The Foreign Service Journal, March 2013

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2013 67 2012 AFSA ANNUAL REPORT AFSA NEWS Labor Management, Continued from page 50 reprimand. It also upheld penalties ranging from three-to-10- day suspensions when affairs were accompanied by aggravat- ing factors. AFSA’s concern, as also expressed by the Grievance Board, is that current regulations (3 FAM 4130 and 4139.1) do not clearly express the department’s position on relations with consenting partners without any “aggravating factors.”While we do not condone scandalous behavior or that which could subject the employee to coercion, we have considered a num- ber of cases to constitute unwarranted intrusion into employ- ees’ private lives. If this is a realm into which the department wishes to extend its influence, it should give employees better guidance. In addition, it should carefully examine the circum- stances to determine if the conduct can “reasonably” be expected to impair the employee’s performance by reason of blackmail, as the 3 FAM requires. Social Media Guidance AFSA received more than a dozen requests for guidance on the department’s rules relating to the use of social media and the clearance process for publication of books, articles and blogs. In mid-November, when Public Affairs informed AFSA of its intended revisions to 3 FAM 4170, LM staff played a key role in reviewing the proposed changes and providing com- ments and suggestions by taking into account our members’ concerns and desires. We were informed that many of our comments would be incorporated into PA’s final revisions to 3 FAM 4170. AFSA Welcomes APHIS In late 2012, Foreign Service officers employed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service selected AFSA to be their exclusive representatives. AFSA welcomes APHIS to the AFSA Foreign Service family. Myriad Issues The LM staff also assisted AFSA members with myriad issues stemming from their Foreign Service employment. We wrote letters to Atlas Van Lines on behalf of an employee whose household effects were infested with bed bugs; to Bank of America and Wells Fargo relating to several members’ primary residence; to Interstate National Dealers Service regarding a member’s residency as it affected his automobile warranty; to California State University regarding in-state tuition; to the State Department Federal Credit Union on behalf of the widow of a Foreign Service employee who died while serving over- seas; to Audubon Village Apartments requesting the termina- tion of an employee’s lease due to the employee’s assignment overseas; and to the clerk of a court in Florida regarding excusing an employee serving overseas from jury duty. n memorative Marker in May. This product recognizes the careers and contributions of Foreign Service employ- ees and their spouses and partners. We also inaugurated the “Federal Benefits Speaker Series.” Experts addressed issues of importance to retir- ees and those approaching retirement. Paula Jakub, vice president of the American Foreign Service Protective Association, described the coordination between the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program and Medi- care; Dr. Judy Feder, a health policy expert and professor at Georgetown University, spoke about the future of Medicare; and Walton Fran- cis, author of the Consumer Checkbook Guide to Federal Health Plans , explained how to compare federal health plans. n Understanding the differences in benefits between Medicare and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program can be just as hard to explain as it is to comprehend, if gesticulating is any indication. Members of the audience ask questions of Dr. Judy Feder and Walton Francis at two different AFSA events. PHOTOSBYDONNAAYERST