Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide

CCE-EFM Award

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More About 2020 CCE-EFM Award Winner Janet Heg

We wanted to hear more from our 2020 award recipients — what contributed to the actions that led them to receive the award, advice for others, and more. Read more about the 2020 CCE-EFM Award winner Janet Heg below.

What inspired you?

I used to be an EFM and it was through EFM employment that I learned about the wide range of opportunities available in the Foreign Service.  Until then I hadn’t realized the potential to work in management or one of the specialist fields.  I really enjoyed the feeling of a shared mission with my spouse; it felt fantastic to get in the car with him in the mornings and drive to the Embassy.  It was like I was truly part of his career.  

 

How did you find the opportunity?

I was assigned to Embassy Djibouti as the Human Resources Officer, and EFM employment was part of my portfolio.  Because of my prior experience I knew how important those jobs were, both to the mission and to the employee and their spouse.  I’d seen at previous posts how EFM employment was not always prioritized by HR and I knew that for me it would be a priority.  

 

What barriers did you overcome?  How?

There is a lot of bureaucracy around EFM hiring.  All the paperwork has to be completed just so, and submitted to Washington at the right time and in the correct order.  We work with the regional bureau and several functional bureaus, and each one has a different process.  I hired an EFM to work in HR and she documented all the different processes and put together a package of sample letters and cables that was really easy to use.  

A common complaint about EFM hiring is the length of time taken to obtain a security clearance, and this is problematic for the mission as well as the employee.  It’s definitely improved over the past few years but it can still take a long time, especially with a foreign born spouse.  As soon as an EFM is offered a position we get started on the security clearance, so that no time is lost.  It still takes them time to track down all their addresses and references, so we give them this information as soon as possible.  

 

Any lessons learned that you can share?

EFMs are one of the mission’s greatest assets and are frequently over-qualified and underpaid.  The EPAP program has been great for offering higher level opportunities to our family members.  EFMs are an important part of our mission.  These are real jobs, not ‘make-work’ for spouses, and frequently require a security clearance.  

 

What would you suggest to other HR officers around the globe to provide more opportunities for EFMs?

They should get to know the current and incoming EFMs and find out what skills and talents exist among family members at post.  And think very broadly about what kind of experience can be used to meet the requirements for a position.  It’s great to communicate with EFMs before they arrive, so they know when positions are advertised and they feel welcomed and valued.  I also encourage my colleagues to review applicants for higher steps, based on previous government service or prior experience in a relevant field.  

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AAFSW Names Judy Ikels as This year’s Champion of Career Enhancement for Eligible Family Members

“EFM employment is more than a ‘benefit’ for family members”:
Judy Ikels Named AAFSW’s 2017 Champions of Career Enhancement
for Eligible Family Members Award Winner

 

For her outstanding contributions, service, and dedication to Foreign Service family member employment, AAFSW has chosen Judy Ikels as this year’s Champion of Career Enhancement for Eligible Family Members.

Over the course of her 27 years as a Department employee, Judy Ikels’ commitment to support family member employment has significantly impacted the evolution of employment opportunities and career development for Foreign Service family members. She has served as a Community Liaison Office Coordinator, a trainer at the Overseas Briefing Center, the Deputy Director of the Family Liaison Office (FLO), as well as the FLO Employment Coordinator, Chief of Employee Programs and Chief of the Work Life Division in HR’s Office of Employee Relations.

The scope of her accomplishments show that she has gone above and beyond her job descriptions and routine daily activities to promote the cause of employment and career development for Foreign Service family members. At a time when local employment options were limited, she proactively negotiated numerous bilateral work agreements to increase overseas employment opportunities, took the initiative to draft policy to create the Family Member Appointment (FMA) and worked to secure funding for the initial conversions from Part-time, Intermittent, and Temporary (PIT) appointments to FMAs. She was instrumental in drafting legislation for the “PIT Buy Back.” When there was an idea to create a program to help family members find jobs on local economies overseas, she and the Director of FLO took action to make the program a reality. Judy put her talents and energy behind obtaining funding for the program now known as the Global Employment Initiative.

