U.S. Department of State

*075 Reporting Data for Post Hardship Differential and Danger Pay

 

*075.1 Post hardship differential reporting is done on a quadrennial basis.  Detailed instructions appearing on the Post Hardship Differential Questionnaire (DS-267) shall be followed in preparing post’s report.  This form must be submitted every four years.  The submission must reflect the current environmental situation as it affects the majority of eligible personnel assigned to the post.  DS-267 is available on the Department of State's external (http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/forms) and internal (http://eforms.a.state.gov/searchform.aspx) web sites. (eff. 6/14/2015 TL:SR-866)

 

*075.2 Conditions warranting a danger pay allowance are reviewed annually, or more frequently when necessary (See 072.1, 653.1 and 653.3). With level of danger pay established through central security review of local conditions, there is no longer need for post to report conditions using DS-578, as formerly. (eff. 6/14/2015 TL:SR-866)

 

076 Reporting Data for the Education Allowance

 

Detailed instructions appearing on the Education Allowance Questionnaire (DS-63) shall be followed in its preparation.  Each submission must reflect the current educational situation as it affects the majority of eligible personnel assigned to the post who have school-age children.  A full copy of the DS-63 is available on the Department of State's external (http://www.state.gov/m/a/dir/forms) and internal (http://eforms.a.state.gov/searchform.aspx) web sites.

 

077 Use of SF-1190, Foreign Allowances Application, Grant, and Report

 

077.1 Applying for Payment of Allowances and Difficult-To-Staff Incentive Differential on SF-1190

 

Employees eligible for temporary quarters subsistence, living quarters, extraordinary quarters, post, foreign transfer, home service transfer, separate maintenance, or education allowances and difficult-to-staff incentive differential shall apply for those allowances and/or differential on SF-1190 in accordance with implementing regulations of each agency and by completing all boxes on the form and marking "NA" in boxes not applicable.  (See also Sections 072.11 and 072.12.)

 

077.2 Required Annual Reporting of Quarters Expenses on Section 960 LQA Worksheets and Living Quarters Summary Expenditure Report (DS-7604)

 

All posts having employees eligible for the living quarters allowance are required to submit a quarters expense report annually for employees initially occupying privately-leased quarters or changing privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months.  This report is needed to review the adequacy of the living quarters allowance rates listed in Section 920. (eff. 5/1/05 TL:SR 650)

 

The latest Section 960 LQA Worksheet on file, supporting the SF-1190 claim for LQA, showing the annual expenses being incurred for living quarters must be furnished for each employee receiving a living quarters allowance who has initially occupied privately-leased quarters or has changed privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months.  All boxes should be completed by the employee except those marked “For Official Use Only”.  Additional information may be continued in block 18 (Remarks).  The Section 960 LQA Worksheets shall be sent to the Department of State, Office of Allowances, as of the “Reporting Schedule” month shown in Section 920, under cover of a memorandum signed by the officer designated to grant allowances or his/her delegate, certifying that the reports represent actual expenses incurred for living quarters by all employees at the post receiving a living quarters allowance who have initially occupied or changed privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months.

 

Instead of the individual Section 960 LQA Worksheets for employees initially occupying privately-leased quarters or changing privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months, agencies may submit a Living Quarters Summary Expenditure Report (DS-7604).  The DS-7604 must include a statement by the officer designated to grant allowances or his/her delegate, certifying that the form provides accurate information for allowable expenses as extracted from the Section 960 LQA Worksheets.

 

The submission may be accompanied by a listing of individual houses or apartments rented for employees by the U.S. Government during the last 12 months and the estimated (actual when available) annual expenses for each unit for rent and utilities.  (Do not include data for entire apartment houses, hotels or other similar multiple residential units.)

