WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION EXECUTIVE BOARD 107th Session Provisional agenda item 6.1 EB107/17 7 December 2000
Confirmation of amendments to the Staff Rules1 Report by the Secretariat
1. In accordance with Staff Regulation 12.2, amendments that the Director-General makes to the Staff Rules are submitted to the Executive Board for confirmation.2 The effective date of these changes would be 1 January 2001. 2. The amendments are considered necessary in the light of experience and in the interest of sound human-resources management. The text of the amended Staff Rules is contained in the Annex.
ASSIGNMENT GRANT 3. An editorial change is introduced to Staff Rule 365 in order to reflect actual practice and thus remove possible ambiguity.
PAYMENTS AND DEDUCTIONS 4. The purpose of the amendment is to permit enforcement of Article I of the Staff Regulations (Duties, Obligations and Privileges), in particular 1.9. It is intended that deductions for third-party indebtedness would relate to family obligations as an indication that it is unacceptable for WHO staff members to neglect family and child support obligations. This amendment is in line with United Nations rules and practice, whereby since 1998 deductions are made from a staff member’s salary in cases of noncompliance with family and child support obligations. Staff Rule 380 has been amended accordingly.
OFFICIAL HOLIDAYS 5. Official holidays in the United Nations common system range from nine to 11 days per year; in 1998, the United Nations increased the number of official holidays from nine to 10 days. It is proposed that WHO align itself with the United Nations. Except as otherwise decided by the Director-General, 1 2
Copies of the Staff Rules and Staff Regulations dated March 2000 are available in the Board room. Additional amendments are contained in documents EB107/15 Add.1 and EB107/16 Add.1.
EB107/17
eight days shall be fixed following, as far as practicable, the most commonly observed holidays in the locality, and two days shall be taken at the discretion of individual staff, subject to the requirements of the service. The discretionary days allow staff of different cultural backgrounds to observe days of a religious or national character that are not commonly observed in the duty station at which they serve. Staff Rule 620 has been amended accordingly.
BOARDS OF APPEAL 6. The Director-General has the authority to appoint two members and four alternates to serve on the headquarters Board of Appeal. Experience has shown that an increase in the membership has helped to deal expeditiously with appeal cases. In consultation with the Staff Committee, the list of members appointed by the Director-General has been increased from two to four, and the alternates from four to eight. Staff Rule 1230 has therefore been amended to reflect current practice.
BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS 7. The financial requirements in the 2000-2001 biennium under the regular budget are minimal and will be met from the appropriate allocations established for each of the regions and for global and interregional activities.
ACTION BY THE EXECUTIVE BOARD 8. The Board may wish to consider the following draft resolution: The Executive Board CONFIRMS in accordance with Staff regulation 12.2 the amendments to the Staff Rules that have been made by the Director-General with effect from 1 January 2001 in respect of assignment grant, payments and deductions, official holidays, and boards of appeal.
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ANNEX CONFIRMATION OF AMENDMENTS TO THE STAFF RULES
Staff Rule/Subject
Existing text Section 3 – Salary, Post Adjustment, Allowances and Grants
Proposed text
365.
Assignment Grant
365.4 If a staff member resigns from the Organization within six months of the date of his appointment, any assignment grant paid under Rules 365.1 and 365.3 is recoverable proportionately under conditions established by the Director-General. 380.5 Salaries are subject only to the following deductions: 380.5.1 380.5.2 380.5.3 for the staff member’s contributions to the Staff Pension Fund and for health insurance; for indebtedness to the Organization; appropriate charges for staff members officially provided with lodging at no cost or at nominal rent; as otherwise authorized by the staff member and agreed by the Organization.
365.4 If a staff member resigns from the Organization within six months of the date of appointment or reassignment, any assignment grant paid under Rules 365.1 and 365.3 is recoverable proportionately under conditions established by the Director-General. 380.5 Deductions, from salaries, wages and other emoluments, including terminal entitlements, may be made only in the following cases: 380.5.1 380.5.2 380.5.3 for the staff member’s contributions to the Staff Pension Fund and for health insurance; for indebtedness to the Organization; appropriate charges for staff members officially provided with lodging at no cost or at nominal rent; as otherwise authorized by the staff member and agreed by the Organization; for indebtedness to third parties when any deduction for this purpose is authorized by the Director-General.
380.
Payments and Deductions
380.5.4
380.5.4 380.5.5
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4 Staff Rule/Subject Existing text Section 6 – Attendance and Leave 620. Official Holidays Nine holidays are observed per year, the dates being fixed following, as far as practicable, the nine most commonly observed holidays in the locality. Ten holidays are observed per year, and except as otherwise decided by the Director-General, eight of the ten days shall be fixed following, as far as practicable, the most commonly observed holidays in the locality, and two days to be taken at the discretion of individual staff members, the timing of which shall be subject to the requirements of the service. Proposed text Section 12 – Appeals 1230. Boards of Appeal 1230.4 The headquarters Board of Appeal shall consist of five members having equal votes as follows: 1230.4.1 a chairman and two alternate chairmen appointed by the Director-General after consultation with the representatives of the staff; 1230.4.2 two members and four alternates appointed by the Director-General; 1230.4.3 two members representing the staff, drawn from a panel organized in three groups 1230.4 The headquarters Board of Appeal shall consist of five members having equal votes as follows: 1230.4.1 a chairman and three alternate chairmen appointed by the Director-General after consultation with the representatives of the staff; 1230.4.2 two members drawn from a list of four members and eight alternates appointed by the Director-General; 1230.4.3 two members representing the staff, drawn from a panel organized in three groups
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Note: Amendments shown in boldface type.
Annex