### §2738. Mid-Career Mentoring Program

#### (a) Authorization

The Secretary, in collaboration with the Director of the Foreign Service Institute, is authorized to establish a Mid-Career Mentoring Program (referred to in this section as the "Program") to assist in the retention of, and to decrease mid-career attrition of, employees, including those who have demonstrated potential for advancement and may be at risk of leaving the Department.

#### (b) Selection

#### (1) Nominations

The head of each bureau shall semiannually nominate participants for the Program from a pool of applicants in the positions described in paragraph (2)(B), including from posts both domestically and abroad.

#### (2) Submission of slate of nominees to Secretary

The Director of the Foreign Service Institute, in consultation with the Director General of the Foreign Service, shall semiannually—

(A) vet the nominees most recently nominated pursuant to paragraph (1); and

(B) submit to the Secretary a slate of applicants to participate in the Program, who shall consist of at least—

(i) 10 Foreign Service Officers and specialists classified at the FS-03 or FS-04 level of the Foreign Service Salary Schedule;

(ii) 10 Civil Service employees classified at GS–12 or GS–13 of the General Schedule; and

(iii) 5 Foreign Service Officers from the United States Agency for International Development.

#### (3) Final selection

The Secretary shall select the applicants who will be invited to participate in the Program from the slate received pursuant to paragraph (2)(B) and extend such an invitation to each selected applicant.

#### (4) Merit principles

Section 3905 of this title shall apply to nominations, submissions to the Secretary, and selections for the Program under this section.

#### (c) Program sessions

#### (1) Frequency; duration

All of the participants who accept invitations extended pursuant to subsection (b)(3) shall meet 3 to 4 times per year for training sessions with high-level leaders of the Department and USAID, including private group meetings with the Secretary and the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development.

#### (2) Themes

Each session referred to in paragraph (1) shall focus on specific themes developed jointly by the Foreign Service Institute and the Executive Secretariat focused on substantive policy issues and leadership practices.

#### (d) Mentoring program

The Secretary and the Administrator each is authorized to establish a mentoring and coaching program that pairs a senior leader of the Department or USAID with each of the program participants who complete the Program during the 1-year period immediately following their participation in the Program.

#### (e) Annual report

Not later than one year after December 22, 2023, and annually thereafter for three years, the Secretary shall submit a report to the appropriate congressional committees that describes the activities of the Program during the most recent year and includes disaggregated demographic data on participants in the Program.

(Pub. L. 118–31, div. F, title LXII, §6205, Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 973.)

#### **Editorial Notes**

#### References in Text

The General Schedule, referred to in subsec. (b)(2)(B)(ii), is set out under section 5332 of Title 5, Government Organization and Employees.

#### **Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries**

#### Definitions

For definitions of "Secretary", "Department", and "appropriate congressional committees" as used in this section, see section 6002 of Pub. L. 118–31, set out as a note under section 2651 of this title.