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Department of State Standardized Regulations   - (Last updated 03/05/2006)
 

DIFFICULT TO STAFF INCENTIVE DIFFERENTIAL (Last Updated 3/5/2006)


1000 General

 

The head of an agency may grant a Difficult To Staff Incentive Differential to an employee assigned to a differential post upon a determination that especially adverse conditions of environment warrant additional pay as a recruitment and retention incentive to fill the employee’s position at that post.

 

1010 Agency Determination

 

a. The head of an agency may authorize the payment of an individual grant of a Difficult To Staff Incentive Differential of an additional 15 percent over basic compensation to employees assigned to a foreign post.  If the post for which the differential is authorized is also authorized for danger pay allowance, the combination of the danger pay allowance and the Difficult To Staff Incentive Differential may not exceed 35 percent of the basic compensation.  Only employees eligible to receive Post Differential as defined in Chapter 500 may receive the Difficult To Staff Incentive Differential. (03/05/06 TL:SR 661)

 

b. The head of an agency may authorize payment of the Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential on a position-by-position, occupational specialty, and/or post-by-post-need.

 

c. The head of an agency may only authorize payment of a Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential to employees assigned to posts which are authorized for a 15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 percent Post Differential at the time of assignment or extension of tour-of-duty.  Posts receiving such differential are listed in DSSR Section 920, Post Classification and Payment Tables, column 6 (Differential Rate).(eff. 03/05/06 TL:SR 661)

 

d. Agencies will maintain their list of Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential designations.

 

e. Should Post Differential at a post of assignment be reduced below 15%, an employee assigned to a position determined to be difficult to staff will continue to receive the Difficult To Staff Incentive Differential until conclusion of the assigned tour-of-duty or permanent departure from post of assignment.

 

f. The Difficult to Staff Incentive Differential is not subject to any ceiling which would provide a payment less than the full percentage rate prescribed for the post.

 

1020  Payment

 

Certifying officers may approve and execute grant payments no more frequently than once annually upon the completion of each year at post.  Each continuous time of 30 calendar days or less away from country of assignment, including combinations of annual leave, sick leave, and Leave Without Pay, will be included as continuing presence at post.  Each ordered departure of 60 calendar days or less and each Temporary Duty travel taken away from post of assignment of 30 calendar days or less will be treated as continuing presence at post for purposes of fulfilling the one year period.  Authorizing and certifying officers will pay the grant upon the submission by an employee of a properly executed SF-1190 and confirmation by the authorizing office that the payment is appropriate (see also 077.32c).