2020–present
January 8, 2020
The Office of Management Policy, Rightsizing, and Innovation (M/PRI) became the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS). M/SS realigned to the following directorates: Policy and Global Presence (PGP — formerly Policy and Rightsizing), Consulting and Advanced Projects (CAP — formerly Innovation), and Center for Analytics (CfA).
January 28, 2020
The Transportation and Travel Management Division (TTM) in the Bureau of Administration was divided into the Transportation Management Division (TM) and the Travel Management and Policy Division (TMP).
January 28, 2020
Working Parents @ State, an employee-driven peer group that met monthly for parents to find support and resources, cultivate community, and advocate for the needs of working parents at the Department, held its inaugural meeting at the Harry S. Truman building.
January 29, 2020
The Department of State’s Tandem and Anti-Nepotism Standard Operating Procedures were updated in recognition of the increase in the number of tandem couples in the Foreign Service. (20 STATE 9466)
February 19, 2020
The Bureau of Human Resources changed its name to the Bureau of Global Talent Management (GTM). Within the Bureau, the Office of Civil Service Human Resource Management (HR/CSHRM) became Civil Service Talent Management (GTM/CSTM), the Office of Resource Management and Organization Analysis (HR/RMA) became Organization and Talent Analytics (GTM/OTA), the Office of Recruitment, Examination, and Employment (HR/REE) became Talent Acquisition (GTM/TAC), and the Office of Shared Services (HR/SS) became Talent Services (GTM/TS). The title of Director of the Bureau of Personnel became the Director of Global Talent.
March 12, 2020
The Director General of the Foreign Service, Carol Z. Perez, eliminated the Six-Year-Rule and the associated waiver process required for Foreign Service employees exceeding six years of continuous domestic service (CDS). The congressionally mandated Eight-Year Rule remained in effect.
March 14, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, approved Authorized Departure from any diplomatic or consular post of U.S. direct hire employees or eligible family members who, after confidential consultation with MED, had determined they are at higher risk of a poor outcome if exposed to COVID-19, or who had requested departure based on a commensurate justification in foreign areas. Posts were instructed in 20 STATE 28418 to immediately inform all official U.S. citizen employees and family members of this authority. The Department had already issued a global travel advisory recommending that U.S. citizens reconsider travel abroad. The departure was initially approved for a period not to exceed 60 days. On March 19, 2020, in 20 STATE 30308, Bulatao delegated authority to Regional Executive Directors to designate an official alternate domestic safe haven (anywhere in the 50 United States) for employees who departed post under Authorized (or Ordered) Departure for COVID-19 related reasons. Departing employees could further be approved to telework from alternate worksites at their safe haven locations, subject to procedure. 20 STATE 31358 on March 21 clarified that employees who departed post under Ordered or Authorized Departure to alternate foreign safe havens were not permitted to telework due to a range of considerations, including lack of foreign country accreditation, lack of privileges and immunities for persons working for the U.S. government in a foreign country, and other safety and security considerations.
March 18, 2020
Congress passed the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, which provided covered Department of State employees with up to 2 weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave for specified qualifying circumstances related to COVID-19. Its effective period was from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.
March 18, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, indefinitely authorized posts and bureaus to modify their flexible and core hour requirements (as defined in 3 FAM 2331.3) to include an expanded range of core hour requirement time of less than five consecutive hours between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., flexible hours that could be met at any other time of day, and the authorization of non-consecutive working hours to fulfill an employee’s daily tour of duty. These flexibilities applied to both employees who performed work at their regular worksite, and telework-ready employees who were performing work at their home or alternate worksite.
March 19, 2020
In an effort to inhibit the spread of COVID-19 by avoiding in-person contact, the Office of Personnel Security and Suitability (DS/SI/PSS) authorized investigators who perform security clearance background investigations to conduct phone or videoconference interviews for certain personnel with the approval of the DS/SI/PSS Office Director and Investigations Division Chief. For security reasons and to remain compliant with federal policy, not all interviews could be conducted by phone or videoconference.
March 24, 2020
Telegram 20 STATE 31866 outlined the establishment of a standing worldwide medical evacuation (MEDEVAC) capability using eight contracted aircraft strategically placed around the world, capable of reaching all U.S. diplomatic posts within twenty-four hours or less.
