The Foreign Service Journal, April 2020

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | APRIL 2020 25 eled jobs were filled by bidders subject to the policy. While well-intentioned, Fair Share ended up delaying the assignment process for certain bidders, thereby limiting their opportunities, without contributing to the department’s goal of staffing high- differential posts. Its elimination should simplify bidding and make the assignments process more efficient. It should be noted that high-hardship duty is still manda- tory for Foreign Service officers who wish to compete for entry into the Senior Foreign Service. Both the Career Development Plan and its successor, the Professional Development Program, include service at high-differential posts among the require- ments for entry into the SFS. The PDP, which is being phased in now and will completely supplant the CDP by 2026, strengthens the hardship standard by requiring FSOs to have completed a 20 percent or greater hard- ship assignment after tenure, as well as either another tour at a 25 percent or greater differential post or a tour at an unaccompanied post during their career. The CDP requires service at a 15 percent or greater differential post—either one tour after tenure or two entry-level tours. The PDP also allows FSOs more flexibility in meeting the language requirement. Under the PDP standard, officers must test at the 3/3 level (or at the 3/2 level for a hard or super-hard language) any time after tenure. The CDP requires officers to test at the 3/3 level within seven years of opening their window to become eligible for promotion into the SFS. The PDP for office management specialists contains the same requirements, as will the PDPs for other categories of specialists that will be phased in over the coming years. Taking Care of People Several reforms adopted in 2019 provide additional resources for employees to better care for themselves and their families. On Dec. 20, President Donald J. Trump signed the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes the Federal The Fair Share policy’s elimination should simplify bidding and make the assignments process more efficient.