She also saw the need for Separate Maintenance Allowance regulations to better align with contemporary reality. In Employee Relations, she drafted regulations to differentiate Separate Maintenance Allowance into Involuntary and Voluntary, making it clear that employees with spouses wishing to remain in the U.S. to study or work could continue to receive an allowance for the separate household. As Chief of the Work Life Division, Judy drafted policy in response to the 2010 Telework Enhancement Act and supervised the development of the Domestic Employee Teleworking Overseas program—so that authorized and qualified family members could telework a domestic position while accompanying a Foreign Service spouse on assignment abroad. The positive and lasting impact of her contributions has enhanced employment opportunities for all Foreign Service family members.

AAFSW asked Judy to share her expertise on family member employment, including where we have been and how far we have come, as well as advice to family members at the beginning of their Foreign Service experience:

Q. You have a long history of supporting family member employment. What are some of the positive changes that you have seen take place over the years? How far have we come?

My husband joined USIA in 1966, just days after our marriage in Texas. We raised a puppy, had two children and served in El Salvador, Colombia, Venezuela, and back to D.C., all in the first five years. It was a fast-moving train, all before 1972 when spouses were evaluated on their husband’s Performance Evaluation. Employment overseas was not an option.

With the founding of the Family Liaison Office (FLO) in 1978, spousal employment found its voice. There were many motivators: the need for a second income, staffing shortages overseas, and finally, recognition that without a robust Eligible Family Member (EFM) employment program, the Foreign Service stood to lose too many officers.
With the advent of the Family Member Appointment in 1998, employed spouses could earn benefits, including retirement in their own right, a move that professionalized the corps. EFMs could realize more than a disconnected set of jobs, but start working toward a career. It was my honor to work on the team that included FLO, the Office of Overseas Employment, and of course our legal advisors to create the Family Member Appointment (FMA). It was an exciting project to be a part of.

Overseas Mission employment, of course, is not suited for every spouse. Many have education and interests outside of working in government. To aid in working on the local economy, the number of bilateral work agreements has increased, and in the early 2000’s the Global Employment Initiative (GEI) was created to provide local job counselors overseas.
In 2016, the Office of Employee Relations developed a policy using telework to create Domestic Employees Teleworking Overseas, another workplace flexibility that can benefit working family members.
There have been two main shifts in thinking and policy:
For the Department, EFM employment is more than a “benefit” for family members; it provides an accomplished workforce to meet mission goals overseas.

For the EFM, employment is more than earning a salary. It is developing a career history to maintain employability through multiple transitions.

Q. Is there anything you wish you had known about family member employment when you were first starting out as a Foreign Service spouse?

When new people join government, I often tell them, “Remember, in your private life, you can do (almost) anything you want to do, as long as it is not against the law. But in government, you can ONLY do that which is permitted by law and our regulations.” How many times have been asked to, “show me where it says I can’t do this.” And I say, “You are asking the wrong question. Show me where it says you CAN.”

Employees and family members have to get used to working within this regulated framework. But then, sometimes you get to work in a policy office where you can help change the rules.

That was the opportunity I have had and so enjoyed, working in FLO and then in the Office of Employee Relations where policy is made. I joined a long line of advocates and policy makers intent on improving conditions for family member employment.

Q. What is your best advice to new Foreign Service family members who are at the beginning of their Foreign Service experience and seeking employment?

Take advantage of training at FSI, including language and cultural training. If you are interested in mission employment, learn everything you can by talking with people, visiting FLO, and reading about programs.
During periods when you are not working, practice what I call “volunteer career development.” That is, find an organization or cause you can support and treat the volunteer work like a paid job. Show leadership; it is often easier to demonstrate leadership in volunteer work than in entry-level paid positions. And when you leave, ask for letters of reference describing your work. There should be no distinction on a resume between paid and volunteer work.
Be patient. You will have many opportunities to contribute to your family and community while building a career serving the people of the United States.

