CFPT Term Appointment 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What happens to a Consular Fellow's term appointment if the program is discontinued by Congress?
- Appointments automatically convert to career status
- Appointments are terminated at the discretion of the Secretary of State (Correct answer)
- Fellows must be offered positions in the competitive service
- Appointments continue until their natural expiration date
Correct answer: Appointments are terminated at the discretion of the Secretary of State
If the program is discontinued, the Secretary of State has discretion to terminate outstanding term appointments.
Question 2: A Consular Fellow's term appointment begins officially on which date?
- The date they pass the Consular Adjudications test
- The date they report for A-100 orientation
- The date specified in their appointment letter (Correct answer)
- The date they receive their diplomatic passport
Correct answer: The date specified in their appointment letter
The official start date of a Consular Fellow's term appointment is the date specified in their appointment letter from the Bureau of Consular Affairs.
Question 3: Which of the following accurately describes the pay scale for Consular Fellows during their term appointment?
- General Schedule (GS) pay scale
- Foreign Service Officer (FSO) pay scale (Correct answer)
- Senior Foreign Service pay scale
- Wage Grade (WG) pay scale
Correct answer: Foreign Service Officer (FSO) pay scale
Consular Fellows are compensated under the Foreign Service pay scale, not the General Schedule, during their term appointment.
Question 4: If a Consular Fellow accepts outside employment during their term appointment without approval, what is the likely outcome?
- A formal letter of reprimand only
- Voluntary resignation is requested
- Termination of the term appointment (Correct answer)
- Suspension without pay for 30 days
Correct answer: Termination of the term appointment
Unauthorized outside employment violates federal ethics regulations and can result in termination of the term appointment.
Question 5: A Consular Fellow on a term appointment who becomes pregnant is entitled to which of the following?
- Automatic extension of their term by the length of maternity leave
- Paid parental leave under the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act (Correct answer)
- Only unpaid FMLA leave with no paid benefit
- Reassignment to a domestic post only
Correct answer: Paid parental leave under the Federal Employee Paid Leave Act
The Federal Employee Paid Leave Act entitles eligible federal employees, including Consular Fellows, to up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
Question 6: At which point does a Consular Fellow's security clearance typically need to be renewed during a term appointment?
- Every year
- Every three years
- Every five years (Correct answer)
- Only at the conclusion of the appointment
Correct answer: Every five years
Top Secret security clearances require periodic reinvestigation every five years, which applies to Consular Fellows as well.
Question 7: Which document governs the working conditions and grievance procedures applicable to Consular Fellows during their term appointment?
- The Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) (Correct answer)
- The Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)
- The Collective Bargaining Agreement with AFSA
- The Office of Personnel Management Employee Handbook
Correct answer: The Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM)
The Foreign Affairs Manual (FAM) governs Department of State personnel policies, including those applicable to Consular Fellows.
CFPT Term Appointment 3
What happens to a Consular Fellow's term appointment if the program is discontinued by Congress?