So far, only one third of our remaining colleagues from the Consumers, Health, Agriculture and Food Executive Agency (Chafea) have declared their intention to move with their job to Brussels. This leaves two thirds to either change their mind or find an alternative and the clock is ticking (the 2-month deadline for staff to make a decision is fast approaching: accept the transfer or refuse?). Continue reading CHAFEA risking massive loss of expertise
Certification in the JRC – one size does not fit all
The numbers speak an unmistakable language. The success rate of JRC ASTs in the certification procedure is considerably below that of ASTs from other DGs. While JRC’s ASTs accounted for approximately 9.5% of all ASTs in the Commission in 2019 [1], henceforth considered to be the benchmark, their share of certifications is much lower and persistently so (Figure 1): Except for a one-off-high in 2016 with a share of 7% (although still below 9.5%), the share of certifications in other years was much lower. Continue reading Certification in the JRC – one size does not fit all
New teleworking guidelines and teleworking from abroad: here we go again!
In our July newsletter we informed you of our actions to guarantee fair and consistent application of the new teleworking guidelines throughout the Commission, especially as regards the possibility of 2 weeks of teleworking from outside the place of employment [1].
We wrote a note to DG FISMA concerning their overly strict interpretation of the rules, and received a positive reply to our request.
However, we decided to ask for your feedback – both in that article and through an email sent to all our members – on the procedures in place where you are and on the outcome of your request.
As a result, we were flooded with messages stressing the very different procedures and layers of approvals necessary to be granted these 2 weeks of teleworking in different DGs and different parts and sites of the Commission. Continue reading New teleworking guidelines and teleworking from abroad: here we go again!
Indomitable spirit. Taking on the institutions and winning!
Probation reports cannot and should not be used for promotion purposes.
With impeccable timing, here we have evidence of what’s possible beyond the promotion appeals process. We encourage you to read the case (T-511/18) of a colleague’s long and arduous journey to hold the Commission to account which, on the way, clarifies the rules on what evidence cannot and should not be used in a promotion evaluation, in addition to detailing the obstacles and misinformation encountered in this colleague accessing their own medical file.
‘Thus, an end-of-probation report, even if it contains a certain number of observations on the official’s or other staff member’s fitness for work, cannot, in principle, be taken into account by a promotion committee.’ (137) Continue reading Indomitable spirit. Taking on the institutions and winning!
Modernisation of the Local Agents working conditions
For over 3 years all trade unions and EU delegation staff committees have been working with the administration to finalise the exercise of modernising Local Agent (LA) working conditions.
Although Generation 2004 participated in two rounds of social dialogue meetings in the EEAS in May, the decision was however finalised without our involvement as written in our article “Nihil de nobis, sine nobis!”. Although the power to adopt the last three implementing rules was delegated to Continue reading Modernisation of the Local Agents working conditions
A national-insurance card for colleagues in the Netherlands
If you work for the Commission in the Netherlands, you might have had some problems in the past with your health care, due to the lack of a health-insurance card. This results in additional costs for JSIS members, e.g. the “passantentarief” when you are not registered with a general practitioner (GP) and, since the JSIS does not issue a Dutch health-insurance card, you simply could not register with a practitioner.
In order to remedy this problem, the PMO has negotiated with a Dutch health insurer, CZ. The resulting agreement should guarantee a non-discriminatory treatment of JSIS beneficiaries under primary cover. Please note that the agreement does not apply to beneficiaries under top-up cover (they should already have a health-insurance card from their primary cover).
Update 05/10/2020: Following enquiries by colleagues, we have reached out to PMO to clarify who exactly is eligible for the CZ card at the moment. Right now, the CZ card is limited to active colleagues and pensioners who reside themselves in the Netherlands (and their family, if they reside in the Netherlands as well). Once the new system is running smoothly, PMO might consider extending the card to cases like staff members not residing in the Netherlands but whose children reside and study in the Netherlands. We will keep you informed.
Continue reading A national-insurance card for colleagues in the Netherlands
Online training courses for the EPSO assessment centre and the secretary concours (SC 1 and SC 2)
Is your EPSO exam approaching and you want to prepare properly?
Ya Semos Europeos (YSE), a training company Generation 2004 has teamed up with in the past to deliver courses for colleagues in the Commission, is offering online training sessions to exercise and reply to your individual questions on the EPSO assessment centre and the recently announced secretary concours SC 1 and SC 2. Continue reading Online training courses for the EPSO assessment centre and the secretary concours (SC 1 and SC 2)
Forced leave, a dream… err… a nightmare come true…
Are you a Commission colleague posted in a EU Delegation to a third country and are you coming back to the EU for vacation? Or perhaps you already came to Europe for a short vacation and got stuck due to COVID-19 related travel bans and as a consequence you were put on forced annual leave? Do you feel discriminated when your treatment is compared to the same situation of Commission staff residing in the EU? Continue reading Forced leave, a dream… err… a nightmare come true…
Latest news on the missions perimeter
Coronavirus or not: a serious bureaucracy will not be deterred by such a thing when it comes to inventing new regulations with doubtful benefits and uncertain costs. Never mind that all but essential missions have been cancelled for the time being and that complementary measures – with unknown costs – are still in the making, mission perimeters of various configurations will now be introduced for all JRC sites outside Brussels. Continue reading Latest news on the missions perimeter
Summer teleworking from abroad at DG FISMA
Following Generation 2004’s constructive note to Mr John BERRIGAN, Director-General of DG FISMA, on a too strict interpretation of the DG HR rule allowing teleworking from your “home country” during the summer period , we are glad to inform that DG FISMA has decided to change its position, something we very much appreciated.
In a message recently circulated to FISMA’s staff, a restriction not intended by the general DG HR policy was introduced: Continue reading Summer teleworking from abroad at DG FISMA
