§2513 Assignment of personnel to foreign governments or international organizations

Summary

Federal agency heads may send or assign their employees to work on the staff of an international organization or to an unpaid post with a foreign government, as long as the person does not have to take an oath of allegiance to that other government. While assigned, the person stays a U.S. government employee. They keep their pay, allowances, job rights, seniority, and other benefits, and continue to be paid from funds allowed under the law. They may also get representation allowances like those in section 4085 if the President sets rules for that, and such payments meet the rules in section 5536 of title 5. These assignments can be done in three ways: without charging the international group or foreign government; with the international group or foreign government agreeing to reimburse U.S. pay, travel, and allowances (the money is credited back to the same appropriation); or by accepting advances of funds, property, or services approved by the President, which can be held in a special Treasury fund for the assignment and returned if unused.