The Peace Corps is committed to providing equal opportunity to all employees, Volunteers, and applicants for employment and volunteer service.
Peace Corps policy prohibits discrimination and harassment because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital status, political affiliation, union membership or disability.
Here is a list of the most commonly asked questions.
Q: Will the Peace Corps provide my family and me with a house and will it be furnished?
A: The Peace Corps will provide basic furniture. This includes movable items required to equip a residence for living, such as chairs, tables, sofas, beds and curtains; and major appliances, such as refrigerators, stoves, washers, dryers and heating and cooling equipment, as appropriate. The Peace Corps does not routinely provide food freezers. All furnishings provided by the Peace Corps remain Peace Corps’ property.
A: The Peace Corps does not pay for shipment of privately-owned vehicles (POVs) from an employee's home of record in the U.S. to post. Instead, staff are encouraged to purchase vehicles locally for personal use.
Privately owned automobiles may be shipped at your expense and risk, provided the U.S. embassy at post has not established rules to the contrary and the vehicle itself is not ostentatious. Vehicles may be purchased in many overseas countries, particularly from people with duty-free status. While considering whether or not to ship your automobile overseas, find out the availability of parts and skilled mechanics for your particular type of automobile at post. Shipping and maintaining a vehicle overseas is very expensive and time-consuming. If you ship your vehicle, you are responsible for handling all matters related to shipment, customs clearance, and any required duties. Customs clearance may be particularly challenging.
The Peace Corps does not pay for shipment of privately-owned vehicles (POVs) from an employee's home of record in the U.S. to post. Instead, staff are encouraged to purchase vehicles locally for personal use.
A: If you have children, their education will certainly be one of your top priorities. The Peace Corps provides employees with school-age children either an education allowance or an educational travel allowance.
Children older than four and younger than 21 years of age are eligible for an education allowance if enrolled in the elementary or secondary school levels (i.e., grades K-12). A child who has reached the age of 21 during a school year remains eligible for an education allowance only until the end of that school year. The education allowance is designed to assist in defraying those costs necessary to obtain educational services, which are ordinarily provided without charge by the public schools in the U.S. This allowance is a fixed amount determined by the Department of State allowances office based on each post. It may be used to cover the cost of tuition and room and board, and any unused portion may be used for periodic transportation between your child’s school and post.
Educational travel provides yearly round-trip transportation from post to the U.S. for full-time students (under age 23) attending an undergraduate college or post-secondary vocational or technical school in the U.S. Educational travel may also include travel to a school outside the U.S. if the student is attending the school for less than one year and the program is approved by the school which the student is enrolled on a full-time basis. Educational travel for students attending U.S. public primary or secondary schools is in lieu of an education allowance. Tickets are paid for from posts’ budgets.
A: All eligible family members interested in employment at post should contact the post personnel office and/or the Community Liaison Office (at posts that have one). All hiring for jobs within the U.S. mission takes place at post, but a letter and an application or federal application OF-612 may be sent in advance.
Within the American community overseas, opportunities for employment may exist at the international school, recreation association, or commissary. Employment is also often possible in the local economy, with the permission of the host country and the Chief of Mission. The U.S. has bilateral work agreements with some countries and informal reciprocal arrangements with others. Family members who work in the local economy waive certain immunities and are subject to host country taxation. Family members who plan to work in the local economy should also be aware that credentials or licenses from the U.S. may not be recognized overseas. Questions regarding bilateral agreements and other employment issues can be answered by the Peace Corps Overseas Recruitment Selection and Support Family Liaison, the Family Liaison Office (FLO) at the Department of State or by the personnel office at post.
Due to the small size of Peace Corps' country staffs, nepotism issues, and concerns about the appearance of impropriety, it is generally not possible for employees' family members to work for the Peace Corps.
Q: I am new to the federal government. How much annual and sick leave will I earn each pay period?
A: The amount of annual leave that you earn is based on your total federal service, including Peace Corps/VISTA Volunteer service and creditable military service.
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A full-time employee accrues leave during each full biweekly pay period while in pay status or in a combination of pay and non-pay status at the rates shown below:
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Years of Service
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Leave Per Pay Period
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Leave Days Per Year
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Less than three (3)
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4 hours
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13
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Three (3) to less than fifteen (15)
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6 hours
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20
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Fifteen (15) or more
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8 hours
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26
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As an overseas employee, you may carry over a maximum of 360 hours from one year to the next. You need prior approval in order to take annual leave. Country Directors (CDs) approve leave for their staff and regional directors approve leave for CDs. CDs must receive official approval in order to leave the country – at any time, for any reason. Should an emergency arise requiring you to take leave unexpectedly, you must notify your supervisor at the earliest possible time.
Sick leave is an absence from duty with pay that is requested by an employee for health-related reasons, including appointments with physicians and dentists. The absence is charged from the employee’s accumulated sick leave balance.
All employees, regardless of length of service, accrue four hours of sick leave for each full biweekly pay period. There is no limit to the amount you may accumulate.
A: Home leave is authorized by 5 USC 6305, and is earned by direct-hire U.S. citizen employees when they serve overseas, for use in the U.S., the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or any possession of the U.S. Home leave entitles employees and their eligible family members to round-trip transportation to their home of record.
Home leave is also an additional leave category. For each 12 months of service abroad, you earn five days of home leave, which is credited to your account as earned. This type of leave may be granted in conjunction with other approved leave. Home leave may be approved by your regional director only after a second tour has been authorized. Employees typically take their home leave between their two tours overseas although there is some flexibility in scheduling.
