§3945 Senior Foreign Service

Summary

Appointments to the Senior Foreign Service must be to a salary class set under section 3962, not to a specific job. Limited appointments cannot push the number of limited members above 5 percent of the whole Senior Foreign Service. Members assigned to the Peace Corps are left out when counting that 5 percent. Also, people who have reemployment rights under section 3950 as career appointees in the Senior Executive Service count as career members for this limit. Appointments by the Secretary of Commerce do not count toward the 5 percent. Usually only one person (unless they have the reemployment rights in section 3950) may hold a limited appointment in Commerce at a time. The Secretary of Commerce may make a second limited appointment abroad if no qualified career member is available and the appointee has unique qualifications for that job. The Secretary must also create a recertification process like the one for the Senior Executive Service under section 3393a.