*Update 05.02.2024, this offer is still open. Check out the instructions on assembling [1] or adjusting [2] the chair.* Original article: As you hopefully know [3], the Commission is offering most (but sadly not all [1]) of us a home-office kit [4] including an ergonomic chair [2]. After having battled for so long [5] on this topic, the team of Generation 2004 did not want to let the opportunity pass to test-drive this offer and participate in this scheme as well. The ordering process is relatively painless, although delivery of the chair took a couple of weeks. From the outside, the chair looks to be of good quality. So, if you are still hesitating whether the offer is worth the trouble, we can recommend it.
The parts of the chair as delivered.
[6]However, the manufacturing company is clearly not used to dealing with end consumers: there is no instruction manual whatsoever included that would explain how to assemble the chair.
But we threw ourselves into the task: help is available on its website [7], the manufacturer offers the manual. It consists of two PDF files and a video. Please note that we have no connections to the manufacturer whatsoever and this article is not intended as a commercial. But if you look a bit puzzled at the pieces in front of you (we did!) then this information might help you:
- Manual part 1 [8] – assembly + usage (PDF)
- Manual part 2 [9] – usage (PDF)
- Interactive manual [10] – usage (video)
The castors included in our chair were “soft double castors” which are meant for hard floors (e.g. parquet, tiles, laminate, protective mats). If you have a soft floor (soft carpet), you might want to invest in a protective mat for the floor.
Let us know [11] what you managed to put together for your teleworking workspace [12].
[1] ‘Chairs: An ergonomic chair [13] can be ordered by EC officials, temporary agents, Contract Agents and national experts in Brussels and Luxembourg who have not benefited from the temporary reimbursement scheme. It will delivered at home. ‘
[2] The IT package contains any combination of the following items:
- Screen (might have additional USB ports)
- keyboard (AZERTY, QWERTY or QWERTZ)
- mouse (even if one already came with the laptop)
- docking station (provides additional USB ports)
- Webcam (you can close your laptop)
- ergonomic chair
Note also that some laptops were provided without a kensington-style lock [14] to anchor the laptop to furniture. You can request one via My IT Support [15]:
REQUEST TYPE [choose] Install NON-STANDARD peripherals for a user
Misc. (specify) [write] ‘laptop locking cable’
EXTRA INFORMATION
Justification*: [write] ‘No locking cable was provided with laptop and I will need one for the return to the office’
Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [16] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [17], 3B [18]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [19].
As the use of contract staff becomes increasingly common, there has been a corresponding increase in the diversity of status and pay of the Commission’s workforce. For example, GFIV contract staff meeting the same minimum recruitment requirements (education and experience) as junior administrators may earn 28 % less. (European Court of Auditors, 2019, Special report no 15/2019 [20]: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff, point 61, page 34)
We have a working group dedicated to the dossier, and in December 2012 we addressed the first of many letters (\'notes\') about Contract Agents to Human Resources of all Institutions and agencies [21] (here is the cover e-mail [22]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [23] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
Our articles on Contract Agents [24]
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