You asked, we took action! Many of you contacted us with concerns that the currently allowed 1 day of paid special leave per year for volunteering activities is wholly inadequate to help the millions of Ukrainian women and children fleeing war and seeking refuge in the EU. On 01.04.2022 it was proposed that this be made 5 days for volunteering in Ukraine. This is an improvement: it’s not the 12 we asked for, but it’s still more than the original 1! (Communication to staff – Update 53)* Continue reading Generation 2004 requests up to 12 days for volunteering
Outside the Union
Deadline 31.03.2022: LA employment-conditions reform
The latest deadline extension for Local agents to decide whether they would like to accept the new Local Agent conditions expires 31 March 2022. The conditions of employment are available for colleagues who were already in service since December 2020.
Continue reading Deadline 31.03.2022: LA employment-conditions reform
Home leave Decision 2022: an improvement for some staff
The new home leave decision 2022[1] will provide more days of leave to official, temporary agent and contract agent colleagues who are employed 2001km or more away from their official place of origin[2]. Generation 2004 thinks that this decision will have a far from solid impact on the general purpose of having a good work-life balance and the time to connect with friends and family, not to forget all the inevitable administrative work one needs to do when back in the home country. Continue reading Home leave Decision 2022: an improvement for some staff
Special leave for volunteering: it’s one day PER YEAR!
*update 01.04.2022: it is proposed that this be made 5 days for volunteering in Ukraine. it’s not the 12 we asked for, but it’s still more than the original 1! (Communication to Commission staff – Update 53)*
Generation 2004 clarifies the options available for volunteering in response to colleagues who have reached out to us for details. As mentioned on How to help Ukraine[1], special leave is available in sysper for volunteering. That means that you can volunteer and still be paid your full wage at the end of the month: great, right?[2] Continue reading Special leave for volunteering: it’s one day PER YEAR!
Generation 2004 requests assistance be provided to Kyiv Delegation colleagues
Upon request, teleworking in Ukraine and abroad has been made available also for local agents by the latest Admin decision (2022)20. For the time being this arrangement will be for 3 months, we will closely monitor the situation and the requests for extensions where applicable and necessary.
Since the onset of the Russian invasion of Ukraine (24.02.2022) Generation2004 has actively been in touch with local agents and we are aware that all expat colleagues have been successfully evacuated to locations outside the country. For local agents, Generation 2004 requested the following: Continue reading Generation 2004 requests assistance be provided to Kyiv Delegation colleagues
Rule of law – We demand the EEAS talk the talk and walk the walk
Generation2004 stands in solidarity with local agent colleagues in Turkey. We expresses our extreme concern on continued EU non-compliance with the 2021 court ruling concerning the payment of local agents there. The European External Action Service (EEAS), specifically the Delegation of the European Union to Turkey, has again been told that its unilateral insistence on paying local staff Turkish lira (TRY) and not in Euro is a violation of the rules (Republic of Turkey, Court of Cassation, 9th Civil Chamber Case No:2021/5672 Order No:2021/11022). Continue reading Rule of law – We demand the EEAS talk the talk and walk the walk
Launch of the evaluation process for EEAS local agents
It is now the turn of our European External Action Service (EEAS) local agent colleagues to have their annual evaluation. We’re here for you! See the recommendations in our presentation (from slide 8 onwards) for how to write your evaluation text and our article on the corresponding dialogue to get an idea of what to highlight and how. As usual, we offer one-on-one sessions to help colleagues by reviewing their self-assessments. Continue reading Launch of the evaluation process for EEAS local agents
Ukraine: concrete action
Numerous colleagues asking how to help the people of Ukraine contacted us.
That is why we tried to put together a non-exhaustive list of initiatives run by government or non-government organizations aiming to provide assistance to the Ukrainian people such as food, medicines, medical equipment, accommodation, transportation, financial donation, family reunification, asylum, temporary protection, etc.
Please support colleagues in Kyiv, Ukraine
*Please sign to support our note on action to take for our Kyiv colleagues* The war on Ukraine by the Russian Federation, which started on Thursday 24 February, will have a dramatic impact on the lives of our colleagues employed in Ukraine. We know that the EEAS formed a crisis-management working group for the emergency evacuation from Kabul in 2021. Generation 2004 would like to enquire whether similar arrangements have been put in place in Ukraine, if not, we strongly recommend to do it. Continue reading Please support colleagues in Kyiv, Ukraine
Generation 2004 is growing in Delegations! Be a part of the process, join us!
In 2018 Generation 2004 first ventured into the uncharted territory of Delegations with the aspiration to understand and share the problems and challenges in Delegations for all categories of colleagues.
We have increased our representation in the Commission Staff committee from 1 seat to 3 seats in the 2021 election and we are progressing to produce a competent team of staff representative candidates for the European External Action Service (EEAS) staff committee as well. Continue reading Generation 2004 is growing in Delegations! Be a part of the process, join us!