Melissa Hess
AAFSW 1st Vice President

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“Changing the Mindset”: 2016 Champions of Career Enhancement for Eligible Family Members (CCE-EFM) Winner Cindy Jones

Helping Foreign Service family members find work overseas requires “changing the mindset of the Embassy community to think outside of the box and embrace more creative ideas,” according to Community Liaison Office Coordinator (CLO) Cindy Jones, winner of AAFSW’s 2016 Champions of Career Enhancement for Eligible Family Members Award (CCE-EFM).

At her post, Budapest, a challenging language barred family members from the local job market, in spite of an existing bilateral agreement. Within the Embassy, there were only 12 available positions for more than 50 family members. “Local employment is the single most important morale issue among American eligible family members (EFMs) at U.S. Embassy Budapest,” asserts Management Counselor Janine Young, who nominated Cindy for the award.

As CLO, Cindy organized dedicated language training for family members to broaden their opportunities. To advocate for more positions within the Mission, Cindy took a crucial first step: “I learned more about the EFMs and their skill sets to better understand our talent pool,” she reports. “Using a more targeted recruitment approach allowed us to identify opportunities for new positions that proved to be beneficial to EFMs and Post.”

Working closely with the Management and Human Resources offices, Cindy successfully advocated for the conversion of two locally employed staff positions (including language reclassification) and the creation of a new part-time jobshare and a new contract position.

In addition, Embassy Budapest requested and received two new Expanded Professional Associates Program (EPAP) jobs. The sometimes-confusing EPAP application process was explained to family members in a brown-bag session organized by Cindy and the Human Resources office.

Cindy also identified other promising sources of EFM employment: “I networked and made new professional and personal contacts on behalf of the community with the international schools and the Central European University,” she explains. “When these institutions had vacancies, I ensured that all family members were aware and received all of the information to apply.” For departing EFMs, Cindy also shared information about positions available in Washington, D.C.

According to Management Counselor Young, Cindy also convinced the regional Global Employment Advisor (GEA) to pay a visit to post (the first visit in over two years) for special career sessions with EFMs as well as an open question-and-answer event. “When the Family Liaison Office (FLO) wanted to host the worldwide GEA workshop in Budapest in February 2016, Cindy capitalized on the FLO office’s presence and planned a dedicated session for EFMs with a FLO Employment Advisor about options overseas and in Washington,” Young reports.

Cindy is enthusiastic about the willingness of Management Counselor Young and other leaders to respond to her advocacy and to consider new ideas. “Enlisting support from Post leadership and having a dedicated advocate is essential in the promotion of EFM employment,” she maintains.

The CCE-EFM Award, which comes with a $750 stipend, was suggested by Bob Castro and is presented by AAFSW each November for “individual or collective efforts to adopt best practices and innovations that demonstrate a commitment to expanding and elevating both individual job opportunities and long-term career enhancement for Foreign Service family members.”

– Patricia Linderman

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Another Successful AAFSW Awards Ceremony


AAFSW annual awards ceremony celebrated SOSA, Tragen, CCE-EFM, and Dorman winners. (Photo courtesy of Mark Stewart, DOS Photographer.)

The annual AAFSW volunteer awards program took place Tuesday, November, 10, 2015 in the Benjamin Franklin Room at the State Department. The ceremony was a success highlighting the volunteer work of nine outstanding individuals. It recognized winners of the Secretary of State Award for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad (SOSA), the Tragen Award, the Champions of Career Enhancement for EFMs (CCE-EFM) Award, and the Lesley Dorman Award.

We were privileged to have Deputy Secretary of State Heather Higginbottom speak and present the awards. Even though Secretary Kerry was traveling, he sent recorded remarks where he congratulated the 2015 winners. In addition, AAFSW debuted a video commemorating the 25th anniversary of the SOSA awards. You can view it on our website.

