Local Employment Policy Handbook - ICASS

US Citizen family members of contractors hired from a US-based recruitment are:
--Not eligible to receive a preference in hiring; and,
--Not eligible for employment under a Family Member Appointment or Temporary Appointment
if selected for a State position.
B. Local Contractor – An individual an agency under Chief of Mission authority hires locally in response
to a Mission issued Vacancy Announcement. The family members of these contractors must be legally
eligible to work in country and may require a work permit, residency permit, visa work stamp, or both the
work and residency permits. The permit or visa work stamps make them Ordinarily Resident.
HR should obtain the confirmation of the residency decision from the International HR Manager in
HR/OE/HRM in complex cases.
Border Posts
HR at “border posts” – Missions within 50 miles of neighboring countries -- often receive applications
from individuals who permanently live in the neighboring country, or “just across the border.” (Example:
Applications from individuals residing in the US for employment at the Mexico “border posts” of Ciudad
Juarez and Tijuana). Even though the individual lives outside of the country where the Mission is located,
the individual is applying for work at the Mission. So the individual must be legally eligible to work in
country (i.e., have the work permit, residency permit, or both permits). The individual comes under local
labor law and is Ordinarily Resident for purposes of employment. Compensation is from the Local
Compensation Plan.
Family Members on Separate Maintenance Allowance
When authorized Separate Maintenance Allowance, Eligible Family Members may choose to live in
countries abroad where Missions are located. They sometimes seek employment at the Mission while on
SMA.
1. US Citizen EFMs on voluntary or involuntary SMA abroad are not considered US Citizen EFMs for
purposes of receiving a preference in hiring because they:
A. Are not listed on the travel orders of a direct hire Foreign, Civil, or uniformed service member
officially assigned to the Mission and under COM authority or at an office of the AIT; and
B. Are not living with the sponsoring officer.