3 FAM 2650
Foreign Service Position Classification
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(Office of Origin: HR/RMA)
3 FAM 2651 Authorities
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as
amended, authorizes the Secretary of State to classify positions in the Foreign
Service;
b. 1 FAM 014
Organizational Control, Policies, and Functional Statements; and
c. 3 FAM 2610
Position Management.
3 FAM 2652 Exclusions
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
This section applies to positions in the Foreign Service
(FS), and excludes:
a. Civil Service (CS) positions, including Senior Executive
Service (SES) and Senior Level (SL) positions;
b. Consular Agent positions (see 3 FAM 8900);
c. Chiefs of Missions (COM) and Ambassador-at-Large
positions (see Section 501 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended);
d. Positions for overseas employees (as defined at 3
FAM 7000); or
e. Other positions specifically excluded from FS
position classification by law, Executive Order, or regulation.
3 FAM 2653 Definitions
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Class The grade level of a FS
employee/position.
Classification Standard A
document issued to relate the grade level definitions to specific work
situations and thereby provide the basis for assigning each position the
appropriate title, series/skill, and grade/class. The Office of Personnel
Management (OPM) develops Civil Service classification standards and HR/RMA
develops and implements FS classification standards.
Deputy A position with the
official designation of deputy serves as an alter ego to a manager of high
rank or level and either fully shares with the manager the direction of all
phases of the organization's program and work, or is assigned continuing
responsibility for managing a major part of the manager's program when the
total authority and responsibility for the organization is equally divided
between the manager and the deputy.
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)
Designation A status assigned to employees and positions that
designates whether or not an employee/position meets one or more of the
exemption criteria found in part 551 of Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations
(CFR), and supplemental guidance issued by OPM. The actual duties performed by
the employee drive the FLSA determination for the employee. The FLSA
determination is documented on the DS-5105.
Foreign Service Officer (FSO,
Generalist) An employee who is appointed under section 302(a)(1) of
the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended. FS Generalist positions are
designated with the FO pay plan. (Note that FSO career candidates (i.e.,
pre-tenure generalists) are appointed under section 303 of the Foreign Service
Act of 1980, as amended, and designated with the FP pay plan.)
Foreign Service Specialist An
employee who is appointed under section 303 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980,
as amended. FS Specialist positions are designated with the FP pay plan.
Maintenance Review A planned,
strategic review of the classification of positions. HR/RMA reviews the
classification of all FS positions on a regular basis (every 1-2 years), or as
necessary.
Pay plan A two-digit code
used to identify federal pay systems.
Position Description (PD) The
official description of duties and responsibilities assigned and performed that
designates the correct title, pay plan, skill/series, and class/grade. PDs
should include an evaluation report that describes which classification
standards were considered and how each factor level is applied in determining
the final grade of the position. PDs should also be accompanied by an FLSA
determination. In the Foreign Service, Standard Form Position Descriptions
(SFPDs) are used for overseas positions. All SFPDs are developed and approved
by HR/RMA.
Position Title Official
position titles are descriptive of the primary purpose of the work being
performed. Official position titles may also incorporate supervisory status or
managerial status if allowed by the classification criteria, as prescribed by
OPM and/or HR/RMA. Functional/Working titles are unofficial descriptive titles
that further describe the work/role being performed.
Reconsideration A process
where the classification of a position is reviewed after a formal request is
made by the supervisor and/or executive office.
Senior Foreign Service Officer (SFS)
An employee who is appointed under section 302(a)(1) of the Foreign Service
Act of 1980, as amended. SFS positions are designated with the FE pay plan.
Skill Code A four-digit code
assigned to skills that are performed in the Foreign Service. All skill codes
must be developed and assigned by HR/RMA.
Span of control The number of
employees supervised by a supervisory/managerial position. Per 1 FAM 014.5,
span of control is a significant aspect of organizational design, and
organizational layers should be limited to the number of layers consistent with
effective span of control.
3 FAM 2654 Responsibilities for FS
Position Classification
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. Director General of the Foreign Service and Director
of Human Resources (DGHR):
Assists the Secretary of State and Under Secretary for Management
(M) by directing the formulation and implementation of human resources policies
and programs.
b. Office of Resource Management and Organizational
Analysis (HR/RMA):
(1) Manages the Departments worldwide position
management program. All policies outlined in 1 FAM 014 and 3 FAM 2610 must
be strictly adhered to when implementing the Departments position management
program, including maintaining an efficient span of control, minimizing
organizational layers, and preventing duplication of work functions.
(2) Establishes and administers policies and
procedures for the conduct of organizational and workload studies. Conducts
Department organizational and competency studies and reviews organizational
proposals prior to final approval, consistent with 1 FAM 014, to
determine potential impact on organizational functions and alignment, position
management, and FS position classification.
(3) Develops, modifies, and implements position
classification programs, policies, and standards, and develops operational
procedures for the classification of all Foreign Service positions. Oversees
all FS classification policy, including the development and maintenance of FS
skill codes, with full authority to review, alter, cancel, or correct any FS
position classification determination. Makes recommendations to the Director
General regarding the approval and revocation of all delegations of FS position
classification authority.