This year’s SOSA recipients included one DEA Special Agent and five family members. We were honored to have five recipients in attendance for the awards program. The winners included Juliette Marsham McClure (AF), Shannon Argetsinger (EAP), Ernesto Luna (EUR), Karen Forsyth (NEA), Sunny Stimmler (SCA), and Carolynn Poulsen (WHA). Summaries of the winners’ volunteer efforts were highlighted in the November 2015 edition of Global Link.

Following the presentation of the SOSA awards, Deputy Secretary Higginbottom and DACOR president Raymond Ewing presented the Tragen Award. This award is funded by an annual gift from Mr. Tragen and is administered by DACOR. It recognizes a member of the Foreign Service community who has effectively advocated for and enhanced the global rights and benefits of the Foreign Service family. This year’s recipient was Sheila Switzer, who was recognized for her tireless commitment to provide support to and advocate for foreign born spouses who are in Washington, DC. Through the positive impact she has had and continues to have on the lives of countless EFMs in need of support and assistance, Sheila embodies the values of the Ele Tragen award.

This year, AAFSW presented the CCE-EFM Award to Stephanie Arnold. The award honors someone who has made exceptional efforts to promote employment and career development for Foreign Service family members. As US Embassy Dublin’s Human Resources Offices, Stephanie promoted the career enhancement of EFMs at post. She was successful in the revision of a bilateral work agreement where the Irish government now grants blanket work permits to all US diplomatic EFMs upon arrival in country. She also spent two years advocating for additional EPAP positions.

The Dorman Award was presented by Lesley Dorman to Patricia Linderman. Patricia served as AAFSW President from 2011-2015. During her tenure, Patricia presided over the volunteer team that produced the EFM Business Owners Group, EFM Business Directory, AAFSW classified ads, numerous social media groups, happy hours for newcomers, the Foreign Service Hub project, and books such as “Moving Your Household without Losing Your Mind.”
I am sad to say this is my last year as SOSA Chair. I will be moving to Hanoi in Summer 2016. Please be on the lookout for messages from Karen Mehring, the new SOSA Chair. I’ve enjoyed participating in this awards program and can’t wait to see who is nominated in 2016.

Lara L. Center
SOSA Chair

In photo, from left to right – Shannon Argetsinger (SOSA), Patricia Linderman (Dorman Award), Ernesto Luna (SOSA), Sunny Stimmler (SOSA), Deputy Secretary Higginbottom, Stephanie Arnold (CCE-EFM award), Sheila Switzer (Tragen Award), Juliette Marsham McClure (SOSA) and Karen Forsyth (SOSA). Not pictured: Carolynn Poulsen (SOSA)

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AAFSW Interviews 2015 CCE-EFM Winner Stephanie C. Arnold


Stephanie Arnold: “A Firm Believer in the Value of EFM Employment”

 

Stephanie Arnold, former Human Resources Officer (HRO) and Financial Management Officer in Dublin, will receive AAFSW’s 2015 Champions of Career Enhancement for EFMs (CCE-EFM) Award on November 10. The award includes a cash stipend of $750. We interviewed Ms. Arnold by e-mail about her challenges and achievements.

AAFSW: What were some of the obstacles you faced in your efforts to promote EFM employment in Dublin?
Arnold: When I arrived, there were only a handful of EFM positions within the mission and no family members working on the local economy. Hiring managers expressed a preference for local nationals over EFMs because local employees had greater knowledge of the host country, operating environment and local contacts, and would provide much-needed continuity. Local applicants also often had more direct experience in a given field than EFMs. Outside the embassy, while a long-standing bilateral work agreement was in place, its implementation in Ireland was cumbersome and time-consuming. The requirement to have a job offer, paperwork and processing delays put family members of U.S. diplomats at a distinct disadvantage in the competitive local job market.

