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Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§4028a Per Diem Allowance for Newly Hired Members of the Foreign Service

Title 22 › CHAPTER 52 — FOREIGN SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER VII — CAREER DEVELOPMENT, TRAINING, AND ORIENTATION › § 4028a

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

Newly hired Foreign Service employees who are in initial orientation or in other training in the Washington, D.C. area that is expected to last less than 6 months before their first overseas or domestic assignment outside that area must receive a per diem allowance for the training period at the rates set under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5. They cannot get lodging pay under that allowance if they have a permanent residence in the Washington, D.C. area (not counting government housing) and they do not leave that residence during the training. Per diem allowance — the meaning in 5 U.S.C. 5701. Washington, D.C. area — the area within a 50-mile radius of the Washington Monument.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4028a

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Per diem allowance
(1)In general
Except as provided in paragraph (2), any newly hired Foreign Service employee who is in initial orientation training, or any other training expected to last less than 6 months in the Washington, D.C. area before transferring to the employee’s first assignment overseas or domestically outside the Washington, D.C. area shall, for the duration of such training, receive a per diem allowance at the levels prescribed under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5.
(2)Limitation on lodging expenses
A newly hired Foreign Service employee may not receive any lodging expenses under the applicable per diem allowance pursuant to paragraph (1) if that employee—
(A)has a permanent residence in the Washington, D.C., area (not including government-supplied housing during such orientation training or other training); and
(B)does not vacate such residence during such orientation training or other training.
(b)Definitions
In this section
(1)
(2)the term “Washington, D.C., area” means the geographic area within a 50-mile radius of the Washington Monument.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was enacted as part of the Department of State Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, and also as part of the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, and not as part of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 which comprises this chapter.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4028a

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110