---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 4083a"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "4083a"
heading: "Rest and recuperation leave"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/4083a"
units:
  - "Chapter 52 — Foreign Service"
  - "Subchapter IX — Travel, Leave, and Other Benefits"
---

# §4083a. Rest and recuperation leave

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section—
  - (1) the term “[agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2)” means an Executive [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) (as that term is defined in [section 105 of title 5](/usc/5/105.md)), but does not include the [Government](/usc/22/3902.md?p=7) Accountability Office;
  - (2) the term “combat zone” means a geographic area designated by an Executive order of the President as an area in which the Armed Forces are engaging or have engaged in combat, an area designated by law to be treated as a combat zone, or a location the [Department](/usc/22/3902.md?p=4) of Defense has certified for combat zone tax benefits due to its direct [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) of military operations;
  - (3) the term “employee” means an officer or an individual who is—
    - (A) appointed in the civil service, the Foreign Service, or any appointment authority other than the uniformed services (as that term is defined in [section 101 of title 37](/usc/37/101.md)), by one of the following acting in an official capacity:
      - (i) The President.
      - (ii) A Member or Members of Congress, or Congress.
      - (iii) An individual who is an employee under this section.
      - (iv) The head of a [Government](/usc/22/3902.md?p=7)-controlled corporation;
    - (B) engaged in the performance of a Federal [function](/usc/22/3902.md?p=6) under authority of law or an Executive act; and
    - (C) subject to the supervision of an individual described in [subparagraph (A)](#a-3-A) while engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her position;
  - (4) the term “high risk, high threat post” has the meaning given that term in [section 4803 of this title](/usc/22/4803.md); and
  - (5) the term “leave year” means the period beginning on the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar year and ending on the day immediately before the first day of the first complete pay period in the following calendar year.
- (b) **Leave for rest and recuperation—** The [Secretary](/usc/22/3902.md?p=10) or other head of an [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) may prescribe regulations to grant up to 20 days of paid leave, per leave year, for the purposes of rest and recuperation to an employee of the [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) serving in a combat zone, any other high risk, high threat post, or any other location presenting significant security or operational challenges.
- (c) **Discretionary authority of the Secretary or other agency head—** Use of the authority under [subsection (b)](#b) is at the sole and exclusive discretion of the head of the [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) concerned.
- (d) **Records—** An [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) shall record leave provided under this section separately from leave authorized under any other provision of law.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 903a, as added Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXII, § 7215(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2536.)