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Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73not60

§4052 Mandatory Retirement

Title 22 › Chapter 52— FOREIGN SERVICE › Subchapter VIII— FOREIGN SERVICE RETIREMENT AND DISABILITY › Part I— Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System › § 4052

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

Workers must retire at the end of the month they turn 65 if they have at least 5 years of service credit for retirement under the System (military and naval service do not count). They will receive retirement benefits under the System’s rules. Two special groups named in other laws are not forced to retire at 65: people described in section 4(a)(2) of the Department of State Special Agents Retirement Act of 1998 who are otherwise eligible for immediate retirement under this subchapter, and Foreign Service criminal investigators/inspectors in the Agency for International Development’s Office of Inspector General who would have qualified under 5 U.S.C. 8336(c) or 8412(d)(1) if they had stayed in civil service. Someone who must retire but holds a Presidential appointment confirmed by the Senate may serve until that appointment ends. The Secretary may also keep a person on active duty up to 5 years if it is in the public interest. After any allowed extra service ends, the person must retire at the end of that month.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4052

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Except as provided in subsection (b), any participant shall be retired from the Service at the end of the month in which the participant has reached age 65 and has at least 5 years of service credit toward retirement under the System (excluding military and naval service), and shall receive retirement benefits in accordance with section 4046 of this title.
(2)Notwithstanding paragraph (1)—
(A)an individual described in section 4(a)(2) of the Department of State Special Agents Retirement Act of 1998 who is otherwise eligible for immediate retirement under this subchapter; or
(B)a Foreign Service criminal investigator/inspector of the Office of Inspector General of the Agency for International Development who would have been eligible for retirement pursuant to either section 8336(c) or 8412(d)(1) of title 5, as applicable, had the employee remained in civil service,
(b)(1)Any participant who is otherwise required to retire under subsection (a) while occupying a position to which he or she was appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, may continue to serve until that appointment is terminated.
(2)Whenever the Secretary determines it to be in the public interest, any participant who is otherwise required to retire under subsection (a) may be retained on active service for a period not to exceed 5 years.
(3)Any participant who completes a period of service authorized by this subsection shall be retired at the end of the month in which such authorized service is completed.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

section 4(a)(2) of the Department of State Special Agents Retirement Act of 1998, referred to in subsec. (a)(2)(A), is section 4(a)(2) of Pub. L. 105–382, which is set out as a note under section 4044 of this title.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a)(2)(B). Pub. L. 117–225, which directed amendment of title VIII of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 by inserting “(1)” after “or 8412(d)” in subsec. (a)(2)(B) of this section, was executed as if the amendment had been directed to chapter 8 of title I of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, to reflect the probable intent of Congress. 1998—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 105–382 amended first sentence generally. Prior to amendment, first sentence read as follows: “Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a Foreign Service criminal investigator/inspector of the Office of Inspector General of the Agency for International Development who would have been eligible for retirement pursuant to either section 8336(c) or 8412(d) of title 5, as applicable, had the employee remained in civil service, shall be separated from the Service on the last day of the month in which that Foreign Service criminal investigator/inspector attains 57 years of age or completes 20 years of service if then over that age.” 1992—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 102–499 substituted “57” for “55”. 1990—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 101–513 designated existing provisions as par. (1) and added par. (2).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2022 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 117–225 effective Dec. 9, 2022, and applicable to an individual who suffers an illness or injury described in certain Code provisions on or after the date that is 2 years after Dec. 9, 2022, see section 3(f) of Pub. L. 117–225, set out as a note under section 8336 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

Effective Date

of 1998 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 105–382 effective Nov. 13, 1998, with provisions relating to applicability with respect to certain individuals, see section 4 of Pub. L. 105–382, as amended, set out as a note under section 4044 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4052

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60