Welcome to the ninth edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter of 2023. Please participate in our Follow-up survey on teleworking, hybrid working and teleworking from anywhere (TWA): we would like to make a comparison with the answers you provided to our two original surveys. At the moment we’re busy with the Preparatory groups for the Joint Promotion Committees (JPCs) 11-13 September: this is the last stage of the promotions/reclassifications process before the publication of the final lists in mid-late November. We have still managed to make the time to address your concerns on the solidarity levy and to present an overview of the situation in Luxembourg, given the  most recent update to the minimum wage (01.09.2023). We have also finally(!) gathered all the questions you have raised relating to our interim colleagues together in a frequently asked questions (FAQs). Generation 2004 is also concerned at the treatment of our local agent colleagues in Sudan, the short-notice permanent closure of childcare facilities at Grange and the permanent closure of the LACC canteen. We offer training with Ya Semos Europeos for the forthcoming MCQ and CBT tests for the AD6 and AD7 competitions.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the summer edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter of 2023. Have a look at our updated summer checklist, see the status of the new harassment package and our ongoing work on the EPSO debacle. Check out our frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the Picard judgement affecting retirement and pensions: know your rights! We also make seven observations on the ongoing evaluation of working time and hybrid working: why is it so limited in scope? We propose an update to our previous surveys (please participate!) in order to collect data to facilitate meaningful comparison with the official evaluation. We ask the Commission (again) to address the increasing cost of living using the tools already at its disposal and renew out call for teleworking from anywhere (TWA) to be extended: we’ve shown we can work just as well, so why not?

So, that’s it for this this eighth edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the seventh edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter of 2023. We start with the time-sensitive first: Contract Agent colleagues have 5 working days to request to be included on the reclassification list (this makes the deadline end of Monday 03.07.2023 for most). Staff in agencies demonstrated 06.06.2023 in Brussels and we were there to show our support. We shine a light on the lack of transparency in decision-making e.g. how a transfer in might have no impact on your pension or how to gather the information you need when you want to leave. We are pleased to see that Parliament has had a change of heart on salaries lower than the Luxembourg minimum wage: will the Commission one day follow suit? We  consider the proposed changes in the European Schools and look for volunteers. We explain the recent salary update and provide a summary of the ongoing EPSO rollercoaster ride and invite you to share your experience in our survey.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the sixth edition of the Generation 2004 newsletter of 2023. Following up on our February article, how much do you know about how the Investigation and Disciplinary Office of the Commission (IDOC) works in practice? In this edition we also share our concerns on guardless fingerprint access to Commission buildings out of hours. We query the reasoning behind colleagues being asked to request national allowances when there are equivalent institution allowances available and highlight some additional services offered by some welcome offices.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the fifth Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. Please join us on Monday, 24 April for our lunchtime event on the Picard case: this relates to the age of retirement and the pension accrual rate for those who have changed/renewed contracts. Generation 2004 is disappointed and taken aback at the EPSO decision 31.03.2023 to cancel competition AST/154/22: EPSO was among the many to topics we raised in the 16.03.2023 meeting with the Cabinet. We present the results of the latest elections (EEAS and Petten) and note that we are now again able to focus fully on you! There are no elections now until mid-2024! In this edition we express again our frustration with the ongoing situation for local agent colleagues in Delegation Türkiye and our shock to discover that within the Commission there are indeed lifetime limits on medical part-time in some circumstances. We present the 3 (partial) evaluations done so far on the working time and hybrid working (WTHW) decision is satisfaction with WTHW really increasing across the board? We take this opportunity to remind you that the Friday after Ascension Day (19 May) is still available to request as a flexibility day, if you want to: the choice is yours.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the fourth Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. The revision of the first draft of the new anti-harassment package is finished: we eagerly await the updated draft to see how much of our collective input has been included. We highlight the recent administrative notice regarding pension calculations for those seconded at their own request: make sure you know how this affects you. Generation 2004 comments on the (repeated) Council request to reduce spending on staff. Have a look at the flexibility days now available in sysper: you can choose work these 3 days in exchange for annual leave. The final list of the 50 colleagues selected to follow the AST certification training will be published soon: we list your options. Some 800 more colleagues will move to dynamic, collaborative space (DCS) at the new POST-Mercier building but at least it’s not hot-desking, right? We look at the minimum wage changes for Luxembourg, why is the expatriation allowance used to exclude colleagues from the uplift? Generation 2004 encourages to you exercise your rights inside and outside the Commission: those in Luxembourg, please register to vote in the municipal elections. On the topic of Luxembourg, we lament the lack of action on the 12 actions announced 1 year ago to address the difficulties in recruiting and retaining staff.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the third Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. We take a good look at EPSO. We share your adventures with the EPSO online CBT tests,  invite you to contact us quickly if you want to join your individual case to the joint action of the Common Front complaint and then put the EPSO transformation in a wider context, noting that they have chosen not to take the Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) as their model.  We provide an estimated timeline for the ongoing internal competitions. In other topics, we present how an accusation of misconduct (whether founded or unfounded) can impact your career. We also encourage you to query mismatched JSIS reimbursements, please don’t miss out on what you’re entitled to!

We continue to ask for your assistance in our ongoing follow-up survey on utilities costs.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care and enjoy reading!

Welcome to the second Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. In the last 2 weeks we have assisted 274 colleagues with their evaluation text and we’re still here if you need us! That first promotion/reclassification  event was attended by 967 colleagues (a new record!) and we now follow-up with a lunchtime event on how to increase your chances of getting a promotion/reclassification (Monday 30 January). Here, the focus is on explaining the next steps in the process and we thank all of the colleagues who provided information to enable us to fill the gaps in our table.

Please don’t miss out on your rights! You have until Tuesday 31 January to request the transfer of more than 12 days of annual leave. We are deeply disappointed to see that the sysper automation  has not (yet) happened. Please also note that the annual medical check-up remains working time, in spite of the recent changes.

We continue to ask for your assistance in our ongoing follow-up survey on utilities costs.

So, that’s it for this this edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care, stay healthy and enjoy reading!

A very happy and healthy new year to you all and welcome to the first Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023! We appreciate that this is a busy moment for you all: between getting back into the swing of things, writing your self-assessment and navigating the modified promotion/reclassification process (event, please join us!), sometimes there’s not much time left over to ensure that you’re not missing out on what is due to you. Nevertheless, please do take a moment to check your annual leave remaining from 2022 and the options open to you, please note also that you have 10 new days of teleworking from anywhere (TWA) for 2023, please try to make full use of them. For those of you who do not find your name on the Certification list, act fast, you still have time to appeal. We also ask for your assistance in our ongoing follow-up survey on utilities costs. We are looking for a colleague to join our team: please have a look!

So, that’s it for this first edition, thanks to all of you for your support, ideas and feedback: please keep it coming!

Take care, stay healthy and enjoy reading!