March 26, 2020
Telegram 20 STATE 33542 provided guidance to all Department of State personnel on Permanent Change of Station (PCS) travel and home leave until April 30, in the context of COVID-19. The Department suspended all PCS travel to overseas posts and all domestic-to-domestic PCS travel, effective through April 30, with the exception of PCS travel to Washington, DC. Exceptions could be made for mission critical employees, whose posts could accommodate arrival, by the bureau Assistant Secretary for CDC Level 1 or 2 countries, or by the Under Secretary for Management for CDC Level 3 or 4 countries.
March 27, 2020
Telegram 20 STATE 33726 provided guidance on the restricted usage of the classified pouch system during the COVID-19 virus pandemic, limiting shipments to those that were critically needed to save life and limb, and/or served a specific and vital national security mission. Due to the severe restrictions on the movement of cargo and Diplomatic Couriers, as well as cancellations of normal routes by transportation vendors, items could only be accepted for shipment with a written justification. Written justifications were to be submitted to the courier division, or hub responsible for the post where the items were being entered into the system, for each registered item and accompanied by email concurrence from the receiving post.
April 2, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, authorized the use of administrative leave for certain situations related to COVID-19: Supervisors were authorized to grant employees up to 10 hours of administrative leave per week until further notice, to provide care for children as a result of a lapse in childcare due to COVID-19 related school and daycare closures; to provide care for other dependents (such as an elderly parent or family member) as a result of a COVID-19 related lapse in care arrangements; and for health and safety reasons in order to help prevent exposure/transmission of COVID-19, including, but not limited to, taking sanitation measures, preparing for local shelter-in-place orders, and taking personal health/safety measures to facilitate work or telework. This authorization was made effective immediately and retroactive to February 16, 2020.
April 3, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, announced the formation of the Coronavirus Data Analytics Team (CDAT), to coordinate the Department’s data needs and produce rapid analysis.
April 15, 2020
The Department of State announced the award of the contract for the construction of Building B at the George P. Shultz National Foreign Affairs Training Center to Grunley Construction Company, Inc. The 200,000 square foot facility was planned to house training classrooms, office space for FSI’s School of Professional and Area Studies (including Consular Affairs training) and the Leadership and Management School, student collaboration spaces, and a 9,000 square foot, state-of-the-art multipurpose training/conference space. FSI anticipated having sufficient space in the new building to bring language training courses housed in Rosslyn, Virginia, back to the Shultz Center. Construction was expected to begin in spring, with the building scheduled to open in fall 2022.
May 19, 2020
Deputy Secretary of State Stephen Biegun approved the Department Strategic Framework for International Engagement on Artificial Intelligence. The Strategic Framework was designed to promote policy consistency and provide overarching strategic guidance to the Department’s activities related to Artificial Intelligence (AI), while also allowing flexibility to craft AI engagement strategies appropriate to each mission/bureau context. All missions and bureaus were requested to consider drafting individual AI engagement strategies if appropriate to their goals or local context.
May 21, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, requested all posts designate officials who, in coordination with their Regional Executive Director, would update information on post phase status by reporting on local COVID-19-related conditions and their state of readiness through digital Phase and Travel Restrictions trackers as conditions changed.
May 26, 2020
The Office of U.S. Foreign Assistance Resources was re-named the Office of Foreign Assistance (F).
June 3, 2020
The Department renamed the Office of the United States Special Envoy to Sudan (S/USSESSS) the Office of South Sudan and Sudan (AF/SSS). The Office of the United States Special Envoy to Sudan was established in 2009.
June 5, 2020
The Bureau of African Affairs renamed the Office of Security Affairs (AF/SA) the Office of Regional Peace and Security (AF/RPS). The office was reorganized into a Policy team and a Plans and Programs team.
June 5, 2020
The Director General of the Foreign Service, Carol Z. Perez, announced the creation of the TalentCare Council, comprised of senior-level representatives from the bureaus of Global Talent Management, Medical Services, Diplomatic Security, and Administration, as well as the Ombudsman, the Office of Civil Rights, and the Foreign Service Institute, among others. The TalentCare Council was formed to support and promote the integration of Department well-being, safety, family, flexibility and resilience initiatives. It served as a conduit and advisory board for the Director General, the Under Secretaries, and the Secretary and was responsible for coordinating, aligning, and developing initiatives across the Department that address the work and life needs of diverse employees.
