Executive Order 6657-A—Regulations for Payment of Losses Sustained by Officers, Enlisted Men, and Employees of the United States in Foreign Countries Due to Appreciation of Foreign Currencies in Their Relation to the American Dollar

Pursuant to the authority vested in me by the act entitled "An Act to authorize annual appropriations to meet losses sustained by officers and employees of the United States in foreign countries due to appreciation of foreign currencies in their relation to the American dollar, and for other purposes", approved March 26, 1934, and in order to afford immediate relief, I prescribe the following temporary regulations, which shall apply to all officers, enlisted men, and employees of the United States while in service in foreign countries.

DEFINITION

1. The words in the act "while in service in foreign countries", for the purpose of these regulations, shall be understood to mean (a) while employed in or on assignment or detail to a post of duty in a foreign country, (b) while en route through a foreign country or on a foreign vessel to or from such post, (c) while, during such assignment or detail abroad, on leave of absence with pay in a foreign country, (d) while traveling in foreign countries under official orders, or (e) while attached to and serving on board United States vessels stationed in foreign waters for not less than 30 consecutive days.

PURPOSE OF REGULATIONS

2. The purpose of these regulations is to provide for reimbursement to officers, enlisted men, and employees of the United States (hereinafter referred to as employees), for losses sustained from appreciation of foreign currencies in their relation to the American dollar, as authorized under the aforesaid act.

METHOD OF COMPUTATION OF PAYMENT OF LOSSES

3. (a) The loss above referred to is that calculated on the basis of conversion into foreign currency of the employee's net salary and net allowances, except as provided in paragraphs (b) and (c) of this section.

(b) In case of employees serving under the War and Navy Departments (with the exception of military and naval attachés and other employees attached to their offices, who shall be governed by paragraph (a) of this section), the loss is that calculated on the basis of conversion into foreign currency of the employee's net pay and allowances.

(c) In case of employees traveling in foreign countries under official orders, not employed in or on assignment or detail to a post of duty in a foreign country, no part of the employee's salary shall be included in the loss referred to for the purposes of these regulations.

(d) In case of employees who sustained losses arising from the conversion of salaries or allowances (including those paid from fees either in foreign or American currency) during the period from July 15, 1933, to the effective date of this order, the losses shall be calculated as provided in paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) of this section. Claim for reimbursement for such loss shall be accompanied by the best evidence, available to the employee, of the rate at which conversion was made.

(e) As used in this section:

The term "net salary" means the base salary less any deduction for contribution to the retirement or other fund, or on account of percentage deductions in compensation.

The term "net allowances" means allowances paid to the employee.

The term "net pay and allowances" means the employee's full pay, including extra or additional pay, and all allowances (other than those furnished in kind) less deductions therefrom on account of allotments, fines and forfeitures, clothing, hospital, Civil Service Retirement Fund, percentage deductions in compensation, and other sundry checkages.

BASIC EXCHANGE RATES FOR COMPUTATION OF LOSSES

4. For the basis of computation of losses as referred to in the aforesaid act, the following rates are prescribed as the basic rates for foreign currencies:

METHOD OF PAYMENT TO EMPLOYEES

5. From and after the effective date of this order, each employee shall be entitled to receive in foreign currency such amount as he would have received by converting into such foreign currency, at the basic rates specified in section 4, his net salary and net allowances, or his net pay and allowances, as provided in section 3.

AUTHORITY TO MODIFY

6. The foregoing regulations are temporary and subject to change hereafter, and for the purpose of further adjustment future orders or regulations may, with respect to compensation for exchange losses, be retroactive to the date of this order or to July 15, 1933.

EFFECTIVE DATE

7. This order shall take effect as of April 1, 1934.

FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT

The White House,
March 27, 1934.