(4) Approves the establishment of all assistant,
chief, deputy, and director positions at the Office Director-level and below.
See 1 FAM 014
and 3 FAM 2610
for further information on the establishment of these types of positions.
(5) Regularly reviews the classification of all
Foreign Service positions and reclassifies (as necessary) Foreign Service
positions to ensure they are properly classified to attract and retain the
appropriate level of experienced candidates for each position in support of a
regular, predictable flow-through of the Foreign Service; effective career
development patterns to meet the needs of the Foreign Service; and a regular,
predictable flow of talent upward through the ranks and into the Senior Foreign
Service.
c. Bureau Executive Offices:
(1) Submit requests to HR/RMA to classify FS positions
on behalf of managers and supervisors in their bureau, using guidance provided
by HR/RMA.
(2) Ensure all FS classification requests comply with 1 FAM 014 and 3
FAM 2600 regulations.
d. Managers and Supervisors:
(1) Ensure job duties and responsibilities are
properly described in FS position descriptions. Note: Intentional
misrepresentation of actual duties and responsibilities of a position may
constitute fraud and misuse of the resources of the government and may result
in disciplinary and/or legal action. Managers and supervisors must certify
each FS position description, which ensures the accuracy of the position
description and its necessity for the performance of government work under the
control of the supervisor.
(2) Remain aware of changes in position content and
initiate a redescription of duties, when warranted, to ensure that all position
descriptions are up-to-date and consistent with work actually being performed
by subordinates in support of their organizational mission and functions.
(3) Advise and consult with HR Specialists, through
their executive offices, on potential or impending programmatic, operational,
or position changes that may affect their subordinates. This includes
establishing and maintaining within each supervisors specific area of
responsibility an effective position structure consistent with 1 FAM 014 and 3 FAM 2610
regulations and approved FTE allocations.
3 FAM 2655 Foreign Service Pay Plans
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
FS Pay plans typically utilized within the Department
include:
a. FA Chiefs of Mission appointed under:
(1) Section 302(a)(1) of the Foreign Service Act of
1980, as amended (career or non-career appointments by the President with the
advice and consent of the Senate) or assigned under; and
(2) section 502(c) of the Foreign Service Act, as
amended (career members of the Foreign Service appointed by the President, as
delegated to the Secretary of State and through the Secretary to the Under
Secretary for Management).
b. FE SFS employees. Requires appointment by the
President by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
c. FO FS Officers commissioned by the President.
Requires appointment by the President by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate.
d. FP FS Officer career candidates (pre-tenure
Generalists), FS specialists, PIT (part-time or intermittent work schedule or a
temporary appointment), appointments for American Family Members, and
non-career limited appointments overseas.
3 FAM 2656 Foreign Service Skill Codes
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. FS skill codes are four-digit numerical codes that
HR/RMA assigns to approved Foreign Service occupational skills. These are used
in the human resources data system for both classifying positions and
describing the skills of FS members. HR/RMA approves and maintains all Foreign
Service skill codes and skill code definitions for the Department.
b. Click Foreign Service Skill Codes for a listing of
codes and their definitions.
3 FAM 2657 Foreign Service Class
Civil Service Grade Level Equivalency
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. The Foreign Service position class levels and their
equivalent Civil Service position grade levels are as follows:
Foreign Service Civil Service
FO-01 FP-01 GS-15
FO-02 FP-02 GS-14
FO-02 FP-02 GS-13
FO-03 FP-03 GS-12
FO-04 FP-04 GS-11
FO-05 FP-05 GS-10
FO-05 FP-05 GS-09
FO-06 FP-06 GS-08
FO-07 FP-07 GS-07
FO-08 FP-08 GS-06
FO-09 FP-09 GS-05
b. FO and FP are different pay plans, but the pay
rates associated with these plans are both linked to the Foreign Service
schedule. Employees with the FP designation are generally eligible for Title
5 premium compensation. Commissioned FSOs with the FO designation may not
receive Title 5 premium compensation.
3 FAM 2658 Foreign Service Position
Classification Reconsiderations
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
a. HR/RMA makes all position classification
determinations for Foreign Service positions, including Senior Foreign Service
positions. Reconsideration for such determinations is entirely at the
discretion of HR/RMA. All requests for reconsideration must be made in writing
to HR/RMA by the bureau Executive Director with jurisdiction over the FS
positions. Requests for reconsideration are not the same as position
classification appeals (covered in 3 FAM 2659).
b. All requests for reconsideration must:
(1) Clearly state the reason(s) for reconsideration
with reference to established or approved position classification criteria;
(2) Specify the requested pay plan, title, skill code,
and class level;
(3) Provide relevant supporting materials, information
and/or documentation, including a valid organizational chart; and
(4) Be received within 15 calendar days of the date
the FS position was classified.
3 FAM 2659 Position Classification
Appeals
(CT:PER-946; 05-20-2019)
(State Only)
(Applies to Foreign Service Employees)
Foreign Service employees may not file position
classification appeals. The Foreign Service is a rank-in-person HR system, and
as such, FS employee ranks do not necessarily equate to the rank of the
positions on which they may bid, nor to which they are assigned.