Our colleagues in the EU Staff COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund team and EU Staff for Climate have taken the initiative of setting up a dedicated fundraiser for communities affected by the recent devastating floods unleashed by climate change in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg and further afield as the storm moved southwards. Continue reading Flooding in Europe: EU Staff COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund team and EU Staff for Climate
Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you?
The recently adopted Conclusion No 283/20 Determination and payment of financial entitlements under the staff regulations in the event of dissolution of a marriage or partnership, or termination of a de facto relationship [1] sets out the updated information. Check whether this affects you. Continue reading Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you?
Please support colleagues in Afghanistan
We have written to the president of the Commission to ask that the European External Action Service (EEAS) leave no one behind in Kabul, Afghanistan. In response to the current political crisis we ask the EU to move now to arrange safe transportation and passage from the different addresses of colleagues to the airport where it is anticipated that they will be transported to safer locations via humanitarian flights. Continue reading Please support colleagues in Afghanistan
Brexit and the annual travel allowance: explanation
Many colleagues (of all nationalities) who normally receive the June annual travel allowance either did not receive it this year or received a modified sum: the determining factor was place of origin.
The accompanying explanation is as follows : ‘As of 1st January 2021, UK is considered as a third country. Continue reading Brexit and the annual travel allowance: explanation
Annual medical check-up: back to (socially distanced) normal
*update 12.10.2021: Still no annual medical service visits in Brussels, in spite of the information available on the staff matters website. We understand the process is currently still to go via your own doctor.*
*update 27.09.2021 the JSIS welcome offices have reopened.*
*update 20.09.2021 Brussels: we have contacted the medical service about the e-agenda being deactivated, we will update this when we have more information, thanks to all of you who got in touch!* Continue reading Annual medical check-up: back to (socially distanced) normal
Geel elections: Generation 2004 staff representatives 2021
Despite being in the period of summer holiday, the July 2021 Geel local staff committee election has been successfully concluded with your support! You gave us 294 votes in total, which corresponds to 7 out of 14 elected representatives [1]. Generation 2004 thanks each and every colleague who took the effort to participate in the paper voting (no electronic voting for Geel as yet). Continue reading Geel elections: Generation 2004 staff representatives 2021
Survey on workload, digital overload and burnout
*Update 01.09.2021: move to Phase 3 of the return to the office strategy announced for Monday 20 September for all Commission sites.*
Many of you, facing various issues, have contacted Generation 2004 throughout the pandemic. The vast majority of the difficulties raised relate to having difficulties to disconnect (also called Zoom fatigue) or having to be reachable all the time. Colleagues are also working additional hours, working late into the evening and during the weekends: e.g. because the workload has substantially increased in some directorates-general (those working on high-priority files, such as EU Green Deal, Recovery Resilience Facility (RRF), Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF)), or because of shortages of staff (those who leave not being replaced), or even just because it is difficult to decline that meeting or to reject that call from a colleague or superior. Additionally, external media outlets have reported that some directorates-general (DGs) face extreme workload related to priority files, which puts colleagues at risk of burnout. The situation might even more aggravate when we will move to the “New normal”. Continue reading Survey on workload, digital overload and burnout
Deadline extension: LA employment-conditions reform
Generation 2004 is glad to inform you that the deadline for Local agents to decide whether they would like to accept the new Local Agent conditions is now extended to 31 December 2021.
If you wish to have any questions, please feel free to contact us. Continue reading Deadline extension: LA employment-conditions reform
Lingua franca, what? SCIC
What does it mean when your interlocutor refuses to use the only language you both have in common? Is it a (repeated) oversight? Forgetfulness? Something else?
Why on earth would anyone do this on purpose? They wouldn’t, right?
Regardless of the motivation, it’s awkward, isn’t it, being spoken at in a language you don’t understand, especially when you know you have a language in common and you’ve asked several times to use it. Continue reading Lingua franca, what? SCIC
UPDATE: our DG GROW reorganisation survey
Many of our DG Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs (DG GROW) colleagues were directly affected by the recent and extensive reorganisation of the DG and a large number raised concerns on the implications for career development, the level of communication and the engagement with those impacted by these changes. Continue reading UPDATE: our DG GROW reorganisation survey
