((a)) ** Facilitation of transition from Service** In order to facilitate their transition from the Service, the Secretary may provide (by contract or otherwise, subject to the availability of appropriations) professional career counseling, advice, and placement assistance to members of the Service, and to former members of the Service who were assigned to receive counseling and assistance under this subsection before they were separated from the Service, other than those separated for cause. Career counseling and related services provided pursuant to this chapter shall not be construed to permit an assignment that consists primarily of paid time to conduct a job search and without other substantive duties for more than one month.
((b)) ** Facilitation of employment of spouses of members; establishment of family liaison office**
((1)) The Secretary shall implement such measures as the Secretary considers necessary to facilitate the employment of spouses and members of the Service. The measures may include—
((A)) providing regular career counseling for such spouses;
((B)) maintaining a centralized system for cataloging their skills and the various governmental and nongovernmental employment opportunities available to them; and
((D)) otherwise assisting them in obtaining employment.
((2)) The Secretary may prescribe regulations—
((A)) to provide preference to eligible family members in hiring for any civilian position in the Department, notwithstanding the prohibition on marital discrimination found in , if—
((i)) the eligible family member is among persons determined to be best qualified for the position; and
((ii)) the position is located in the overseas country of assignment of their sponsoring employee;
((B)) to ensure that notice of any vacant position in the Department is provided in a manner reasonably designed to reach eligible family members of sponsoring employees whose permanent duty stations are in the same country as that in which the position is located; and
((C)) to ensure that an eligible family member who applies for a vacant position in the Department shall, to the extent practicable, be considered for any such position located in the same country as the permanent duty station of their sponsoring employee.
((3)) Nothing in this section may be construed to provide an eligible family member with entitlement or preference in hiring over an individual who is preference eligible.
((4)) Under regulations prescribed by the Secretary, a chief of mission may, consistent with all applicable laws and regulations pertaining to the ICASS system, make available to an eligible family member and a non-Department entity space in an embassy or consulate for the purpose of the non-Department entity providing employment-related training for eligible family members.
((5)) The Secretary may work with the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the heads of other Federal departments and agencies to expand and facilitate the use of existing Federal programs and resources in support of eligible family member employment.
((6)) The Secretary shall establish a family liaison office to carry out this subsection and such other functions as the Secretary may determine.
((7)) In this subsection, the term “eligible family member” refers to family members of government employees assigned abroad or hired for service at their post of residence who are appointed by the Secretary of State or the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development pursuant to sections 3902, 3922, 3943, and 3951 of this title.