The Joint Research Centre (JRC) is one of the largest directorates-general (DGs) in the Commission. With its scientific profile it takes pride in its innovative and modern endeavours. JRC practices the remote way of working, in line with the Commission guidelines, but also benefits from it to foster cooperation among its multisite structure of 6 locations across Europe.
Continue reading From Paper to Digital: A voting practice update is necessary
*Update 24.10.2024 We’re aware of OIB now accepting cross-border commuter passes reimbursement requests via myPMO, but Luxembourg-based colleagues are to use the same method as before.*
*Update 15.07.2024 Check out ‘A new tool for reimbursement’ in the Brussels Green Commuting Communication on MyIntracomm. It promises reimbursement of Brussels transport tickets without having to wait for them to expire. Have you managed to do this? Please let us know!*
Continue reading Upholding flexibility offered by Third-party option in Mobility.net
*Update 28.06.2024: many thanks to the colleagues who got in touch to say that bank account changes are happening quickly and to suggest accounts with the association cooperative financière des fonctionnaires (AMFIE) as an option.*
Original article: If you have a Luxembourg ING bank account please act quickly to ensure that you receive your August salary. We calculate that you must not only have a new account in place but also have it approved within the FiLIP application by Thursday 20.06.2024 to avoid problems. We’ve sent a note to PMO to ask what workarounds they have in place and whether they’re ready for this additional (and sudden) increase in workload. Continue reading ING Lux client? Act now!
*Update 02.10.2025 we’re aware of the recently-announced agreement to have bills for hospitalisation sent directly to the JSIS (‘prise en charge’) instead of having the patient pay them and then request reimbursement. While this change is welcome, this item is not one of the 12 actions, nor does it relate to the unofficial 13th item, we’d like to see a progress report on all of those.* Continue reading Two years on, what’s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg?
*Update 14.10.2024 Luxembourg-based colleagues, the maximum reimbursement (‘ceiling’) for cross-border commuter passes has been doubled to €500 from 01.10.2024.*
*Update 24.07.2024 the Green Commuting Communication for staff in Brussels mentions the ongoing provision of FREE EV charging there, with no end date in sight. There is no date as yet for EV charging to be made available (free or otherwise) in Luxembourg buildings. The same text proposes to pay Brussels-based colleagues who cycle €100 per year. We asked about provision for other sites, but the response was negative. Why the inconsistency? Mixed messages on greening undermine the whole idea.* Continue reading Electric vehicle (EV) charging-point disparity
*Update 17.04.2024 We continue to pursue a canteen-price-reduction scheme for Brussels, like the long-standing one in Luxembourg. We continue to see very limited progress.*
Original article: The wellbeing of European Commission staff is of paramount importance for Generation 2004. Years after the lifting of pandemic restrictions, Continue reading Your opinion matters – Canteens and Cafeterias – evaluation survey
*Update 23.07.2024 HR says its not feasible to have e-voting at Geel and Karlsruhe, once more money is cited as a factor, are we surprised?*
Original article: Digitalisation is everywhere: we pay electronically, we get our news and movies digitally and we even meet online. While some types of human interaction would, ideally, never be replaced, many routine administrative activities can certainly benefit from going digital. Nevertheless, it’s important to include those who will use new systems and procedures in the decision-making process: while we might save on queuing with e-Voting, are we maybe missing out somewhere else? Continue reading Is e-voting the right tool for the JRC?
*Update 23.11.2023, thanks to the colleagues who shared their ideas on this situation, we have added their observations below.*
Original article: Luxembourg is a great place to work, you just have to find somewhere to live first! In its increasingly desperate attempts to do nothing of substance (12 actions for Luxembourg, for example), while still claiming to be working on increasing the attractivity of Luxembourg as a workplace, the Commission now seems to have resorted to the roadmap set out in a classic song. Continue reading Welcome to the Hotel Commission
*Update 24.10.2025, while the compliance with the national minimum wage has improved, EU institutions are still doing it differently meaning that those in the Commission might still get less than their counterparts elsewhere. We’d like to see the rules to converge where these, some of the lowest-paid staff, get the most.*
Original article: Have you considered that your competition may include roles in Luxembourg? Continue reading Making informed decisions: Luxembourg
*Update 04.01.2024, our Contract Agent petition at the European Parliament is still open, please sign it!* *Update 01.09.2023: the social minimum wage for Luxembourg is now 3085.11 EUR gross (or 2570.93 EUR for unskilled workers).*
Original article: In March we wrote about a glimmer of hope for Contract Agents in Luxembourg, who are earning less than the national minimum wage and need a special allowance just to touch this very minimum. The problem is that the Commission includes a number of EU allowances when comparing the salaries to determine the amount of this special allowance (see Commission decision C(2015) 4907 and the administrative notice 07-2017, March 2017): most notably, the expatriation allowance is included in the calculation. Continue reading Minimum wage in Luxembourg for contract agents – Parliament shows the way
