Embassy New Delhi, India and Constituent Posts - OIG - US ...

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED
consulates general benefit from bimonthly management DVCs and quarterly visits by the
management counselor and staff.
Regarding personnel management for U.S. direct-hire employees, HR staff mission-wide
noted that employees do not always submit work requirements statements and evaluation reports
within mandated time frames. HR staff at the embassy and consulates general track submissions
and send reminders to delinquent supervisors, sometimes repeatedly. In Chennai, the consul
general reviews the list of delinquencies and sometimes contacts employees directly. HR staff
attributed this deficiency in part to the large number of ELOs and first-time supervisors
throughout the mission. These employees often do not understand the importance and
requirements of performance management and the responsibilities of each supervisor and
employee. Last year, the embassy provided training on performance management, and during the
inspection the DCM scheduled a brown bag lunch on how to write employee evaluation reports.
HR sections mission-wide were not consistently following Department and Office of
Personnel Management policy regarding the payment of overtime and accrual of compensatory
time. Some supervisors are uncertain of the guidance outlined in 3 FAM 3133 “Overtime.” The
HR staff has provided copies of these regulations to offices upon request; however, the embassy
could take a more proactive approach by disseminating the information mission-wide rather than
on demand.
Informal Recommendation 21: Embassy New Delhi should disseminate mission-wide
guidance on the payment of overtime and accrual of compensatory time.
The OIG team interviewed one officer who had served in a high-stress/high-threat post
but had received neither the mandatory outbrief in Washington nor an outbrief given at post by
the regional psychiatrist. The supervisor of this officer was unaware of the FSI online course on
working with returnees from high-stress posts. The DCM and principal officers should take the
lead in this effort to encourage supervisors to attend training.
Recommendation 45: Embassy New Delhi should identify all mission employees who have
recently served at high-threat/high-stress posts and have not had the required outbrief and direct
them to take it at post; for those for whom it is optional, they should be encouraged to do so.
(Action: Embassy New Delhi)
Informal Recommendation 22: Embassy New Delhi should encourage supervisors of
those employees in Mission India who have recently served in high-threat/high-stress
posts to take the Foreign Service Institute’s online seminar on working with returnees
from high-stress posts.
Professional Associates
As noted above and in the EEST and political affairs section of this report, the mission
employs several professional associates to supplement its U.S. direct-hire staff. The Department
established the Professional Associates program in 2008 and expanded it in 2010 with the
purpose of employing EFMs to provide them with professional opportunities and to meet bureau
and post staffing priorities. The bureaus hire applicants and match them with available positions
based on their qualifications and experience. Participants are expected to develop expertise in a
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SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED