.

b. Civil Service personnel: Application to attend the JSP must be submitted via online enrollment through the FSI OpenNet Web site. Applications must be received no later than the deadlines listed in course listings, online and/or the FSI Schedule of Courses.

c. Applications to attend the JSP by employees being separated involuntarily (except for cause) may be disapproved only by the Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Human Resources. Applications to attend the JSP by employees retiring voluntarily may be disapproved only by an Assistant Secretary, Chief of Mission or officer of equivalent or higher rank.

d. FSI Office of the Registrar sends email confirmation to students enrolled in the JSP.

e. For domestically-based employees, their home bureau or office will continue to record and submit their time and attendance data to the appropriate payroll office during the JSP. FSI/TC/CTC records and submits time and attendance reports only for those employees joining the program directly from assignments abroad.

13 FAH-1 H-423 Other Programs

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)
(Civil Service and Foreign Service Employees)

a. FSI/TC/CTC also offers a variety of other shorter courses and programs such as the Financial Management and Estate Planning Seminar, and the Annuities and Benefits and Social Security Seminar. (These courses are included in the Retirement Planning Seminar, but may be taken as separate courses.) These courses are announced in the annual FSI Schedule of Courses, by Department Notices and telegrams to the field, and on the Departments OpenNet.

b. These offerings are normally open to all U.S. Government employees regardless of age or retirement eligibility date. Any restrictions for specific courses are included in the course descriptions and/or application guidelines announced for them.

c. Applications should be submitted via online application through the FSI OpenNet Web site. (Non-State applications use Form SF-182, Request, Authorization, Agreement and Certification of Training.) State participants interested in having their spouses attend should contact FSIs Career Transition Center to have the spouse placed on a waiting list.

13 FAH-1 H-424 THROUGH H-429 UNASSIGNED

 

13 FAH-1 Exhibit H-422.2-3
Retirement Agreement

(CT:FSIH-08; 06-26-2012)
(Uniform State/USAID)

RETIREMENT AGREEMENT

(SAMPLE ONLY)

 

 

I, ________________________________________, hereby affirm that I have submitted my retirement application as a condition for entry and participation in the Department of States Job Search Program. I have set my date of retirement as ____________________.

 

I further acknowledge and accept without limitations or exception, upon entrance full-time into the Job Search Program, the obligation to reimburse the Department the amount of my salary for the period of participation in the Program, and the cost of the course tuition set by the Foreign Service Institute, ($X,XXX.xx in Fiscal Year XXXX) should I voluntarily withdraw my retirement application.

 

I understand that any amounts which may be due the agency as a result of any failure on my part to meet the terms of this agreement may be withheld from any monies owed me by the Government, or may be recovered by such other methods as are approved and allowable under the law.

 

 

 

_________________________ _________________________

Signature of Employee Typed/Printed Name of Employee

 

_________________________ _________________________

Post, Bureau, or Office Date

 

_________________________ _________________________

Signature of Witness Typed/Printed Name of Witness