[1]The UN Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities sets out the legal obligations on States to promote and protect the rights of persons with disabilities. The European Union signed the Convention in 2010. It is legally binding. In the 2016 staff survey, about 6% of all Commission staff declared having long-standing health issues or a disability that affects their daily activities.
The Commission’s policy on disability was an essential concern for Generation 2004 and we were active in this regard at different levels. Especially, through the current Local Staff Committee (LSC) Brussels of which the President is a Generation 2004 member.
Upon his initiative the Association of Staff with a Disability in the European Commission (ASDEC [2]) was invited several times to the plenary session of the LSC [3]. Such approach provided a platform for staff with a disability to raise concerns related to accessibility of Commission buildings and workplaces, reasonable accommodation of staff with a disability, the discriminatory nature of the JSIS and the Commission’s diversity and inclusion strategy.
Similarly, OIB representatives were invited to report about their policy [4] to improve working conditions of colleagues with disabilities.
There is also a dedicated full-fledged chapter on disability policy in the LSC Activity report [5] (p. 19-20).
Within the joint committee on Prevention and Safety at Work (CPPT) we have also raised the issue of colleagues with disability in the context of the revision of the MIT (Manuel de l’immeuble type) asking to fully take into consideration the suggestions and grievances expressed by ASDEC, to take a more ambitious approach to this policy.
Generation 2004 has put together for you all the information related to the assistance for colleagues with disabilities.
Disability: help and information
https://myintracomm.ec.europa.eu/staff/EN/working-conditions/disability/Pages/index.aspx [6]
A single entry point for staff members, pensioners, and their family members is in place for all your questions on disability.
Definition and assessment
A person has a disability if he has a long-term physical, mental, intellectual or sensory impairment which, in interaction with various barriers, may hinder his full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others (Article 1d of the staff regulations).
At the Commission, the assessment of a disability is done by the Medical Service [7].
Help and information
Active staff [8] and pensioners [9] may qualify to receive social financial aid.
Find a list of relevant contacts and services [10] to discuss your personal situation and to find the most suitable solutions.
Medical costs
The medical costs related to a disability may be reimbursed by the JSIS:
- contact the team dealing with disability e-mail: PMO RCAM BRU HANDICAP [11]
- for specific treatments or therapies, a prior authorisation [12] may be needed or direct billing [13] may be possible (for example: speech and occupational therapy, psychological sessions, etc.).
Non-medical costs
Non-medical costs can be related to residence (specific institute, protected work environment, day centre, etc.), to transport and equipment (stairs lift, bathtub, guide dog, specially equipped car, etc.), care-taking, or schooling and education needs.
Further info and possibilities for financial aid is listed under Financial aid for staff and their dependents [14] (non-medical costs section).
Find a list of relevant contacts and services [10] to discuss your personal situation and to find the most suitable solutions.
Family allowances
Find information about family allowances [15] (household allowance, child allowance, double child allowance and school allowances), or send your questions directly to PMO Contact [16].
In certain circumstances it is possible to get a double child allowance [17], please check if you are eligible (Administrative Notice N° 20-2014 [18]).
Buildings
In general, the Commission buildings [19] are accessible for persons with a disability. There are also special arrangements for evacuation of persons with reduced mobility [20] in case of emergency.
OIB has contributed to existing accommodating facilities by making kitchen trolleys, meant for colleagues and visitors with a medical condition, available in all canteens and light-catering areas of the Commission in Brussels.
Office and work station
As part of the reasonable accommodation [21] arrangements, if your office space needs to be adapted for reasons of sickness or disability, contact the occupational medicine team of the Medical Service [7].
The team can organise individual office visits, and can assess the need for:
- specific office material and furniture (flexible height desk, special chairs, phone, lamps, screens, floor cover, etc.), provided by OIB
- specific IT adaptations, carried out by DG DIGIT and the helpdesk team.
Working time
As part of reasonable accommodation [21], staff members can request flexitime [22], telework [23] or part-time [24]. If your condition requires further arrangements, an individual decision by your AIPN may be taken.
Transport
The costs related to medical issues can be reimbursed by the JSIS, with a prior authorisation [12].
As part of reasonable accommodation [21], in case of temporary or permanent inability to use private car or public transport, special transport arrangements (taxi, etc.) might be reimbursed, contact the occupational medicine team of the Medical Service [7].
Transport costs related to schooling or special education [25] might also be eligible for reimbursement.
Psychological and social support
It may be possible to receive psychosocial support [26], including financial counselling. The staff support groups and associations [27] can also provide help and advice.
Single entry point for disability
Disability: contacts and services
General disability questions about you or a person in your charge?
Single entry point for disability
Active staff and pensioners can contact the DG HR team for help and advice:
Tel: 02/29 712 33
E-mail: HR HANDICAP DISABILITY [28]
Postal address:
European Commission
DG HR – Unit HR.D.1 Working Conditions & Wellbeing
SC11 02/35
1049 Brussels, Belgium
PMO health insurance
Contact the team dealing with disability e-mail: PMO RCAM BRU HANDICAP [11]
Psychosocial support
Active staff can contact the psychosocial teams [29] of the Medical Service. Pensioners can contact the dedicated social workers and social services [30].
Staff support groups
Find the staff support groups and associations [27] who can provide relevant help and advice.
Building accessibility
For more information contact e-mail: OIB MAIL RE2 [31]
Help us improve this site
Please send your comments and suggestions to e-mail: HR HANDICAP DISABILITY [28]
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We understand that 7000 of the c. 10000 respondents to the March 2021 HR diversity and inclusion survey chose to answer the section relating to harassment. The results were expected to be ready 14.10.2021. *Update 01.07.2022: HR D&I survey results (including those from the optional section on harassment) are available under DG HR survey results: Reports/metrics [32]. A summary is in April 2022 Central Staff Committee (CSC) plenary [33]. *
‘The Diversity and Inclusion Office is working on a new Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan, due to be released in Q4 2021. It will be an update since the last report in 2019 to reflect new priorities.’ (My Intracomm, Staff Matters, Diversity and Inclusion [34], Ongoing projects and events)
'); toolTips('.classtoolTips19','Staff Regulations of Officials and the Conditions of Employment of Other Servants of the European Union (\'Staff Regulations [35] (SR)\') are rules stating:
• fundamental conditions of service
• basic rights, duties and obligations of staff.
The SR have been reformed x 2 (so far):
• 2004 (Kinnock White paper)
• 2014 (Regulation 1023/2013 [36])
For a summary of stated intentions and real outcomes of those two reforms check out: European Court of Auditors, 2019, Special report no 15/2019 [37]: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff
'); toolTips('.classtoolTips26','A committee whose members are from two or more different organisations. In the context of the staff representation at the Commission this means that the committee members are:
- 50% HR (\'the administration\')
- 50% trade unions and staff associations (OSPs).
Joint Committees at the Commission can be attached to the Central Staff Committee (CSC [38]) or to the Local Staff Committee (LSC): Brusels, Luxembourg, Ispra/Seville, Karlsruhe, Petten, Geel, France and Outside the Union (\'hors Union\'/\'CLP-HU\').'); toolTips('.classtoolTips48','Office for the Administration and Payment of Individual Entitlements'); toolTips('.classtoolTips49','Office for Infrastructure and Logistics in Brussels
https://publications.europa.eu/code/en/en-390600.htm [39]');