---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 3946"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "3946"
heading: "Career appointments"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/3946"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter III — Appointments"
---

# §3946. Career appointments

- (a) **Trial period under limited appointment—** Before receiving a career appointment in the Service, an individual shall first serve under a limited appointment as a career candidate for a trial period of service prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10). During such trial period of service, the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) shall decide whether—
  - (1) to offer a career appointment to the candidate under [section 3943 of this title](/usc/22/3943.md), or
  - (2) to recommend to the President that the candidate be given a career appointment under [section 3942 of this title](/usc/22/3942.md).
- (b) **Decisions by Secretary—** Decisions by the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) under [subsection (a)](#a) shall be based upon the recommendations of boards, established by the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) and composed entirely or primarily of career members of the Service, which shall evaluate the fitness and aptitude of career candidates for the work of the Service.
- (c) **Foreign Service Grievance Board decisions—** Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the authority of the [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) or the Foreign Service [Grievance](/usc/22/4131.md?p=a-1) Board under [section 4137 of this title](/usc/22/4137.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 306, Oct. 17, 1980, 94 Stat. 2086; Pub. L. 100–204, title I, § 181(c), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1363.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Amendments

1987—Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 100–204 added subsec. (c).

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–204, title I, § 181(e), Dec. 22, 1987, 101 Stat. 1364, provided that: “The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 4010 and 4137 of this title] shall not apply with respect to any grievance in which the Board has issued a final decision pursuant to section 1107 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4137) before the date of enactment of this Act [Dec. 22, 1987].”