 

077.21 Voluntary Submission of Interim Quarters Reports

 

In addition to the regularly scheduled submission, posts may, when they believe their living quarters allowance classification to be inconsistent with current quarters costs, file a revised report showing living quarters expenses for all employees at the post receiving a living quarters allowance who have initially occupied privately-leased quarters or changed privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months.  A covering memorandum should include any relevant information not provided on the worksheets or DS-7604.  The memorandum shall be signed by the officer designated to grant allowances or his/her delegate, certifying that the report represents actual expenses being incurred for living quarters by all employees at the post receiving a living quarters allowance who have initially occupied privately-leased quarters or changed privately-leased quarters in the past twelve months.  The filing of an interim quarters cost report does not relieve the post from submitting the next regularly scheduled report.  The Department of State may request an interim report whenever it has reason to believe that the quarters allowance classification is significantly out of line with quarters costs.

 

077.3 Granting Allowances and Difficult-To-Staff Incentive Differential on SF-1190

 

077.31 General

 

Except as otherwise noted below and unless an exception is granted by the Department of State, each agency shall grant, revise and terminate temporary quarters subsistence, living quarters, extraordinary quarters, post, foreign transfer, home service transfer, separate maintenance, and education allowances and difficult-to-staff incentive differential on SF-1190 in accordance with provisions of these regulations and implementing parent agency regulations.  Except for a special allowance grant under authority of Section 013, an allowance once granted may remain in effect until revision or termination is required by applicable provisions of these regulations and implementing parent agency regulations.

 

When a SF-1190 is used to grant, revise or terminate allowances it must be signed, in block 26, by the head of agency or the official designated to grant allowances.  When a reviewing official is required (in addition to the approving official) he/she should sign in block 25.  Fill in only necessary fields on SF-1190 for revisions and terminations.  Use “Remarks” block 18 for additional detail or attach applicable Section 960 Worksheet.

 

As exceptions to this procedure, necessary revisions in post (“cost of living”) allowance grants:

 

a. for all employees resulting from a pay act salary adjustment may be made on a group basis using white bond paper or computer generated report.  The mass action document must show:  (1) the employees' names, (2) posts of assignment, (3) salaries, (4) family status (Section 040m) using the following code: "1" for one adult  (exclusive of the employee), "1 c" for one child and "1-1 c" for one adult and child, etc., and (5) the name, signature and title of the authorizing officer;

 

b. for individual employees, allowance changes resulting from promotions, or periodic pay step increases may be made by using a copy of the agency's payroll change action form.

 

As a further exception, necessary revisions in living quarters allowance grants resulting from living quarters allowances classification changes may be made and documented on a group basis.  This mass-action document must show:  (1) the employees’ names, (2) posts of assignment, (3) personnel classification of employees, (4) family status, (5) effective date of LQA change, and (6) the name, signature and title of the authorizing officer.

 

(NOTE:  Each post must still consider individual grant revisions under the provision of Section 134.2 and must still furnish the Department of State the annual report of quarters expenses on Section 960 LQA Worksheets or DS-7604 as provided in Section 077.2.)

 

077.32 Special Rules

 

a. Granting Separate Maintenance Allowances

 

When granting a separate maintenance allowance the following data must be shown in block 18, Remarks, of the SF-1190:

 

(1) the date of the employee's assignment to the post;

 

(2) the date on which the employee began official travel to the new post under an order of assignment;

 

(3) the date on which the separation from the dependent(s) occurs.

 

b. Granting Education Allowances

 

When granting an education allowance the following data, if applicable, must be shown in either block 18, Remarks, of the SF-1190 or the Remarks box on Section 960 Education Allowance Worksheet:

 

(1) the computations used in prorating grants; and

 

(2) the reason for granting a second education allowance for a repeated grade.

 

c. Granting Difficult-To-Staff Incentive Differential

 

When granting a difficult-to-staff incentive differential the following citation must be shown in block 18, Remarks, of the SF-1190:

 

(1) Date of arrival at post; and

 

(2) Date of completion of one year at post.