The CIA offers a generous allotment of paid time off, to include:

Annual Leave

Employees accrue annual leave each biweekly period to be used for approved absence from work. Annual leave accrual rates are determined by an individual's total years of federal service*.

Employees are allowed to carry a maximum of 30 workdays (240 hours) of accrued annual leave into the next leave year.

*The CIA has adopted portions of the Federal Workforce Flexibility Act of 2004 (FWFA). FWFA provides that a newly appointed employee's non-federal work experience may be creditable in determining the amount of annual leave earned each biweekly pay period. Qualified non-federal work experience (at least three years) must have been performed in a position with duties that directly relate to the position to which he or she is hired at the CIA.

Home Leave

Full-time employees accrue up to 15 days of home leave for each year of overseas service.

Sick and Family-Friendly Leave

Employees accrue sick leave each biweekly pay period to be used for personal illness, adoption and medical appointments. Full-time employees accrue four hours of sick leave per pay period or up to 13 workdays per leave year. Unlimited hours of sick leave can be accumulated and carried over to succeeding years.

Full-time employees may use up to 104 hours of accrued sick leave each year for routine family care and bereavement purposes (family friendly leave).

In addition to other paid time off, an employee may be eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) leave. Under FMLA, most federal employees are entitled to a total of up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period.

Employees can also participate in the Medical Leave Bank (MLB). MLB is a membership program that provides employees with leave for personal or family medical emergencies when their annual leave, sick leave, compensatory time and compensatory travel time is exhausted. MLB leave can be granted for personal or family emergencies such as medical treatment(s), surgery and recovery, childbirth, and medical care for a sick family member.

CIA employees have 10 paid federal holidays per year: New Year's Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King Jr., Washington’s Birthday (Presidents Day), Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

The CIA allows for flexibility in scheduling working hours for its employees, including, but not limited to, flextime, compressed week, part-time and job-sharing, as office needs permit.

The CIA is a diverse workplace, and that diversity is highlighted by its many Agency Resource Groups (ARGs). ARGs contribute to a positive and inclusive workplace where employees with different backgrounds, cultures and talents are respected and given the opportunity to succeed. ARGs are critical to the present and future effectiveness of the CIA through their support and advancement of diversity and inclusion. Visit the Diversity pages to see a list of the CIA's ARGs.

The CIA sponsors a National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accredited daycare facility that accepts children who are three months old through pre-kindergarten. In addition, eligible employees can participate in the child care subsidy program or take advantage of a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account.

The Family Advisory Board (FAB) provides a unique opportunity for spouses not employed by the CIA to learn more about the Agency and to play an important role in helping family members adjust to relocation. Volunteers on the FAB meet with Agency management to discuss employee and family issues.

CIA work-life programs provide information, make referrals and answer questions about work concerns or family situations, including child and elder care resources and emergency assistance and counseling. Preparation for overseas assignments is available for both employees and family members.

The CIA offers on-site fitness facilities and permits three hours of excused absence for physical fitness per week, as office needs permit. Through the Employee Activity Association, employees can join intramural sports teams or purchase sports and theater tickets for their families.

The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) allows employees to choose among various types of insurance plans: Preferred Provider Organizations/Fee-for-Service (PPO or FFS), Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO), and High Deductible Plans. PPO and FFS offer nationwide coverage and no referrals are needed to see a specialist. HMOs have regionally based coverage, but offer lower bi-weekly premiums. High Deductible Plans give you the ability to put aside pre-tax money into a Health Savings Account (HSA) to pay for medical expenses, but have a higher deductible.

The FEHB does not place limitations on enrollments due to pre-existing conditions; however, employees should carefully review the plans to ensure they select the best coverage for their needs. Employees may change their insurance plan each year during the open season. A comparison guide and plan brochures are available at opm.gov/insure.

A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a tax-favored program that allows employees to set aside pre-tax money, lowering their taxable income, from their paychecks to pay for a variety of eligible expenses. Employees can enroll in the Health Care Flexible Spending Account and/or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. For more information on FSAs, visit opm.gov/insure or visit FSAFEDS.com to see a listing of all eligible health and dependent care expenses.

Through the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program, the government offers group term life insurance at reasonable rates via payroll deductions. For more information about FEGLI and other life insurance, visit opm.gov/insure.

New employees without prior federal service are automatically covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS), a three-tier system consisting of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), Social Security and the FERS Basic Benefit Plan. Minimum retirement age under FERS is dependent on date of birth, but ranges from age 55 to 57. After completing five years of qualifying overseas service, FERS participants may be eligible to participate in the FERS CIA Special Category retirement system. FERS Special Category allows an employee to retire at age 50 with 20 or more years of service. Additional information about FERS is available at opm.gov/retire.

The CIA offers competitive salaries. In addition to basic pay, in certain circumstances employees can receive overtime compensation, holiday pay, night differential, Sunday premium pay, bonuses and allowances.

The CIA’s Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program (SLRAP) is designed to help employees repay educational loans that were initiated prior to accepting their employment with the Agency. The program is open to CIA staff officers who have six years or less tenure with the Agency and who have active and current student loans that are not in deferment or forbearance. Employees approved for participation must sign a written Continued Service Agreement (CSA) obligating them to complete a specified period of employment with CIA. A CSA must be signed by an employee for each year that the employee participates in the program.

Supplemental Insurance programs are also available. Payroll deducted insurance plans include Dental, Vision, and Long Term Care. For more information about these programs, visit opm.gov/insure.

The TSP is a retirement savings and investment plan for federal employees. It is one element of the FERS three-part retirement package—TSP, Social Security and FERS basic benefit—and consists of six investment funds including stocks, bonds, government securities and a lifecycle fund. TSP participants can also borrow from their own TSP contributions and earnings. The Government will automatically contribute 1 percent and match FERS and FERS Special employee contributions up to 5 percent of basic salary per pay period. A vesting period applies.

Employee contribution amounts to TSP are subject to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) elective deferral limit. Visit tsp.gov for additional information about TSP.

This IRS-qualified 401(a) pension plan is designed to offer employees an opportunity to supplement their Social Security, retirement annuity and Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) contributions. Participants pool their contributions to invest regularly in a tax-deferred program consisting of four investment options. There are no employer contributions.

Education and training should be part of every CIA employee's career development. Employees have access to a variety of training programs. All new employees attend a basic orientation, and most receive on-the-job and formal classroom training through a wide variety of internal courses. Employees may also be sponsored for external university and professional training in programs relevant to their jobs.

Additionally, the CIA has a state-of-the-art foreign language facility designed to deliver critical language training to employees. The facility provides an expansive immersive environment where officers can master the subtleties of foreign language and culture. Monetary rewards for new and current employees who meet foreign language proficiency requirements are available through the Agency’s Foreign Language Incentive Program.

The CIA values all foreign language skills, even if this skill set is not your main focus. In fact, CIA has a comprehensive Foreign Language Incentive Program that fosters the acquisition and maintenance of foreign language skills. New employees who already possess excellent language skills may be eligible for a significant hiring bonus. All employees who attain tested levels and meet the minimum proficiency requirements in a qualifying language are eligible for monetary incentives. Learn more about the Foreign Language Incentive Program here.