Employment for Spouses, Partners, and Retirees

GENERAL RESOURCES

• AAFSW EFM Employment Resources
• Family Member Employment - Teleworking (GCLO): Advice and information from GCLO about teleworking for EFMs.
• Family Member Employment Report (FAMER): The FAMER provides a snapshot of family member employment at post and includes the number of family members employed both inside and outside the mission. The FAMER is published twice a year, as is The Worldwide Family Member Employment Overview, and serves as a research tool for the bidding season for family members interested in working. The FAMER is available to Department of State employees via OpenNet and to employees of other agencies assigned under Chief of Mission authority by emailing the Community Liaison Office Coordinator (CLO) at post, FSI’s Transition Center via the website Post Info To Go – External or by emailing GCLOAskEmployment@state.gov. Please include the name of the direct hire employee, agency, and post of assignment in the email. See our guide to reading the FAMER.
• Family Member Job Hunting After the Pandemic - FSJ
• FAQs – Executive Order 12721: Non-Competitive Eligibility
• GCLO Family Member Employment
• GCLO Family Member Employment Statistics
• GCLO Telework Resources
• Global Community Liaison Office (GCLO)
• Making Overseas Telework Better - FSJ
• The Network: The Network Connects Family Members with Employment Opportunities. Have you recently returned to the U.S., are you heading back soon, or looking for remote work opportunities? The Network email subscription publicizes federal and private sector job opportunities for Foreign Service family members, including opportunities for those who have earned non-competitive eligibility (NCE).

FAMILY MEMBER EMPLOYMENT SHORT VIDEOS

• Inside the Mission Employment
• Outside the Mission Employment
• Returning From Overseas
• Centrally Funded Programs

Remember, GCLO’s family member employment webpages and Global Employment Advisors are also valuable resources when researching employment options. 

**Also see useful articles on EFM employment in the Realities of Foreign Service Life books, Volumes 1 and 2.

EMPLOYMENT-RELATED SOCIAL MEDIA GROUPS AND NETWORKING

• EFM Business Owners Facebook Group
• EFM Entrepreneurs Facebook group
• EFMs Helping Other EFMs Find Employment Facebook group
• LinkedIn – PROPS (Professional Partners and Spouses)

FOREIGN SERVICE FAMILY MEMBER BUSINESSES

• FS Community Business Directory: The AAFSW FS Community Business Directory’s mission is to become the Foreign Affairs reference portal to present all EFMs, MOHs, FSOs, and FS-Community-related business products and services.

INSIDE THE MISSION EMPLOYMENT FOR EFMS

• Expanded Professional Associates Program (EPAP) for Family Members
• FAM - Security Clearances
• Foreign Service Family Reserve Corps
• GCLO EFM Employment FAQs
• Professional Associates Program (Hard-to-Fill)

OUTSIDE THE MISSION EMPLOYMENT FOR EFMS

• GCLO - Global Employment Initiative
• GCLO Bilateral Work Agreements and de facto Work Arrangements

EMPLOYMENT BACK IN THE U.S.

• GCLO - Employment Resources for Family Members Returning to the United States
• GCLO - Non-Competitive Eligibility (NCE) for Eligible Family Members and Employers
• Government Positions on USA Jobs

CAREER DEVELOPMENT

• GCLO - Professional Development Fellowship Program
• Sherry Barndollar Rock Scholarship: Meeting the Educational Needs of Foreign Service Spouses and Partners: The Sherry Barndollar Rock Scholarship grants up to $4,000 annually to the spouses and partners of Foreign Service employees assigned abroad to pursue educational goals which may have been disrupted by the spouse’s Foreign Service career.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES IN THE FOREIGN SERVICE COMMUNITY

• AAFSW's Art and BookFair: Held each autumn in the State Department, and year-round used bookstore in the Department; e-mail office@aafsw.org.
• Associates of the American Foreign Service Worldwide (AAFSW): Volunteer community association for all members of the Foreign Affairs community, including spouses/partners, employees (FS and CS), retirees, divorced/widowed employees or spouses.
• J. Kirby Simon Trust: Grants to support charitable projects by Foreign Service community members overseas.
• Secretary of State Awards for Outstanding Volunteerism Abroad (SOSA) Winners: For inspiration from previous exceptional volunteers.