Generation 2004 continues to closely monitor the developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on our institution and our working conditions. In the last two weeks we have had two meetings with DG HR to discuss all the issues related to the pandemic and the way forward. Generation 2004 stated that the return should only happen when the pandemic situation improved: when there was a lower possibility of contagion. Continue reading COVID-19: Return to office put on hold
While we hope that our readers will never need a psychotherapist, the sad reality is that a certain number of colleagues need to consult them. However, there are some points to consider when choosing a therapist as regards subsequent reimbursement by JSIS.
Firstly and importantly, a psychotherapy needs prior approval. If you start the therapy sessions before having obtained the prior approval, JSIS will not reimburse these sessions. Even if the prior approval is finally granted, JSIS will only reimburse sessions that happened after the prior approval! Continue reading Avoiding surprises with JSIS when choosing a psychotherapist
Generation 2004 is organising a coaching laboratory on burnout prevention and well-being, in collaboration with a colleague with experience in this field.
In our July newsletter we informed you of our actions to guarantee fair and consistent application of the new teleworking guidelines throughout the Commission, especially as regards the possibility of 2 weeks of teleworking from outside the place of employment.
We wrote a note to DG FISMA concerning their overly strict interpretation of the rules, and received a positive reply to our request.
However, we decided to ask for your feedback – both in that article and through an email sent to all our members – on the procedures in place where you are and on the outcome of your request.
As a result, we were flooded with messages stressing the very different procedures and layers of approvals necessary to be granted these 2 weeks of teleworking in different DGs and different parts and sites of the Commission. Continue reading New teleworking guidelines and teleworking from abroad: here we go again!
If you work for the Commission in the Netherlands, you might have had some problems in the past with your health care, due to the lack of a health-insurance card. This results in additional costs for JSIS members, e.g. the “passantentarief” when you are not registered with a general practitioner (GP) and, since the JSIS does not issue a Dutch health-insurance card, you simply could not register with a practitioner.
In order to remedy this problem, the PMO has negotiated with a Dutch health insurer, CZ. The resulting agreement should guarantee a non-discriminatory treatment of JSIS beneficiaries under primary cover. Please note that the agreement does not apply to beneficiaries under top-up cover (they should already have a health-insurance card from their primary cover).
Update 05/10/2020: Following enquiries by colleagues, we have reached out to PMO to clarify who exactly is eligible for the CZ card at the moment. Right now, the CZ card is limited to active colleagues and pensioners who reside themselves in the Netherlands (and their family, if they reside in the Netherlands as well). Once the new system is running smoothly, PMO might consider extending the card to cases like staff members not residing in the Netherlands but whose children reside and study in the Netherlands. We will keep you informed.
Continue reading A national-insurance card for colleagues in the Netherlands
Following Generation 2004’s constructive note to Mr John BERRIGAN, Director-General of DG FISMA, on a too strict interpretation of the DG HR rule allowing teleworking from your “home country” during the summer period , we are glad to inform that DG FISMA has decided to change its position, something we very much appreciated.
In a message recently circulated to FISMA’s staff, a restriction not intended by the general DG HR policy was introduced: Continue reading Summer teleworking from abroad at DG FISMA
Updated Commission teleworking guidelines (replacing the previous version of these rules) were announced by DG HR on 16 June in the Communication to Commission staff – Update 15 and will come into force from Monday 22 June 2020. The guidelines document will soon be published in the MyIntracomm Coronavirus and COVID-19 News & Helpdesk page (we will update this article with the direct link to them when they are published). Continue reading Watch out! Updated teleworking guidelines coming on 22 June
Generation 2004 has received several questions related to childcare facilities in the Commission during the COVID-19 period and the possible reimbursement of costs. In this article we present you with the most important information on this subject. Continue reading Commission childcare facilities in Brussels during the COVID-19 crisis
Following the Generation 2004 petition for special leave for parents, and at Generation 2004’s specific request, 3 June 2020 DG HR organised a social dialogue (SD) meeting to discuss the difficult situation of colleagues who are struggling to cope with this no-school and no-childcare situation over this extended period. Continue reading From the special-leave-for-parents petition to the social dialogue meeting
From the beginning of the open-space saga Generation 2004 has been consistently questioning the wisdom and practicalities of the implementation of collaborative workplaces (‘open space’) in different Commission services. In order to cut costs, the Commission is putting its employees into open-plan offices, spaces it knows to be incompatible with many of the tasks performed and which are known to compromise staff well-being. Continue reading Generation 2004 acts to protect EU staff’s health and well-being
Petition in support of Contract Agents