June 10, 2020
The Department renamed the Office of the United States Haiti Special Coordinator (WHA/HSC) the Office of Haitian Affairs (WHA/HA). The Office of the Haiti Special Coordinator was established following the 2010 Haiti earthquake to coordinate humanitarian and reconstruction efforts. In 2015, the office moved from reporting directly to the Secretary to the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs. In 2017, the Special Coordinator for Haiti title was removed, and its functions transferred to a WHA Deputy Assistant Secretary.
June 15, 2020
The National Capital Region of the Department of State entered COVID-19 Phase I conditions, which allowed managers to bring back 0% to 40% of their workforce to their office locations.
July 6, 2020
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs announced the merger of the Office of Maghreb Affairs and the Office of Egyptian Affairs. The new office, named the Office of North African Affairs, became responsible for coordinating U.S. policy with respect to Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia, and the Western Sahara.
July 21, 2020
Eight U.S. embassies in south-central Europe (North Macedonia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, and Albania) gathered virtually to launch a regional initiative to promote diversity and inclusion. The kick-off event, hosted by Ambassador to North Macedonia Kate M. Byrnes, featured remarks by Director General of the Foreign Service Ambassador Carol Z. Perez, Bureau of Global Talent Management Deputy Assistant Secretary Mirembe Nantongo, and Bureau of European Affairs Deputy Assistant Secretary Matthew Palmer. Participating posts agreed to collaborate on five specific steps toward implementing and strengthening this goal, ranging from how missions recruit to how they acknowledge and address the diversity within their embassy teams.
July 27, 2020
The National Capital Region of the Department of State entered COVID-19 Phase II conditions, which allowed managers to bring back up to 80% of their workforce to their office locations.
August 3, 2020
The document processing software application Cascades was released in a phased rollout. The application replaced Everest (and Denali), was accessible on both ClassNet and OpenNet, and offered greater compatibility with Office 365 applications.
August 3, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, announced the formation of the Reimagine Task Force to normalize the progress in workplace mobility made in response to COVID-19, and to explore future workplace flexibilities.
September 13, 2020
The Bureau of Consular Affairs and the Office of the Legal Adviser instituted a realignment of legal functions and the way legal advice is provided to CA. Legal offices and attorney-advisers previously embedded with specific CA directorates (PPT/L, OCS/L, and VO/L) were combined with existing L/CA attorneys into a single office within the Office of the Legal Adviser, led by Assistant Legal Adviser Anne Joyce.
October 23, 2020
The Department of State paused all training related to diversity and inclusion to allow the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to review program content as directed by the September 22 Executive Order (E.O.) 13950 on Combatting Race and Sex Stereotyping. The Foreign Service Institute (FSI) launched a process to collect all Department diversity and inclusion training materials, including for any FSI course and any unique training materials that the Department’s domestic bureaus and overseas missions may have developed for recurring or future use. OPM completed its review of those materials on December 14, determined them to be compliant overall with E.O. 13950, and the Department immediately resumed diversity and inclusion training using materials determined to be compliant.
October 29, 2020
The Bureau of Information Resource Management (IRM) announced the establishment of a Department-wide Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) program under a new senior executive, the Enterprise CISO (E-CISO).
November 13, 2020
The Office of Environmental Quality and Transboundary Affairs (OES/EQT) was renamed the Office of Environmental Quality (OES/ENV), and the Office of Space and Advanced Technology (OES/SAT) was renamed the Office of Space Affairs (OES/SA). Both offices were located in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
November 20, 2020
The Bureau of International Organization Affairs split its Office of Peacekeeping, Sanctions, and Counterterrorism (IO/PSC) to establish the Office of Peacekeeping Operations (IO/PKO) and the Office of Sanctions and Counterterrorism (IO/SCT).
December 1, 2020
At the direction of Deputy Secretary Biegun, the Department initiated an interim review to capture and memorialize the Department’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Interim Review (CIR) captured lessons learned to date and developed recommendations to improve crisis preparedness and response and operational agility. Ambassador (ret.) Jess Baily led the CIR team, comprised of staff from the Operations Center’s Office of Crisis Management and Strategy (CMS) and the Office of Management Strategy and Solutions (M/SS).
December 3, 2020
The Bureau of Global Talent Management’s Office of Accessibility and Accommodations (GTM/OAA) opened the Access Center in SA-1B. The Access Center offered centralized disability services where employees could test, train, and provide feedback on assistive technology solutions in an environment similar to their workspace domestically or overseas.
