On August 22, 2014 the Department announced that it had applied an Overseas Comparability Pay (OCP) rate in excess of the two-thirds limit established in the FY14 Appropriations Act and that it would seek to adjust OCP for one pay period so as not to exceed the statutory cap (STATE 103478). AFSA agrees that the Department has an obligation to recover the OCP overpayment from all employees. However, AFSA also believes that the amount recovered from individual employees should be the amount of actual overpayment, no more and no less. AFSA contends the Department’s proposed recovery mechanism exceeds actual overpayment for all employees currently receiving OCP, in amounts ranging from USD15 to USD248 (STATE 51875). AFSA maintains it is particularly egregious for those employees that recently joined the Department, or who recently arrived at post, who are being asked to repay as if they had received OCP for the entire year. AFSA proposed prior to announcement that the most equitable implementation would be for the Department to calculate actual repayment amounts for all employees. Only approximately two thousand employees who are no longer receiving OCP, but received it sometime this calendar year, are having actual amounts deducted, of the 13,000 Foreign Service employees effected. AFSA plans to file a cohort grievance with the Department on behalf of all Foreign Service colleagues who will have pay reduced this pay period in amounts larger than the OCP overpayment.

Going forward, AFSA is seeking legislation from Congress for permanent authorization and full funding of Overseas Comparability Pay. This is a top legislative priority in our 2013-2015 strategic plan and a major focus of our congressional advocacy (see talking points). We are working closely with the Department on the shared objective of full OCP authorization and funding. Earlier this year, before passage of the FY14 Appropriations Act, AFSA President Bob Silverman reiterated our request in letters to our appropriators (see online) and last week, to our authorizers (see online). We look towards Secretary Kerry’s leadership to achieve as part of his legacy to the Department a permanent OCP authorization, a mission that he begun through introduction of the Foreign Service Overseas Pay Equity Act of 2008 that became the basis for the authorizing language appearing in the 2009 Supplemental Appropriations Act.