The Foreign Service Journal, July-August 2005

Guide to Family Member Employment Terms AEFM: Appointment Eligible Family Member, U.S.-citizen spouse or child over 18 on travel orders of U.S.-citizen Foreign or Civil Service employee or military service member assigned to a U.S. mission CAJE: Computer Aided Job Evaluation, created to reclassify FSN positions CLO: Community Liaison Office, supports family members at posts CS: Civil Service employee EFM: Eligible Family Member, a dependent of a USG employee on travel orders EOE: Executive Order Eligibility, a 3-year window for a qualifying AEFM to apply for U.S. government positions in the U.S. under category of “status candidates” or “non-competitive eligibles” FAMER: Family Member Employment Report, produced by FLO FLO: Family Liaison Office, State Department office supporting family members FMEWG: Family Member Employment Working Group FMA: Family Member Appointment, a hiring mechanism FSN: Foreign Service National GES: Global Employment Strategy, a new family member employment program HPR: Highest previous rate ICASS: International Cooperative Administrative Support Services, the program requiring cost-sharing among agencies at overseas missions INWS: Intermittent-no-work-scheduled status, for those leaving FMA positions LES: Locally Engaged Staff, another term for Foreign Service National MOH: Member of Household, an FS employee dependent without EFM status (yet) PA: Professional Associate, an AEFM who is selected to fill a Foreign Service position overseas PEC: Post Employment Committee PIT: Part-Time Intermittent Temporary appointment, a term no longer used by State; now called a TEMP or temporary appointment PSA: Personal Services Agreement, a State Department hiring mechanism used by many agencies PSC: Personal Services Contract, a hiring mechanism used by USAID RH: Resident Hire SNAP: Strategic Networking Assistance Program TEMP: Temporary Appointment (formerly PIT) pilot, as of Jan. 1, 2005, WHA posts have been obliged to use a recruiting policy giving hiring preference to AEFMs and U.S. veterans for posi- tions that have traditionally been seen as Foreign Service National positions. The WHA pilot program could help increase job opportunities for EFMs in Western Hemisphere posts. Vens McCoy in the Overseas Employment Office tells us that feedback on the pilot has been positive and that they have plans to expand the program to the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Bureau in January 2006. Another new initiative, based on a cooperative agreement between State and USAID, looks promising. Last fall, USAID and State sent out a joint message (04 State 199609) stating that “USAID joins the Department of State in reaffirming its strong support for employment opportunities for the family members of U.S. government employees assigned to posts abroad. Employment opportunities should be available to qualified EFMs. … Family member employment has been an established feature of life at Foreign Service posts for decades, and providing such employment opportu- nities for them throughout the course of their time abroad has become increasingly important to all the for- eign affairs agencies. “In support of family member employment overseas, USAID is J U LY- A U G U S T 2 0 0 5 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 75 The authority of the consular associates to adjudicate visa applications is being phased out.