disability and special needs

Navigating the JSIS: conference

disability and special needs, Events, Health, Newsletter-2025-01-28, Newsletter-2025-02-28 Print This Post

*Update 05.02.2025: here is the recording of the  conference. *Update 04.02.2025 we’ve added to the list of JSIS questions below and uploaded the presentation. Thanks to the colleague who pointed out that there is now a PMO optician form which is more recent than our draft optician letter and easier to do, since you’re not having to ask the optician to print anything. *

Original article: The Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS) of the European Union (also RCAM [Régime Commun d’Assurance Maladie]) is not the most user-friendly of systems and yet it’s all we have, for everything health-related whether it’s routine, an accident or an illness. It’s easy to miss out on something you’re entitled to simply because you didn’t know about it and now the deadline has passed. Generation 2004 is here to present the JSIS and the common pitfalls. Continue reading Navigating the JSIS: conference →

JSIS special reimbursement: send us your experiences!

disability and special needs, Health, Newsletter - 2024-11-15 Print This Post

*Update 06.11.2025, apologies for the late update: several of you got in touch to say that the individual must initiate the request for special reimbursement.*

Original article: JSIS special reimbursement (Article 72(3) [1]) calculations will be sent automatically, can you verify? The rules say it can happen, but has it ever happened? Witnesses please! We can find no figures and we need your help! So, any colleagues out there who have (or have had) heavy medical expenses, have you ever received an information note listing non-reimbursed expenditure over the previous 36 months and informing you of your potential eligibility for additional special reimbursement? Please get in touch! Continue reading JSIS special reimbursement: send us your experiences! →

Your health: seeking transparency and action

COVID-19, disability and special needs, Health, Newsletter - 2024-02-28, PMO Print This Post

At the last meeting of the Local Staff Committee of Brussels, DG HR shared significant data regarding sickness leave and invalidity. They underlined that some of these data require further analysis which they intend to conduct to clarify reasons why, for example, more women than men are reported sick.   Continue reading Your health: seeking transparency and action →

Lifetime limit on medical part-time? Yes, sometimes

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*Update 20.02.2024 have any of you accessed the available help for returning to work after long-term sick leave? Tell us about it!* Original article: You’ve been on sick leave and you’re not quite fit enough yet to return to work 100%, but yes, you could do at least 50% and you’re keen to get back to some semblance of normality. Note, if you’re unable to work a minimum of 50% or you’re not able to be back to your normal 100% within a maximum of 6 months, then it’s too early to start, wait a little and look at the caveat below before making a decision! Continue reading Lifetime limit on medical part-time? Yes, sometimes →

More than 12 days of annual leave remaining from last year?

disability and special needs, Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2023-01-09, Newsletter - 2023-01-27 Print This Post

*Update 13.12.2023: If you are sick for >20 days in a year then you have the right to transfer all of your annual leave to the following year. There is (currently?) no budget to automate this process. If are not able to do this yourself within sysper in January, it should be done on your behalf (for 2024 onwards) please check your days are credited to you. Also for anyone returning to work after long-term absence, check out the new HR resources. * Continue reading More than 12 days of annual leave remaining from last year? →

Incorrect Sysper sick leave warning message: you asked, we acted!

disability and special needs, Health, Newsletter - 2022-11-29, Working conditions Print This Post

Everyone knows the first 3 days of sick leave don’t require a certificate, right? If you are off for longer then yes, you need a certificate. Those first days can be used to wait and see whether you get better or even just to try to organise an appointment with your GP in order to have their opinion on your options: sometimes getting an appointment can take some time! So, yes, sick leave without a certificate which subsequently becomes sick leave with a certificate is not unusual (≤ 3 days without + x days with = good). Though note that the medical service can still check in with you as they wish. Continue reading Incorrect Sysper sick leave warning message: you asked, we acted! →

An update on workplace bullying and harassment

disability and special needs, Events, Newsletter - 2022-11-29, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

*Update 20.11.2024 the question of how to distinguish between bullying and conflict has been brought up a couple of times lately so we link to an explanation here.*

Original article: Have you ever been harassed? Or have you ever had the impression you might be harassed? Have you ever witnessed something that didn’t sit right with you and didn’t know what to do? What exactly is harassment or bullying? Note that in the Commission the terms ‘bullying’ and ‘harassment’ are used to mean the same thing: an often-present phenomenon in all personal, educational and professional contexts. Continue reading An update on workplace bullying and harassment →

First impressions last: Generation 2004 steps in

Certification, Data Protection, disability and special needs, Health, Newsletter - 2022-11-07, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 14.03.2023 HR confirms that medical part-time does indeed have a lifetime limit in certain circumstances.* *Update 03.01.2023 (belated) thanks to the colleagues who pointed out that medical part-time is sick leave and not a work pattern.[1]* Original article: Generation 2004 succeeds: personal and sensitive information[2] is no longer visible in sysper applications, thanks to Generation 2004 action! Continue reading First impressions last: Generation 2004 steps in →

Time for the Commission to focus on inclusion: cancer survivors

disability and special needs, Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2022-07-08, Staff Regulations Reform, Working conditions, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

Generation 2004 strongly supports colleagues in the EU institutions affected by cancer, just as we support colleagues with any important issue impacting their physical and/or mental health. As the Commission has been in the process of revising its HR strategy for almost 2 years now, it is high time to put in place a new policy to better cater for the needs of cancer survivors and their families and the needs of all colleagues whose complex situations are not well covered by the current patchwork of rules [1]. Continue reading Time for the Commission to focus on inclusion: cancer survivors →

‘Unsatisfactory’ in the CDR? What now?

disability and special needs, Newsletter - 2022-02-22, Promotions, reclassification, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

*Update 15.01.2024, the option to reuse the text from last evaluation means that the chat still takes place, but that there is no new written input possible from you or your line manager.*

Original article: You’ve done your best and it’s been a tough year. You’ve had your appraisal dialogue and prepared as best you could. In spite of it all, the evaluation is ‘Unsatisfactory’. What happens now? Firstly, don’t panic! Read everything you can (see list below) and act quickly: the career development review (CDR) can be refused (appealed) [1] but the deadlines are short and if nothing is done, the CDR is by default accepted. Continue reading ‘Unsatisfactory’ in the CDR? What now? →