The $106 billion war supplemental bill President Barack Obama signed yesterday will start closing the pay gap between Foreign Service officers in Washington and overseas beginning this fiscal year. The bill for the first time authorizes diplomats abroad to receive the same 23.1 percent locality payment they would receive if they were stationed in the Washington area.
The bill does not spell out how much the State Department and other foreign affairs agencies such as the Agency for International Development should pay Foreign Service officers this year. The American Foreign Service Association suggested closing the gap by one-third — or 7.7 percent — in fiscal 2009, and similar increases in fiscal 2010 and 2011.
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This is good news for FSO’s. There is a discussion about it on Foreign Service Officer Test Forums
This is great but the bill did not address the DHS employees that are still at the lower rate. Currently, DHS employees (US direct hire) are the LOWEST paid employees at any Embassy.