Everyone in the Foreign Service knows what a Go Bag is. In fact, you probably have one packed at this moment. But how many of us have an ‘Employment Go Bag’?

AFSA has compiled a checklist and resources to help our members stay prepared for the unexpected. This resource will be maintained on our website and updated as conditions evolve. We thank those who have made suggestions for such a list by email or by posting ideas on social media.

What documents should I gather?

Colleagues have recently faced sudden departures from the workplace and/or restrictions on returning to the workplace. Under those circumstances, there is little to no opportunity to download important personal documents.

AFSA strongly recommends working now to prepare a file with the following documents that pertain solely to you and emailing them to a personal email account:

• Your complete eOPF record.
• A copy of your current position description.
• Most recent Earnings & Leave (E&L) statement as well as the year-end E&L statement for the last five years.
• Foreign Service Pension System (FSPS) Benefits Statement.
• Most current Leave Summary from your Time & Attendance system.
• W-2 statements from the last five years.
• Performance appraisal from the last five years.
• Latest medical clearances for self and family.
• Award certificates and citations.
• Contact information (email address and phone number) for your agency HR team.
• Downloaded list of professional contacts from MS Outlook.

What else does AFSA suggest I do to be prepared in case of a sudden departure?

• Remove personal documents from your work computer, especially those that you may need to access later and/or contain personal information and data.
• Make sure you can access sites protected by login.gov credentials (e.g., FSAFeds) without your PIV/CAC card by adding your personal email and phone numbers to your profile.
• Make sure important accounts and profiles (e.g., Thrift Savings Plan, medical insurance, professional liability insurance, AFSA, etc.) are linked to your personal email account and phone numbers.
• Obtain professional liability insurance (PLI). More information about PLI can be found here. To access a list of providers, please click here.
• Familiarize yourself with the restrictions of the Hatch Act and Anti-Lobbying Act on your communications with Members of Congress.
• Contact your HR service providers to ‘buy back’ creditable service toward your retirement computation date / retirement eligibility (e.g., Peace Corps service, previous service in civil service agencies).
• You may want to consider putting a freeze on your credit, to prevent your PII being used to open accounts in your name.

Frequently Asked Questions

APPENDIX I: Downloading eOPF Folder Guide

• Within My eOPF screen,
  
  select the My eOPF Print Folder tab at the top of the screen.
  
• Then check the box for Select All.
  
• Then click either of the print options below.
  
• Your print request will be processed from a server in Macon, GA, which means your content will not be immediately available. Please refer to the guidance on the My eOPF Print Status tab for further guidance on obtaining and accessing your complete record. This process routinely takes a few minutes.
  
• DO NOT FORGET TO SAVE THE REQUEST ID #. The My eOPF Print Status tab includes critical information for your ability to access this content later. Each of the documents ‘printed’ in this way will be password-protected pdf files. The password consists of your last name (first letter capitalized) followed by the Request ID # associated with your eOPF print request. If you do not preserve the Request ID number associated with your downloaded pdf files, you will not be able to access these critical records at a later date.
  

APPENDIX II: Grievance Message Guidance and Draft

AFSA’s January 29 “Know Your Rights” message outlined the legal protections afforded to Foreign Service employees under the Foreign Service Act, including the right to file a grievance and the requirement that employees facing separation from the service must file a grievance with their agency before they go off the rolls of the Foreign Service.

AFSA strongly recommends you consult AFSA’s general grievance guidance on the AFSA OGC webpage before filing.

MEMORANDUM

[DATE]

TO:
FROM:
SUBJECT:

[CHOOSE ONE]
M/DGHR - Lucia Piazza [Department of State]
HCTM/ELR - Nicholas Gottlieb [USAID]
B/PL - Sheryl Williams Jones [U.S. Agency for Global Media]
USFCS/OFSHR - Gabriella Russum [Department of Commerce]
FSA/HRD - Nayoka Irving, Attorney [Department of Agriculture]
USDA/APHIS/MRPBS - Rene Wing, Assistant Branch Chief [APHIS]

[your name and grade] Grievance Submission for Final Agency Review

In accordance with 3 FAM 4434.1, I hereby file the following grievance. This grievance falls within the definition of a grievance provided in 3 FAM 4412.____. [INSERT APPROPRIATE NUMBER]

[Outline your grievance. Start with an explanation of who you are and give a brief background of the events that led up to the grievance. All points should be addressed clearly, concisely, and in logical order. A chronological description of events is usually best. Remember that the examiners of your grievance are not familiar with your circumstances, and so you should assume very little in explaining the facts. Indicate any provision of law, regulation, or agency policy which may have been violated. Accompanying documentation should be identified as exhibits and appended to the grievance.]

I request the following relief:

[Explain what relief you want the agency to provide in order to redress the points you are grieving. Review 3 FAM 4431b to determine if interim relief is available.]

Please note that [insert AFSA attorney name] at AFSA is assisting me with this grievance. Please copy [him/her] on all correspondence related to this grievance.

[Signature]

[Post/bureau]

[Phone]

[Address]

cc: AFSA