Guidance on Assisting Members of Households (MOHs) Accompanying USAID Employees Overseas

USAID/General Notice, POLICY
M/HR/PPIM/PP
5/10/2001

In State 242724 dated December 26, 2000, the Department of State reaffirmed existing practices in assisting members of households (MOHs) who accompany employees on overseas assignments. Members of households are defined as individuals who fall outside of the current legal and statutory definition of family member (spouses and dependent children) who are extended certain privileges while they are a part of the employee's household overseas. MOHs may include elderly parents, unmarried partners, and other relatives or adult children.

This guidance is provided to familiarize Mission Directors with the provisions outlined in the State cable referenced above. Mission Directors and other staff are expected to provide similar support to members of households who will reside at post with the employee, within the limits of laws, regulations, and policies.

State 242724 outlined a number of ways in which Chiefs of Mission (COMs) and their staffs are to provide assistance to members of households while they are part of employee households including:

1. All missions will provide MOHs with assistance in obtaining appropriate residency permits and travel visas in accordance with local laws.
2. ll U.S. citizen MOHs shall be included in the Mission Warden System.
3. Employees shall be encouraged to complete emergency locator cards for all MOHs.
4. If an MOH can legally work in the respective country (including having any necessary work permits), they shall be considered for PIT, PSC, PSA and FSN positions as appropriate for their citizenship.
5. MOHs shall have access to CLO and FLO sponsored activities and programming within existing policy and regulations.
6. OHs shall, with their permission and at the employee's request, be included in post telephone and address listings.
7. COMs and their staffs may include MOHs in all events officially sanctioned by post on the same basis as family members.
8. Recognizing that cultural differences may mean that an American employee's household may not necessarily mirror households in foreign countries, COMs shall work to ensure that the official American community environment is as welcoming as possible.

Mission Directors are instructed to take steps in establishing similar procedures appropriate to the mission. In doing so, Mission Directors are reminded that, under the law, certain other privileges and allowances may only be extended to family members, and applicable laws and regulations must be closely followed.