1.  AFSA President Susan R. Johnson, on behalf of the Governing Board, is pleased to be able to provide the following update on the implementation of Overseas Comparability Pay and Same-Sex Partner Benefits.

 

COMPARABILITY PAY

 

2.  Comparability Pay:  The State Department and USAID have already moved to implement Overseas Comparability Pay and we understand that all other Foreign Affairs Agencies, with the possible exception of IBB, have sufficient funds available to implement this for their members.  We urge them to do so without delay to avoid the possibility of unequal treatment of Foreign Service members from different agencies.  We are working on ensuring IBB is able to implement as well.  We still have ground to cover in achieving full implementation, but taking this first step forward is historic and a milestone.  AFSA finds great satisfaction in the knowledge that our aggressive, creative, and unyielding advocacy approach has borne fruit in the form additional resources to you and your families. That was our goal all along – serving and representing you. Nothing is more important and basic to AFSA that advancing your interests.

 

3.  State 75056 from Under Secretary of State Patrick Kennedy spelled out the procedure for the State Department, and we presume that implementation by other agencies will follow a similar pattern.  In essence, in Phase 1 of implementation, State FS-01s and below serving overseas can expect a 7.7% increase in basic pay to be paid for pay period 17 on September 10.  We understand that other agencies may be implementing a pay period or so later.  Allowances and benefits calculated using basic pay, such as post allowance, danger pay and post differential will also be adjusted and paid accordingly.  It is anticipated that eligible employees will also receive a locality adjustment in January 2010, at the same time as those located in Washington, DC.   However, Phases 2 and 3 - to provide 7.7% increases in the ensuing two years – still require congressional authorization and funding.

 

DOMESTIC PARTNERS

 

4.  Domestic Partners: 3 FAM 1600 on Domestic Partners came into force for all Foreign Affairs agencies on July 30, 2009, with an effective, retroactive date for the State Department, of June 26th.  14 FAM 511.3 has been changed to add the term "domestic partner as defined in 3 FAM 1610" to the definition of an eligible family member.  Various other changes to 3 FAM affecting overseas employment, Home Leave, Emergency Travel, etc, are now also in effect for all Foreign Affairs agencies covered by the FAM.

 

5.  The Standardized Regulations incorporating these changes are expected to be published in final form on August 30.  However, some changes may take a bit longer to be published.  Below is the link to view the interim regulations, as approved by the Under Secretary for Management:

 

http://aoprals.state.gov/content.asp?content_id=356&menu_id=92

 

6.  We understand that all Foreign Affairs agencies have agreed to the new FAM and DSSR provisions and therefore they will implement them without delay. 

 

7.  Please feel free to contact AFSA Labor Management Specialist James Yorke at YorkeJ@state.gov if you have any questions on these issues.