Virtual Bags

This is like an ‘Employment Go Bag’. The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) has compiled a checklist and resources to help their members stay prepared for the unexpected. They aim to maintain the resource on their website and updated as conditions evolve. This was pulled in mid Feb 2025, just in case. https://afsa.org/virtual-go-bag

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. → specific to feds, this is the personnel record for employees where all documents regarding employment, discipline, promotions, etc. are kept. Non-feds likely have something similar
  • 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 (e.g., pay stubs)
  • Foreign Service Pension System (FSPS) Benefits Statement ← specific to foreign service, feds have similar benefits statements. Check retirement systems for your employer
  • 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. ← specific to foreign services
  • Award certificates and citations.
  • Contact information (email address and phone number) for your agency HR team.
  • Downloaded list of professional contacts

What else does AFSA suggest 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, 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. ←unlikely to be needed beyond Foreign Service
  • Familiarize yourself with the restrictions of the Hatch Act and Anti-Lobbying Act on your communications with Members of Congress.