December 15, 2020
The Under Secretary for Management, Brian J. Bulatao, announced that the Department of State was expecting to receive an initial tranche of its requested allotment of COVID-19 vaccine, and that distribution through the Bureau of Medical Services would be prioritized for frontline medical personnel; personnel supporting the Department’s 24/7 watch centers; critical operations, maintenance, and custodial staff; mission-critical Diplomatic Security personnel in the National Capital Region, and U.S. personnel in Kabul, Baghdad, and Mogadishu.
December 21, 2020
The National Capital Region of the Department of State regressed to COVID-19 Phase I conditions, which allowed managers to bring back 0% to 40% of their workforce to their office locations.
January 8, 2021
Mosaic—an association to foster community among, and promote professional development for, U.S. Department of State employees identifying as Muslim and those interested in cultures and traditions of Muslim communities—was recognized as an Employee Affinity Group (EAG).
February 2, 2021
The International Religious Freedom (J/IRF) Office’s previously named Strategic Initiatives Unit (J/IRF/SI) became the Human Security and Inclusion Unit (J/IRF/HSI). The HSI Unit led IRF’s efforts to integrate religious freedom principles within broader policy discourse on peace, security, and human rights.
February 24, 2021
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced the creation of a new Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer (CDIO) position at the Department of State, which reported directly to him. In his announcement, he also asked each bureau to designate an existing Deputy Assistant Secretary to support that bureau’s own diversity and inclusion (D&I) efforts and to serve on a newly created D&I Leadership Council. Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley was appointed CDIO on April 12, 2021.
February 26, 2021
Secretary Blinken took a “virtual” trip to Canada and Mexico, which was streamed live on the Department of State’s website and social media platforms.
March 24, 2021
The Bureau of Consular Affairs launched the Next Generation Passport (NGP), featuring a polycarbonate data page, new security features, and an alphanumeric passport number instead of the previous numeric passport number.
April 14, 2021
The Acting Under Secretary for Management, Carol Z. Perez, signed a memorandum requiring all overseas missions to implement Merit-Based Compensation (MBC) for Locally Employed (LE) Staff by December 2026. MBC was developed in the 1990s based on a merit-based compensation program for LE Staff introduced at Mission UK as a way to comply with local prevailing practice. In 2011, the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs (EUR) began to implement MBC at its missions. MBC was subsequently implemented throughout all of EUR, as well as at missions in the Bureaus of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA), East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP), African Affairs (AF), and South Central Asian Affairs (SCA).
April 19, 2021
Acting Under Secretary for Management Carol Z. Perez announced the Department had successfully completed delivery of COVID-19 vaccines to all overseas posts. This overseas distribution, known as “Operation Icebox,” consisted of 1,450 flight hours, 660,000 miles traveled, and 190,266 doses delivered.
May 5, 2021
The Bureau of Global Talent Management (GTM) announced the Department’s New Child Emergency Visitation Travel policy. This benefit was available to Foreign Service employees and certain EFMs overseas to care for a birth parent who gave birth away from post.
May 5, 2021
The Executive Secretariat Staff (“The Line”) held a virtual ministerial briefing in order to equip bureaus with the tools necessary to prepare and staff virtual ministerials (a virtual meeting or set of meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials). The Line continued to serve as the lead on physical and virtual travel for the Secretary, but transitioned the preparation of virtual ministerials from the Secretary to the bureaus.
May 21, 2021
The Coronavirus Global Response Coordination Unit (CGRCU) ceased operations and formally transferred the bulk of its responsibilities to the Office of the Coordinator for Global COVID-19 Response and Health Security (S/CRHS), led by Coordinator Gayle Smith and established on April 5. Other responsibilities were disseminated among the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs’ Office of International Health and Biodefense (OES/IHB), the COVID-19 Coordination Team (CCT), the Bureau of Medical Services (MED), the Bureau of Global Public Affairs (GPA), and the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ (CA) Office of Overseas Citizens Service.
June 7, 2021
The Bureau of Global Talent Management’s Family Liaison Office (GTM/FLO) changed its name to the Global Community Liaison Office (GTM/GCLO).
