AFSA has been issuing press releases as well as frequent updates and guidance for members. Here are excerpts from AFSA communications through Feb. 12. THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | MARCH 2025 49 Jan. 23 Message to Members: Executive Orders and Our Commitment to You We understand that recent Executive Orders and memoranda affecting the federal workforce have raised questions and concerns within our community. Our leadership, legal, and policy teams are analyzing each document to assess its immediate and long-term impact on the Foreign Service. … Once we have clarity on specifics, we will provide updates. Jan. 29 Message: Know Your Rights Reductions in Force (RIFs) in the Foreign Service are rare and must follow detailed procedures set forth in the Foreign Affairs Manual (3 FAM 2580), or for USAID, the ADS chapter (ADS 454). … Employees who wish to contest their separation through the grievance system must file a grievance before they go off the rolls. Feb. 3 Press Release: AFSA Objects to Decision to Dismantle USAID The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) strongly objects to the administration’s decision to dismantle the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This will undermine U.S. national security, may subvert congressional authority, and demonstrates a lack of respect for the dedication of the development professionals who serve America’s interests abroad. … Created by Congress in 1961, USAID is a vital instrument of U.S. foreign policy. USAID promotes U.S. national security through development and humanitarian programming at a fraction of the cost of military engagement. Feb. 5 Press Release: AFSA Objects to Sudden Recall of USAID Personnel The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) strongly objects to the administration’s sudden and unnecessary decision to recall all U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Foreign Service personnel from overseas. … USAID officers are nonpartisan public servants and dedicated professionals who work on the front lines of global humanitarian crises, often in dangerous and high-risk environments. … The programs they implement play a critical role in countering violent extremism, reducing migration, and preventing the spread of public health emergencies. Removing them without a clear plan will not only create instability but also cede ground to strategic competitors like China. Feb. 6 Message: On USAID & Additional Online Resources The situation at USAID is unfolding rapidly, and AFSA is working hard to support and protect our members. … AFSA has created a virtual “Go Bag” checklist, complete with key resources to help you stay prepared for the unexpected [visit https:// bit.ly/AFSA-go-bag]. This dynamic resource will be updated as circumstances evolve. … Retirement Related Questions: In response to member questions, we have put together a detailed PowerPoint: Benefits at Retirement, Resignation, and Involuntary Separation [visit https://bit.ly/AFSA-retirement]. … This and previous AFSA messages have outlined policies and procedures established by federal law. AFSA expects foreign affairs agencies to comply with these laws. Feb. 7 Press Release: AFSA Files Lawsuit Challenging USAID Shutdown The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), represented by Public Citizen Litigation Group and Democracy Forward, has filed a lawsuit challenging the unprecedented effort to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). … AFSA’s lawsuit seeks to reverse this destabilizing decision and continue USAID’s vital mission. Feb. 8 Message: TRO Granted in AFSA-AFGE Case On the evening of Feb. 7, U.S. District Court Judge Carl Nichols granted, in part, our motion for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) … ordering the government to reinstate all USAID employees currently on administrative leave and grant those employees complete access to email, payment, and security notification systems. … No additional employees shall be placed on administrative leave, and no USAID employees shall be evacuated from their host countries before Feb. 14, 2025, at 11:59 PM. … While this development gives us more time, there is still more work to do on the litigation. As such, AFSA advises our USAID members to continue to plan for a return to the United States pending further rulings by the Court. Feb. 10 Message: Is Administration Complying with TRO? Today, AFSA and AFGE filed an emergency motion asking the court for a hearing to determine whether the Trump administration is failing to comply with the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) that the court issued on Friday, Feb. 7. Some AFSA members have not yet regained access to their emails or other systems necessary to perform their jobs. This indicates that the government is in violation of the court’s order. … Separately, there is a hearing scheduled for Feb. 12 on our motion for a preliminary injunction— an extended stay of the government’s actions to dismantle USAID—while the Court considers the merits of the lawsuit. n To see all AFSA’s member communications on the administration’s executive orders and the ongoing litigation to halt the dismantling of USAID, visit https://bit.ly/AFSA-messages. Also, don’t forget to visit the Resource Hub (https://bit.ly/FS-resource-hub), which we are regularly updating with useful information and answers to your frequently asked questions. That page will include up-to-date information for members, including on RIFs. Thank you to all those inside and outside the FS community for the outpouring of support. If friends and family ask how they can help, please direct them to AFSA’s Legal Defense Fund (https://bit.ly/AFSA-LDF). This fund provides critical financial assistance to help members as well as assistance to AFSA itself to retain outside legal counsel with specialized expertise. Taping over a USAID sign, Washington, D.C., on Feb. 7. G. EDWARD JOHNSON/WIKIMEDIA
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