Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60
§3971 Temporary Service as Principal Officer
Title 22 › Chapter 52— FOREIGN SERVICE › Subchapter IV— COMPENSATION › § 3971
Summary
When a member leads a post because the principal officer is absent or incapacitated past a minimum set by the Secretary, they get extra pay. The Secretary decides what part of the pay gap to award, based on the principal or former principal basic pay, despite pay limits.
Full Legal Text
Title 22, §3971
Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC
For such time (in excess of such minimum period as the Secretary of State may establish) as any member of the Service is temporarily in charge of a Foreign Service post during the absence or incapacity of the principal officer, that member shall receive, in addition to the basic salary paid to the member and notwithstanding section 5535 and 5536 of title 5, an amount equal to that portion (which the Secretary of State may determine to be appropriate) of the difference between such salary and the basic salary provided for the principal officer, or, if there is no principal officer, for the former principal officer.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
22 U.S.C. § 3971
Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse
Last Updated
Apr 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60