Local Staff Committee

Council request to further reduce spending on staff II

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-03-30, Pensions, Social Dialogue, solidarity levy, Teleworking, Working conditions Print This Post

*Updated 07.08.2023 in response to feedback, thanks! See footnotes*

Original article: Generation 2004 is closely following this latest Council request to further reducing spending on staff (Budget 2024: Council agrees on its guidelines for the establishment of next year’s EU budget, 14.03.2023, see quote below). The Commission appears to have provisionally lost 75 posts, the only institution to have lost any posts (Draft General Budget of the European Union for the financial year 2023, Working Document Part II, 2022, p. 67) Continue reading Council request to further reduce spending on staff II →

Minimum wage in Luxembourg for contract agents – finally a glimmer of hope

Contract Agents, Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

*Update 01.09.2023: the social minimum wage for Luxembourg is now 3085.11 EUR gross (or 2570.93 EUR for unskilled workers).**Update: see our June article on the good example being set by the Parliament.* Original article: Many colleagues struggle today with the high level of inflation and the increased costs of living. But already before the current economic crisis, the situation was difficult for colleagues in Luxembourg with a low salary. While money can’t buy happiness, it does certainly help: Luxembourg’s levels of happiness have also fallen. Luxembourg has the highest minimum wage in Europe, with a minimum of 2 936.48 EUR for qualified workers (as of 1 February 2023 – the corresponding inflation index has a value of 898.93 points and 100 points equal an amount of 326.66 EUR). Continue reading Minimum wage in Luxembourg for Contract Agents – finally a glimmer of hope →

Municipal elections in Luxembourg – get registered if you want to vote

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

Have your say on Luxembourg! Whether it’s to do with the never-ending road works, public screenings of sports events  or pedestrian safety. Municipal elections are coming in Luxembourg Sunday, 11 June 2023 (08.00-14.00), most colleagues living in Luxembourg can choose who will be their 27 municipal councillors for the next 6 years. Here are the current 27. The conditions to participate are lightweight (and you can be a candidate, too!): Continue reading Municipal elections in Luxembourg – get registered if you want to vote →

100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building

Cost of living Luxembourg, Health, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 17.09.2024 anything non-IT that’s broken can be reported by email/phonecall.*

*Update 21.02.2024 OP staff can request noise-cancelling headphones.*

Original article: It is confirmed that the new POST-Mercier building will be the first Commission building to be 100% ‘dynamic and collaborative’. Phew! At least it’s not hot-desking, right? Unfortunately, this is indeed hot-desking albeit (here at least) in a limited fashion. It is first come, first served within the area assigned to your team: Continue reading 100% hot-desking at the new POST-Mercier building →

One year on, what’s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg?

Cost of living Luxembourg, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2023-03-30 Print This Post

*Update 09.10.2023 it’s estimated that 76% of those considered eligible for state aid with rent have not taken advantage of it: please don’t miss out!**Update 28.06.2023: no mention of the 12 actions in the 9 Corporate Management Board meetings since the last update (September 2022). No published output found for interinstitutional taskforce on hospital pricing (expected end 2022). We’re following up with the Local Staff Committee.*

Original article: We’ve been following the 12 actions to address the difficulties of recruiting staff in Luxembourg since they were announced 30.03.2022 Continue reading One year on, what’s happening with the 12 actions for Luxembourg? →

Contract Agents in Delegations conference Tuesday 28 February

Contract Agents, Events, Outside the Union Print This Post

We are delighted to invite you at the Generation 2004 meeting dedicated to staff in the European Commission Delegations. Mobility: a reality of life as Contractual Agents at Union Delegations outside the EU for EEAS and Commission colleagues. Are you preparing for a new mobility? Do you believe there are possibilities to improve the exercise? Continue reading Contract Agents in Delegations conference Tuesday 28 February →

The annual medical check-up: the ‘new normal’

additional teleworking costs, Brussels, Complementary coverage, Cost of living Luxembourg, COVID-19, Health, Ispra-Seville, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-01-27, Outside the Union, PMO, return to the office-new normal Print This Post

*Update 03.03.2023 clarification of the changes announced for mid-February:  tests previously covered by «bons roses»[*] are now to be done via the health screening programme in order to be reimbursed at 100% e.g. a gynecological check up.*[**]

Original article: We start with some context: the annual medical check-up, that obligation that is not generally enforced, is done by only around 1/3 of staff [1]. Why might this be? Well, cost is an issue: while the check-up itself and associated laboratory tests are normally reimbursed at 100%, anything stemming from that check-up (‘diagnostic examinations’ or ‘additional treatments’, for example) will be reimbursed in the normal way (85% up to set ceilings which may or may not correspond to reality, we hear you Luxembourg [2]). Continue reading The annual medical check-up: the ‘new normal’ →

Colleagues in Kyiv to return to the office II

Local Agents, Newsletter - 2022-10-14, Newsletter - 2023-03-15 EEAS, Outside the Union, Ukraine 2022 Print This Post

Since our last update on our Kyiv colleagues, we have been reaching out to colleagues of all categories in Kyiv. Hardship there continues: a situation ongoing since the outbreak of war (February 2022). Kyiv has been frequently shelled, there are power cuts many hours throughout the day; there are water shortages; sirens are going off frequently. The situation on the ground is extremely unsettling and it is impossible to have predictability on how long this will continue. Continue reading Colleagues in Kyiv to return to the office II →

Laissez-passer renewal unnecessarily complicated and expensive?

EEAS, Local Agents, Newsletter - 2022-12-19, Newsletter - 2023-03-15 EEAS, Outside the Union Print This Post

Generation 2004 has been contacted by many colleagues serving outside the territory of the European Union regarding the issue of renewing their service passport (‘laissez-passer’ (LP)). While for the issuing of this document (e.g. for a new start in a new country (‘posting’)) the associated travel costs are met by the services, the same is not true for the renewal. Continue reading Laissez-passer renewal unnecessarily complicated and expensive? →

Thank you Luxembourg!

Elections, Luxembourg, Newsletter - 2022-12-19 Print This Post

Thank you for placing your trust in us! This has been a remarkable election: it has finished on time, meeting the original deadline without any need for an extension and it’s the first time that a woman-led couple has been the most elected in any Luxembourg election in living memory! Luxembourg, you are awesome! The result is even more meaningful in this, a very special year: we are celebrating our 10-year anniversary. Continue reading Thank you Luxembourg! →