A: Weight limits are determined by the number of people traveling to post. Your belongings are authorized for either storage or sea freight/surface shipment. All staff, regardless of family size, are allowed a combined total of 14,000 lbs. for storage and shipment. The following is a breakdown of air and sea shipment authorized by size of family.
Single Staff Member:
– Air Freight 250 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 2,500 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with one (1) family member:
– Air Freight 450 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 3,500 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with two (2) family members:
– Air Freight 600 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 4,000 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with three (3) family members:
– Air Freight 700 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 4,500 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with four (4) family members:
– Air Freight 800 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 5,000 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with five (5) family members:
– Air Freight 900 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 5,500 lbs. net weight
Staff Member with six (6) family members:
– Air Freight 1,000 lbs. gross weight
– Sea Freight 6,000 lbs. net weight
Q: What clearances do I need before I can depart for my country of assignment?
A: All candidates applying for Administrative Officer, Program and Training Officer, and Country Director positions will be required to obtain and maintain a Top Secret security clearance and a medical clearance. Appointment will be subject to the applicant's successful completion of both examinations.
Security Clearance: Failure to successfully meet the background security investigation and favorable adjudication will be grounds for non-selection or if the candidate has been hired, termination of employment.
Medical Clearance: You and all eligible family members who will be residing with you at post must be granted a medical clearance prior to departure for post.
Various countries require particular immunizations for entry. You may contact the DOS Office of Medical Services to inquire about the immunizations needed for your post. Proof of immunization must be recorded on your medical record, as well as on your World Health Organization (WHO) card, which must be carried with you to post. The Department of State may recommend some inoculations for post-related reasons, while others may be recommended for reasons specific to your health.
Q: Will I be able to send mail and small parcels through the diplomatic pouch?
A: Generally, there are three ways you receive mail overseas: international postal service (airmail), APO/FPO (military postal service – not available at every post), and Department of State diplomatic mail and pouch (not available at every post).
For posts with APO/FPO services, authorized users are full-time, direct-hire U.S. government employees associated with the embassy (this includes U.S. direct-hire Peace Corps employees).
International airmail is another way individuals can send you mail at post. For employees at posts where there is no military presence or embassy, this is the only option. You can request an international mail address for your post from your country desk officer.
Q: I would like to send my pet to post. Will the Peace Corps pay for this?
A: If you wish to take a pet with you to your overseas post, it will be at your own expense. In addition, your weight allowance may not be used for the transportation of pets. You will be responsible for finding lodging that allows pets during your Overseas Staff Training and for researching your host country laws regarding health requirements and quarantine before the pet can be admitted. All travel arrangements for pets are your responsibility.
A: Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) Annuitants: Reemployment will cause your annuity to stop if the following apply:
1) You are a disability annuitant whom OPM has found recovered or restored to earning capacity prior to reemployment; or
2) You are a disability annuitant who was not disabled for your National Guard Technician position but were awarded disability annuity because you were medically disqualified for continued membership in the National Guard.
Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)/CSRS Offset Annuitants: Reemployment will cause your annuity to stop if the following apply:
1) You are a disability annuitant whom OPM has found recovered or restored to earning capacity prior to reemployment; or
2) You are a disability annuitant who was not disabled for your National Guard Technician position but were awarded disability annuity because you were medically disqualified for continued membership in the National Guard; or
3) Your annuity is based on an involuntary separation (other than a separation that was required by law based on your age and length of service or a separation for cause on charges of misconduct or delinquency) and your new appointment is permanent in nature ( for example career, career conditional, or excepted); or
4) You receive a Presidential appointment subject to retirement deductions.
If your annuity stops as the result of your reemployment with the government, you have the same status as any other federal employee. Your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage as an annuitant will stop. If your appointment is one that gives you eligibility for FEHB coverage, you can enroll in FEHB. Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program will also stop without a right to convert to an individual policy. You acquire life insurance coverage as an employee under the same conditions as any other employee who is rehired in the federal service.
However, if your annuity does not stop under the rules discussed above then you will continue to receive your annuity while you are working. But, your salary will be reduced by the amount of your annuity for the period you work. Reemployment may increase your retirement benefits. As a reemployed annuitant, you can earn either a supplemental or a re-determined annuity. A supplemental annuity is an annuity that is added on to your current annuity if you work at least one year. A re-determined annuity is a recomputed annuity that takes the place of your current annuity if you work at least five years.
The retirement deductions (FERS: 0.8 percent, Social Security: 6.20 percent, and Medicare: 1.45 percent) will be withheld from your pay. Your FEHB will continue as an annuitant and withholding of the premiums will continue to be made from your annuity payment. Your FEGLI will remain the same, unless the type of appointment as employee makes you eligible for FEGLI coverage. Any basic life insurance, standard and family options are suspended and you will have the coverage as an employee.
Foreign Service (FS) Annuitants: There are two basic provisions for adjusting benefits when an FS annuitant receiving retirement benefits under the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System or the Foreign Service Pension System is reemployed. The first provision, suspension of annuity during reemployment, applies when the annuitant is hired in a full-time, career, career conditional, or excepted service basis. The second provision, continuation of benefits subject to the salary/annuity limitation, applies when the annuitant has been continuously reemployed in a part-time, temporary or intermittent (WAE) basis.
If your annuity stops as the result of your reemployment with the government, you have the same status as any other federal employee. Your Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) coverage as an annuitant will stop. If your appointment is one that gives you eligibility for FEHB coverage, you can enroll in FEHB. Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program will also stop without a right to convert to an individual policy. You acquire life insurance coverage as an employee under the same conditions as any other employee who is rehired in the federal service.
When your reemployment ends, your annuity will resume with the Foreign Service. However, if you have met the requirements for retirement under FERS, you may also apply for your annuity through the Office of Personnel Management.
