PRIA Logo™
Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§4154 Conversion From Foreign Service

Title 22 › CHAPTER 52 — FOREIGN SERVICE › SUBCHAPTER XII — TRANSITION › § 4154

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must, within three years after February 15, 1981, make certain Foreign Service jobs held on that date (but not converted because the people did not meet conversion rules) part of the civil service. The Secretary must place those positions under chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, appoint the person without a competitive exam, and treat the job as in the competitive service while the person keeps it. If a person is eligible for the Senior Executive Service and chooses to join, the Secretary must convert them to the SES at the pay rate set under section 5382 of title 5. For Foreign Service staff in the United States Information Agency who were covered by a labor agreement before October 17, 1980, the three-year period starts on July 1, 1981. For Department of State security officers who were first ineligible because they were available for worldwide assignment but later needed mainly for domestic work, the three-year period may be extended by up to one year from November 22, 1983.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §4154

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Individuals serving under appointment
In the case of any individual in the Foreign Service who, immediately before February 15, 1981, is serving under an appointment described in section 4152(a) or 4153(a) of this title and who is not converted under section 4152 or section 4153 of this title because such individual does not meet the conditions specified in section 4152(b) or 4153(d) of this title, the Secretary shall, not later than 3 years after February 15, 1981, provide that—
(1)the position such individual holds shall be subject to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5;
(2)such individual shall be appointed to such position without competitive examination; and
(3)such position shall be considered to be in the competitive service so long as the individual continues to hold that position;
except that any such individual who meets the eligibility requirements for the Senior Executive Service and who elects to join that Service shall be converted by the Secretary to the Senior Executive Service in the appropriate rate of basic pay established under section 5382 of title 5.
(b)United States Information Agency individuals
In the case of individuals in the Foreign Service in the United States Information Agency who immediately before October 17, 1980, are covered by a collective bargaining agreement between the Agency and the exclusive representative of those individuals, the 3-year period referred to in subsection (a) shall begin on July 1, 1981.
(c)Department of State security officers
The three-year period referred to in subsection (a) shall be extended for an additional period not to exceed one year from November 22, 1983, in the case of Department of State security officers who are members of the Service and who were initially ineligible for conversion under that subsection because they were available for worldwide assignment and there was a need for their services in the Service, but as to whom subsequent events require the services of these members (and of those later employed who are similarly situated) only or primarily for domestic functions.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification In subsec. (a), “February 15, 1981” substituted for “the

Effective Date

of this Act” pursuant to section 2403 of Pub. L. 96–465, set out as an

Effective Date

note under section 3901 of this title. In subsec. (c), “November 22, 1983” was in the original “the date of enactment of this section” which was translated as meaning the date of enactment of this subsection, as the probable intent of Congress.

Amendments

1983—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 98–164 added subsec. (c).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Change of Name

“United States Information Agency” substituted for “International Communication Agency” in subsec. (b), pursuant to section 303(b) of Pub. L. 97–241, set out as a note under section 1461 of this title. United States Information Agency (other than Broadcasting Board of Governors and International Broadcasting Bureau) abolished and functions transferred to Secretary of State, see section 6531 and 6532 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 4154

Title 22, Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110