PUBLIC LAW 96-465—OCT. 17, 1980
94 STAT. 2151
(b) Each employee serving in a position at the time it is designated under subsection (a) shall, not later than 120 days after notice of such designation, elect— (1) to accept conversion to the Foreign Service, in which case such employee shall be converted in accordance with the provisions of subsection (c); or (2) to decline conversion to the Foreign Service and have the provisions of subsection (d) apply. (c)(1) The Secretary of Agriculture shall recommend to the President for appointment to the appropriate class (as determined under paragraph (2)), by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, those employees who elect conversion under subsection (a)(1). (2) The Secretary of Agriculture shall appoint as Foreign Service personnel those employees who elect to accept conversion and who are not eligible for appointment under paragraph (1). (d) Any employee who declines conversion under subsection (b)(2) shall for so long as that employee continues to hold the designated position be deemed to be a member of the Foreign Service for purposes of allowances, differentials, and similar benefits (as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture). SEC. 2106. PRESERVATION OP STATUS AND BENEFITS.—(a)(1) Every 22 USC 4156. individual who is converted under this chapter shall be converted to the class or grade and pay rate that most closely corresponds to the class or grade and step at which the individual was serving immediately before conversion. No conversion under this chapter shall cause any individual to incur a reduction in his or her cleiss, grade, or basic rate of salary. (2) An individual converted under section 2104 to a position in the competitive service shall be entitled to have that position, or any other position to which the individual is subsequently assigned (other than at the request of the individual), be considered for all purposes as at the grade which corresponds to the class in which the individual served immediately before conversion so long as the individual continues to hold that position. (b)(1) Any participant in the Foreign Service Retirement and Retirement Disability System who would, but for this paragraph, participate in g^tu'/^'^*^^^^^"* the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System by virtue of conversion under this chapter shall remain a participant in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System for 120 days after participation in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System would otherwise cease. During such 120-day period, the individual may elect in writing to continue to participate in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System instead of the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System so long as he or she is employed in an agency which is authorized to utilize the Foreign Service personnel system. If such an election is not made, the individual shall then be covered by the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System and contributions made by the participant to the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability Fund shall be transferred to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund. (2) Any Foreign Service Reserve officer with limited tenure who has reemployment rights to a personnel category in the Foreign Service in which he or she would be a participant in the Foreign Service Retirement and Disability System and who would, but for this paragraph, continue to participate in the Civil Service Retirement and Disability System by virtue of conversion under section 2104 may elect, during the 120-day period beginning on the date of such conversion, to become a participant in the Foreign Service
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