June 26, 2021
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman, Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer Ambassador Gina Abercrombie-Winstanley, and glifaa President Jeff Anderson participated in a ceremonial raising of the progress flag at the Harry S. Truman building. The progress flag is a symbol of the diversity and intersectionality of LGBTQI+ persons and communities around the world, and this instance during Pride month represented the first time the flag was formally flown at the Harry S. Truman building. The flag was flown from June 26 to June 28 to mark two important turning points in the fight for LGBTQI+ rights: June 26, the anniversary of the historic Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court decision in 2015; and June 28, which marks the anniversary of the start of the Stonewall riots of 1969.
July 27, 2021
The Acting Under Secretary for Management, Carol Z. Perez, announced a reorganization of the Bureau of International Organizations Affairs. This reorganization established the Office of Multilateral Strategy and Personnel (IO/MSP); renamed the Office of Public Affairs, Planning, and Coordination (IO/PPC) as the Office of Public Affairs and Outreach (IO/PAO); and created a new Deputy Assistant Secretary position in IO to oversee IO/MSP and IO/PAO.
August 20. 2021
As part of Operation Allies Welcome and working with the interagency, the Department turned the 100,000-square-foot Dulles Expo Center in Chantilly, Virginia, into a temporary shelter for Afghan refugees. Volunteers worked around-the-clock to welcome nearly 46,000 Afghans to the United States in safety and dignity. The shelter ceased operation on September 11.
August 20, 2021
The Office of Venezuela Affairs (WHA/VZ) merged into the Office of Andean Affairs (WHA/AND).
September 27, 2021
The Department of State’s Enterprise Data Council (EDC) announced the official rollout of the Department’s first-ever Enterprise Data Strategy (EDS), entitled Empowering Data Informed Diplomacy. The EDS satisfied mandates in the Federal Data Strategy and the Foundations in Evidence-based Policymaking Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-435). It also supported the Joseph R. Biden Administration’s “Memorandum on Restoring Trust in Government Through Scientific Integrity and Evidence-Based Policymaking,” and the Presidential “Executive Order on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.”
September 28, 2021
The COVID-19 Mitigation Process (CMP) replaced Diplomacy Strong as the Department’s framework for determining an appropriate onsite work posture and correlated mitigation actions.
October 12, 2021
The Department of State centralized its efforts to facilitate the relocation and resettlement in the United States of Afghan individuals, by appointing Ambassador Beth Jones as the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE).
October 27, 2021
The Department issued the first passport with an “X” gender marker, which denotes that someone is neither exclusively male nor female.
October 29, 2021
The Global Magnitsky Analytics Dashboard went live for all Department of State personnel. This dashboard tracked and visualized financial sanction designations under the Global Magnitsky sanctions program.
November 1, 2021
Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken announced a new “Policy Ideas Channel,” which allowed employees at any level anywhere in the world to share their ideas directly with leadership at State.
December 2, 2021
The Bureau of Consular Affairs launched Online Passport Renewal (OPR), a web portal that allowed U.S. passports to be renewed over the internet.
December 6, 2021
The Bureau of Global Talent Management announced a new Office of Technology Services (GTM/OTS).
December 27, 2021
President Joseph R. Biden signed the National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 117-81) into law, which, among other provisions, directed that “the Foreign Affairs Manual and the Foreign Affairs Handbook apply with equal force and effect and without exception to all Department of State personnel, including the Secretary of State, Department employees, and political appointees, regardless of an individual’s status as a Foreign Service officer, Civil Service employee, or political appointee hired under any legal authority.” The Secretary of State was required to certify to Congress that this authority had been communicated to all Department employees within 30 days.
February 1, 2022
On this anniversary of the Greensboro lunch counter sit-in, Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced the naming of the cafeteria in the Harry S. Truman building after Ambassador Terence A. Todman who worked to desegregate the Department’s dining facilities in Virginia.
February 11, 2022
The Office of Monetary Affairs in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs, Division for International Finance and Development, changed its name to the Office of Macroeconomic Affairs (EB/IFD/OMA).
March 15, 2022
The Under Secretary for Management approved changes to 3 FAM 5300, the Department regulation governed the process for approving and managing Employee Affinity Groups (EAGs) and Employee Organizations (EOs) in the Department. Historically, Employee Affinity Groups worked to promote diversity and inclusion in support of the Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Plan and Employee Organizations engaged management and GTM regarding agency operations and work-force issues. Over time, the distinctions between the groups became blurred, and they did not share equitable access to Department management and leadership. As a result of the FAM revisions, both EAGs and EOs were classified as Employee Organizations (EOs) and the Labor Management Negotiator in the Bureau of Global Talent Management’s Office of Policy Coordination was assigned responsibility for managing the Department’s relationship with all EOs.
