The Foreign Service Journal, June 2015

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | JUNE 2015 61 AFSA NEWS ment, currently with the Foreign Service Grievance Board, regarding the department’s refusal to award all of the merito- rious service increases recommended by the 2013 and 2014 Selection Boards. AFSA’s recent member survey indicated strong support for the continued role of peer-constituted selection boards in the recommendations for meritorious service increases. Assignments Process Reform: The current open assignment process was established 40 years ago in response to a direc- tive issued by the Secretary of State calling for a more open, centrally directed assignment process. Today, the strains of a larger workforce are showing, and it’s time to revisit that call assisted by improved technology and a better understanding of game and matching theory. Last year’s AFSA survey confirmed that assignment system reform was the membership’s highest career and professional development priority. AFSA has accordingly proposed that in 2016 the department take a serious look at the assignments process to see how the system can be made more efficient, transparent and user-friendly. Such a review will require additional resources—people and money—to consider key workforce development issues, such as the current assignment policy’s impact on the workforce’s language proficiency. In the past, Congress has criticized the department’s man- agement of employees’ language abilities, paying particular attention to the percentage of language-designated positions encumbered by qualified language speakers (GAO-09-955) . In 2013, AFSA and the department also agreed to changes to the Language Incentive Pay program as called for in the depart- ment’s 2011 Strategic Language plan.While the plan also rightly cites the lack of a properly sized training float as one explana- tion for the language deficit, another explanation can be found in the selection process for language-designated positions. Retention: AFSA is concerned by the recent increase in non- retirement voluntary separations (see November 2014 AFSA News). The department often cites two numbers support- ing its “all is well” claim: overall low, flat attrition rates and a record number of applicants to the Foreign Service. AFSA believes that more rigorous data analysis of those leaving the Foreign Service, in addition to instituting a standardized in-person exit interview of all outgoing employees, will help inform our collective efforts to retain our best and bright- est. Similarly, looking more closely at those individuals who are not applying for the Foreign Service, but should be, can improve our efforts to recruit the best and brightest. In last year’s survey, 40 percent of respondents indicated that they were considering leaving due to professional concerns. Diversity: AFSA continued its efforts to support a diverse, innovative and professional workforce (see September 2014 AFSA News). It advocated for changes within the depart- ment on the oversight and reporting of diversity, suggesting changes to the MD-715 report and the Diversity and Inclu- sion Strategic Plan. It also proposed reforms to the assign- ment restrictions and preclusions programs that appear to disparately impact Asian-Americans and other ethnicities (see November 2014 FSJ Issue Brief) . Specifically, AFSA has proposed an appeals mechanism for employees informed that they are prohibited from working in or on a country, improved reporting and oversight of how this tool is used, and improved communications with affected employees. n AFSACongratulates Graduates of Retiree Job Search Program On March 27, AFSA hosted the graduation reception for the most recent Job Search Program class at the Foreign Service Institute. AFSA was pleased to honor the 45 Foreign Service employees who were retiring from diplomatic service, and looks forward to welcoming them as retiree members of the association and continuing to work on their behalf to protect their Foreign Service legacy and help them navigate their retirement. n —Matthew Sumrak, Retiree Counselor and Legislative Assistant AFSA Scholarship Director Lori Dec speaks with JSP graduates. AFSA/ÁSGEIRSIGFÚSSON