Review of the Department of State Disciplinary Process

The Bureau of Human Resources should update the guides for supervisors of Foreign Service and Civil Service employees so that they contain the latest Department of State guidance on disciplinary issues.

The Bureau of Human Resources should regularly publicize the results of disciplinary actions, including statistics regarding numbers of Foreign Service and Civil Service employees disciplined, the penalties imposed, the prevalent types of misconduct, and trends, in a manner that respects the privacy of personally identifiable information.

The Bureau of Human Resources should conduct a survey of supervisors and employees to determine their perceptions of the disciplinary system and to shape an action plan for addressing what impediments may exist to dealing more effectively with misconduct within the Department of State.

The Bureau of Human Resources should reissue guidance concerning every supervisor’s responsibility to identify misconduct and take corrective action.

The Bureau of Human Resources should revise the Decision Criteria for Tenure and Promotion in the Foreign Service to include the responsibility to deal with misconduct.

The Bureau of Human Resources should establish a written standard operating procedure that requires the deciding official to provide a decision letter that documents fully the reasons for the decision, including the proposal, the discussion of the Douglas Factors, and the consideration given to the employee’s statements and submissions.

The Bureau of Human Resources should complete the full implementation of the Grievance, Appeals, and Disciplinary Tracking and Reporting System.

The Bureau of Human Resources should establish and implement a procedure to oversee the performance of bureaus with delegated disciplinary authority, revising agreements as required and establishing reporting and evaluation mechanisms.

The Bureau of Human Resources should institute a standard recusal process for personnel involved in implementing the disciplinary process, including those in the delegated bureaus, to affirm independence and identify any potential personal and external impairments to independence on the part of those who may influence the outcome of a disciplinary action.