22 U.S.C. § 2736a: Recruitment and retention

Summary

The Secretary must keep working to hire a diverse and talented group of people. The Secretary must also tell the Director General of the Foreign Service and the Director of the Bureau of Human Resources to make a recruitment plan that reaches people from groups that have been under-represented. That plan must include outreach to colleges, affinity groups, and professional associations. The recruitment work covers things like recruiting at women’s colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, and similar schools; placing job ads in media aimed at diverse groups; attending job fairs in cities, rural areas, and land-grant schools; using respected international leadership programs; expanding paid internships; and partnering with organizations in international affairs and national security. The Secretary must also make sure everyone gets anti-harassment and anti-discrimination training through the Foreign Service Institute and other programs, including courses noted in the Department’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 2016–2020 and training on sexual assault prevention and response. That expanded training must be required for senior leaders, people who handle hiring or promotions, and anyone else the Department or OPM says needs it. The Department must keep updating the training using research-based best practices.

Title 22, §2736a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In general

The Secretary shall—

(1)continue to seek a diverse and talented pool of applicants; and

(2)instruct the Director General of the Foreign Service and the Director of the Bureau of Human Resources of the Department to have a recruitment plan of action for the recruitment of people belonging to traditionally under-represented groups, which should include outreach at appropriate colleges, universities, affinity groups, and professional associations.

(b)Scope

The diversity recruitment initiatives described in subsection (a) shall include—

(1)recruiting at women’s colleges, historically Black colleges and universities, minority-serving institutions, and other institutions serving a significant percentage of minority students;

(2)placing job advertisements in newspapers, magazines, and job sites oriented toward diverse groups;

(3)sponsoring and recruiting at job fairs in urban and rural communities and land-grant colleges or universities;

(4)providing opportunities through highly respected, international leadership programs, that focus on diversity recruitment and retention;

(5)expanding the use of paid internships; and

(6)cultivating partnerships with organizations dedicated to the advancement of the profession of international affairs and national security to advance shared diversity goals.

(c)Expand training on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination

(1)In general

The Secretary shall, through the Foreign Service Institute and other educational and training opportunities—

(A)ensure the provision to all individuals in the workforce of training on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination information and policies, including in existing Foreign Service Institute courses or modules prioritized in the Department’s Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan for 2016–2020 to promote diversity in Bureau awards or mitigate unconscious bias;

(B)expand the provision of training on workplace rights and responsibilities to focus on anti-harassment and anti-discrimination information and policies, including policies relating to sexual assault prevention and response; and

(C)make such expanded training mandatory for—

(i)individuals in senior and supervisory positions;

(ii)individuals having responsibilities related to recruitment, retention, or promotion of employees; and

(iii)any other individual determined by the Department who needs such training based on analysis by the Department or OPM analysis.

(2)Best practices

The Department shall give special attention to ensuring the continuous incorporation of research-based best practices in training provided under this subsection.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

References to Foreign Service Institute considered to refer to George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center, see section 1(b) of Pub. L. 107–132, set out as a note under section 4021 of this title. Expansion of Diplomats in Residence Programs Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXII, § 6213, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 978, provided that: “(a) In General.—Not later than two years after the date of the enactment of this division [Dec. 22, 2023]—“(1) the Secretary [of State] is authorized to increase the number of diplomats in the Diplomats in Residence Program from 17 to at least 20; and “(2) the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development is authorized to increase the number of development diplomats in the Diplomats in Residence Program from 1 to at least 3. “(b) Report.—Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this division, and every year for three years thereafter, the Secretary shall report to the appropriate congressional committees [Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives] whether additional Diplomats in Residence have been established, and, if so, what regions or colleges or universities such diplomats are assigned to, with an explanation as to why those regions or schools were chosen as most in need of additional Department [of State] recruiting personnel.” Definitions For definitions of “Secretary” and “Department” as used in this section, see section 5002 of Pub. L. 117–81, set out as a note under section 263c of this title. For definitions of “diversity” and “workforce” as used in this section, see section 5401 of Pub. L. 117–81, set out as a note under section 2736 of this title.

§2736a Recruitment and Retention

Summary

Title 22, §2736a

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

Citations & Metadata