34 SEPTEMBER 2023 | THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL Foreign Service, or military, because it signals the government’s commitment and willingness to adapt and meet the changing needs of the federal workforce. DETOs at State Are on the Rise Currently the State Department has around 250 employees under DETO arrangements stationed all over the world. Because of its flexibility, the DETO program has been gaining popularity and has grown rapidly at State since its advent in 2009. The pandemic vastly reshaped the world’s remote work experience, and teleworking in some form has become normalized across the job market—and the federal government. At State, the pandemic forced the department to make muchneeded technological upgrades to its online communications platforms and cloud-based computing, which have facilitated the transition for parts of the federal workforce to a remote work environment, and this has positive implications for workforce recruitment and retention. In line with national trends showing that roughly a third of Americans in a position to do so work from home, more State Department employees say they prefer working remotely in some form. According to the American Foreign Service Association’s (AFSA) Future of Foreign Service survey of 1,800 active AFSA members, 72 percent of U.S.-based staff reported partly or fully working from home at the time of the survey, and a significant number of those who were not expressed a desire to do so. A majority of respondents cited workplace flexibility as the top benefit. As reported in an April 2022 article in State Magazine, DETOs have also been embraced by State’s Bureau of Global Talent Management (GTM) because they help the department fill staffing gaps and reduce the loss of talent. In fact, GTM currently employs the highest number of active DETOs of any office in the State Department, followed by the Bureau of Consular Affairs. So by all indications, the DETO program is likely to expand. Increased Flexibility, but It’s Complicated There are many clear benefits of DETO arrangements. They allow highly trained employees to contribute meaningfully to government service. They can be cost-effective. And they keep families together. But the issue is complicated and has produced adverse effects on staff depending on their hiring category. For example, members of the Foreign Service who are physically overseas on a DETO are considered domestic employees in most things except salary. They receive overseas comparability pay (OCP) for statutory reasons. However, they forgo any local mission-based entitlements such as post differential or cost-ofliving allowance, which results in a pay cut. Further, FS DETOs are not entitled to home leave and have experienced challenges with housing allowances when returning to the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) for long-term training under “same status” rules for tandem couples. In addition, some officers have voiced dismay over the lack of clarity in how to find and apply for DETO opportunities at State. Others have experienced long delays in getting their DETO paperwork authorized, forcing them to take leave without pay while they wait for approvals. Many have also struggled with obtaining adequate computer and office equipment to do their DETO job, often paying out of pocket. Military spouses share some of these issues and have also had their own share of problems in securing DETO agreements with Department of State. The Defense Department and State are now in negotiation on these matters. And in June 2023 the White House issued an executive order—“Advancing Economic Security for Military and Veteran Spouses, Military Caregivers, and Survivors”—that, among other things, specifically directs agencies across the executive branch to develop common standards for application processing and approvals for military spouses seeking DETO employment. Working on a Fix at State—the Backstory Many people have been working behind the scenes to find creative solutions to even the most intractable problems—such as the Civil Service pay disparity, which even some GTM insiders Asha Beh, pictured here in her home office in Dhaka, was one of hundreds of Civil Service employees who benefited from a legislative fix to create greater pay equity among employees serving on DETO assignments. COURTESY OF AMELIA SHAW
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy ODIyMDU=