The change ends a practice of linking access to department security clearances to potential restrictions on employees’ ability to serve in countries to which they have close ties. The rules have also been employed to prevent some department employees from working on issues related to those countries when based in the United States.
Critics have said the rules discourage diversity and have unjustly stunted the careers of Asian American diplomats and other groups who might have close relatives in countries where they would like to serve.
A 2021 proposal from congressional Democrats that aimed to lift the restrictions showed that the top countries where such restrictions were used to block State Department assignments were China, Russia, Taiwan and Israel.
A senior State Department official, speaking on the condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the department, said the change was aimed at improving recruiting and securing a “diverse, dynamic, and entrepreneurial workforce.”
The official said the department’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security had lifted such restrictions for many employees in recent years. They remain in place for more than 600 employees but, in keeping with a 2021 law, the department is also expanding appeal options for affected individuals.
Christopher Barnes, president of AFGE Local 1534, which represents civil servants at the State…
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