The Foreign Service Journal, September 2022

THE FOREIGN SERVICE JOURNAL | SEPTEMBER 2022 73 AFSA NEWS A Conversation with Pearson Fellows On June 17, AFSA hosted a virtual panel of current Pear- son Fellows for a conversa- tion about the importance of these yearlong fellowships on Capitol Hill. Panelists shared with an audience of more than 70 AFSA members how the program affords diplo- mats a better understand- ing of what happens on the Hill and, in turn, helps lawmakers integrate the perspective of foreign policy practitioners into legisla- tion. These interactions can improve communication and mutual understanding between the Foreign Service and Congress. One panelist expressed pride in having been able to translate substantive policy issues into bills, while another described her fel- lowship as “one of the most fantastic tours I’ve had in the Foreign Service.” AFSA members can view the full discussion at afsa. org/videos. n Update on Payroll Issues AFSA was pleased to see Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s statement in April promising that the State Department’s Bureau of the Comptroller and Global Finan- cial Services (CGFS) would pay interest on all back pay, starting in June. Most, if not all, who were due payments will have received them by now. While most payments were small, a significant number of affected employees received more than $100. Members remain frus- trated with the Pay Portal. CGFS says it has added a sub- stantial number of new staff members, which AFSA hopes will lead to shorter response times as the year progresses. Nevertheless, we ask members to let us know if they encounter problems (with starting or stopping post differential, for instance) after arriving at post or returning to the U.S. during the summer transfer season. While we had hoped to find a means for interest to be paid on the many long- delayed lump-sums for leave for retirees, our extensive research shows that there is no legal mechanism that could make that happen. Finally, AFSA has stressed throughout the last year that we expect a clear explanation of how and why this disas- ter happened, so that our members never again have to contend with confusion and uncertainty on this scale. A basic duty of any employer is to pay employees on time and correctly. n