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

# §4083b. Overseas operations 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 “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-2-A) while engaged in the performance of the duties of his or her position; and
  - (3) the term “leave year” means the period beginning with the first day of the first complete pay period in a calendar year and ending with the day immediately before the first day of the first complete pay period in the following calendar year.
- (b) **Leave for overseas operations—** 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 10 days of paid leave, per leave year, to an employee of the [agency](/usc/22/3902.md?p=2) serving [abroad](/usc/22/3902.md?p=1) for the purpose of local holidays.
- (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.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 96–465, title I, § 903b, as added Pub. L. 118–159, div. G, title LXXII, § 7215(a), Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2537.)