As the President’s advisor on human capital issues for the Federal civilian workforce, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) strongly urges Federal agencies to become informed of and take full advantage of the various compensation authorities available to civilian employees working in combat zones (i.e., Iraq and Afghanistan). For example, section 1603 of Public Law 109-234, June 15, 2006, grants Federal agencies discretion regarding the application of certain Foreign Service Act allowances, benefits, gratuities, and other compensation and leave flexibilities to their employees. This discretionary authority creates the potential for disparate treatment of civilian employees serving side-by side in combat zones. We urge you to make every effort to eliminate any disparities or inconsistencies by considering and applying all available flexibilities to the maximum extent allowed and appropriate.
OPM is committed to ensuring that Federal agencies have the human resources authorities they need to attract and retain an effective civilian workforce deployed to combat zones in support of military operations. We are concerned that not all employees in combat zones have access to the same compensation, either by lack of statutory authority or as a result of the discretionary and inconsistent application of available authorities. While the Administration and Congress continue to work on statutory changes to provide a more standardized approach, we strongly urge agencies to become familiar with the various compensation authorities for civilian employees who serve on duty in a combat zone. We encourage you to review your agency’s use of these authorities to ensure they are being applied consistently to all eligible employees.
Below is a brief list of some of the major authorities currently available to agencies that may help attract and retain Federal civilians in a combat zone.
For additional information, agency Chief Human Capital Officers and/or Human Resources Directors should contact their assigned OPM Human Capital Officer. Employees should contact their agency human resources office for assistance.
cc: Human Resources Directors