April 4, 2022
The Department established the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy (CDP) to address the national security challenges, economic opportunities, and implications for U.S. values associated with cyberspace, digital technologies, and digital policy. At its founding, the bureau was comprised of three policy units: International Cyberspace Security (CDP/ICS), the International Information and Communications Policy (CDP/ICP), and Digital Freedom (CDP/DFU).
April 14, 2022
The Bureau of Administration announced the opening of a hoteling hub in HST. “Hoteling” provided for the space-sharing practice of having workspaces unassigned and available for staff to use during the workday as needed. The space was open to Department employees Monday to Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and did not require reservations for its use.
April 25, 2022
The Department transitioned to an “all functions” workforce posture in the National Capital Region (NCR), as the data on COVID-19 continued to show decreases in severe illness requiring hospitalization. The “All Functions” posture meant that employees could start fully utilizing their new telework agreements based on their position’s Mobility Assessment Tool (MAT) results. The MAT provided the hybrid work parameters for each position and defined the amount of regular telework allowable in the position.
June 2022
The Department implemented changes to the Generalist assessment process beginning with the June 2022 Foreign Service Officer Test (FSOT). The FSOT no longer served as a pass/fail gateway to the Foreign Service Oral Assessment (FSOA). Instead, a candidate’s FSOT score was combined with a preliminary Qualifications Evaluations Panel (QEP) score to determine who moved forward in the recruitment evaluation process. These changes to the FSOT were intended to attract well-qualified candidates and ensure a holistic view of each candidate’s qualifications.
June 14, 2022
The Department released its first-ever Demographic Baseline, which provided a demographic snapshot of the Department’s workforce beginning at the end of fiscal year 2021—broken down by sex, race, ethnicity, and disability as well as by bureau, service, and grade/rank. The Dashboard is interactive and will be updated annually.
June 14, 2022
The Department updated its core hours requirements to enhance work schedule flexibilities. The update reduced the minimum number of consecutive hours from five consecutive hours on five workdays in a week to two consecutive core hours on two workdays in a biweekly pay period. Each bureau or post determined the core hours based on their mission needs. The reduction of core hours provided employees, either in the office or teleworking, greater flexibility to organize their schedules and workday and was part of the Department’s Future of Work plan.
June 17, 2022
The Secretary of State appointed Desirée Cormier Smith to be the Department’s first Special Representative for Racial Equity and Justice (SRREJ) to lead U.S. efforts to create a world where people of all races and ethnicities are equally valued, included, and able to live up to their full potential in accordance with E.O. 13985 (Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities) and consistent with the priorities outlined in the State Department’s Agency Equity Plan (released on April 14, 2022).
June 21, 2022
The Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs renamed the Office of Korean Affairs (EAP/K) as the Office of Korean and Mongolian Affairs (EAP/KM) to better align bureau resources with strategic priorities.
September 1, 2022
IRM and M/SS announced a new suite of cloud storage and analytic software solutions, called “Data.State,” to ensure bureaus have access to the centralized data services and assets needed to fulfill the Department’s mission.
September 12, 2022
In an email to Department of State and US Agency for International Development staff and family members, former Director General of the Foreign Service and Director of Global Talent Carol Perez, announced that the Under Secretary of State for Management had asked her to chair the Women’s Health Working Group. Comprised of representatives from State’s Office of the Under Secretary for Management, the Bureau of Medical Services, the Bureau of Global Talent Management, the Office of the Legal Adviser, as well as USAID’s Under Secretary for Management and Office of Management Services, the working group pursued improved access to crucial women’s healthcare services for employees and family members serving abroad.
October 1, 2022
On August 5, 2022, the Department announced that most of the temporary allowances for COVID-related administrative leave would be discontinued on October 1. After that date, COVID-related administrative leave would only be authorized for vaccination purposes.
December 16, 2022
The Office of China Coordination, informally known as China House, was established as part of Secretary Blinken’s Modernization Agenda. This office, headed at launch by China Coordinator Rick Waters, served as a one-stop shop for developing, integrating, implementing, and communicating U.S. policies surrounding the People’s Republic of China across the Department.