AAFSW: How did you overcome these barriers?
Arnold: A firm believer in the value of EFM employment, I advocated for it at every turn. Whenever an office expressed the need for a new position or to fill a vacant one, I considered whether it would be well-suited to an EFM and if we had EFMs at post with the desired skill set. When a hiring office told me they wanted to recruit externally or had a preference for a local hire, I tried to work with them to establish whether that was fully justified. We found that while some positions did require deep local knowledge and specialized skills, other positions in a section did not. We were able to agree upon positions that were ideal for EFM employment and targeted recruitment efforts accordingly. Also, whenever sections had short-term or part-time needs, EFMs provided a more flexible and cost-effective option in a high cost labor market with strict local labor laws. I identified opportunities for new positions that I knew had been beneficial EFM roles at other posts. And I was fortunate to be both the HRO and FMO in Dublin, which gave me a clear picture of post’s budget and staffing needs.

AAFSW: Who helped, and how?
Arnold: The three CLOs I worked with during my time in Dublin were all eager to help and were invaluable in identifying the skills different EFMs had and who was interested in what type of employment. I also enlisted the support of my HR staff and Management Officer, telling them I knew we could do better in this regard and that I wanted to make this a priority. The Management Officer proved to be a great ally, talking with his section head counterparts and promoting EFM candidates when vacancies arose, and supporting the creation of new EFM positions within the mission. He also recognized the shortcomings of our bilateral work agreement and the need to apply diplomatic pressure. He was the first to raise our concerns with the Department of Foreign Affairs and eventually took the critical step of asking Protocol and the Office of Foreign Missions to place a hold on the issuance of work permits to spouses of Irish diplomats in the U.S. until the Irish government acquiesced to our demand for reciprocal treatment.

AAFSW: What advice would you give people at other posts, and what other steps can be taken to promote EFM employment?
Arnold: It is essential to have one or more champions of EFM employment at a post in order to create ample opportunities. Without an advocate, I think the default behavior of both hiring managers and local HR offices is to hire locals to fill positions at post. Leadership interest and involvement in the creation of EFM employment opportunities at post is also critical. Post leadership needs to impress upon agencies and section heads the importance of hiring EFMs whenever possible. Management officials need to identify and create positions that are well-suited to EFM employment and utilize the recruitment preferences and hiring mechanisms available to limit certain opportunities to EFMs. Posts should also take full advantage of EPAP, Consular Associate and other professional track programs available to EFMs in addition to positions already available at post. And posts should examine the status of the bilateral work agreement and see if improvements in its implementation can be made or if a new bilateral work agreement needs to be pursued to make opportunities available for employment on the local economy. And I know efforts at the highest levels of the Department are already underway, but a solution to the EFM security clearance predicament has to be found. EFMs can easily spend half of their spouse’s assignment searching for a job and then waiting for a security clearance before they can work. The situation is even more dire for foreign-born spouses, who make up a significant proportion of the EFM population and frequently wait even longer for security clearances even when they’ve held one in the past. The Department must find a way to make EFM security clearances more streamlined and portable.

AAFSW: What achievement gives you the most satisfaction, and why?
Arnold: The most significant breakthrough was convincing the Irish government to grant blanket work permits to EFMs of American diplomats immediately upon arrival and accreditation in country, in the full spirit of reciprocity and as originally envisioned from the outset of the bilateral work agreement 17 years prior. While spouses of Irish diplomats in the U.S. enjoyed this from the start, the previously cumbersome and bureaucratic process on the Irish side kept most spouses of U.S. diplomats out of the local labor market.I was also thrilled to see EFM employment within the mission increase from four positions to thirteen by the end of my assignment. New positions designed for EFMs were created during my tenure (including an EPAP Economics Associate, an RSO Secretary and a Residential Security Coordinator) while other positions in sections across the mission that were well-suited to EFM employment were earmarked and filled by EFMs whenever possible. In the end, every EFM who wanted to work in Dublin had the opportunity, and that was the ultimate goal.