§ 4135 — Foreign Service Grievance Board

(a) There is established the Foreign Service Grievance Board (hereinafter in this subchapter referred to as the “Board”). The Board shall consist of no fewer than 5 members who shall be independent, distinguished citizens of the United States, well known for their integrity, who are not employees of the Department or members of the Service. (b) The Chairperson and other members of the Board shall be appointed by the Secretary of State, from nominees approved in writing by the agencies to which this subchapter applies and the exclusive representative (if any) for each such agency. Each member of the Board shall be appointed for a term of 2 years, subject to renewal with the same written approvals required for initial appointment. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, an appointment for the unexpired term may be made by the Secretary of State in accordance with the procedures specified in this section. In the event of inability to obtain agreement on a nominee, each such agency and exclusive representative shall select 2 nominees and shall, in an order determined by lot, in turn strike a name from a list of such nominees until only one name remains. For purposes of this section, the nominee whose name remains shall be deemed to be approved in writing by each such agency head and exclusive representative. (c) Members of the Board who are not employees of the Government shall be paid for each day they are performing their duties (including traveltime) at the daily equivalent of the maximum rate payable for grade GS–18 of the General Schedule under section 5332 of title 5. (d) The Secretary of State may, upon written notice, remove a Board member for corruption, neglect of duty, malfeasance, or demonstrated incapacity to perform his or her functions, established at a hearing (unless the right to a hearing is waived in writing by the Board member). (e) The Board may obtain facilities, services, and supplies through the general administrative services of the Department of State. All expenses of the Board, including necessary costs of the travel and travel-related expenses of a grievant, shall be paid out of funds appropriated to the Department for obligation and expenditure by the Board. At the request of the Board, employees of the Department and members of the Service may be assigned as staff employees for the Board. Within the limits of appropriated funds, the Board may appoint and fix the compensation of such other employees as the Board considers necessary to carry out its functions. The individuals so appointed or assigned shall be responsible solely to the Board, and the Board shall prepare the performance evaluation reports for such individuals. The records of the Board shall be maintained by the Board and shall be separate from all other records of the Department of State under appropriate safeguards to preserve confidentiality. (1) Not later than March 1 of each year, the Chairman of the Foreign Service Grievance Board shall prepare a report summarizing the activities of the Board during the previous calendar year. The report shall include— (A) the number of cases filed; (B) the types of cases filed; (C) the number of cases on which a final decision was reached, as well as data on the outcome of cases, whether affirmed, reversed, settled, withdrawn, or dismissed; (D) the number of oral hearings conducted and the length of each such hearing; (E) the number of instances in which interim relief was granted by the Board; and (F) data on the average time for consideration of a grievance, from the time of filing to a decision of the Board. (2) The report required under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to the Director General of the Foreign Service and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate and the Committee on International Relations of the House of Representatives.