Newsletter – 2023-04-20

Newsletter editorial – 20-04-2023

Editorial, Newsletter - 2023-04-20 Print This Post

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!

Thanks to all who voted! Historic success in EEAS and promising result in Petten

Elections, Newsletter - 2023-04-20 Print This Post

The Generation 2004 team thanks everyone who voted in all elections: we can do nothing without your participation! All OSPs now have over a year to dedicate our time exclusively to defending your rights before the next local staff committee elections in 2024: check out the issues we’re raising. A special thanks goes to everyone who voted for us! We give you a rundown here of the most recent elections:  the European External Action Service (EEAS)[1] and Petten Local Staff Committee, which both finished in March 2023. Continue reading Thanks to all who voted! Historic success in EEAS and promising result in Petten →

Meeting the Head of Cabinet: it’s all about the money

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*Update 09.10.2023 please participate in the Commission survey on the environmental impact of teleworking: deadline 11.10.2023. These emmissions must also be counted in greening the Commission!* Original article: Here are the issues we  raised at the OSPs meeting with David Mueller, the Head of Commissioner Hahn’s (budget and administration) Cabinet (15.03.2023). We are all aware that we are reasonably consistently in a series of difficult situations which require additional financial resources and which put the EU Budget under pressure. But we did get an earworm during that meeting: Continue reading Meeting the Head of Cabinet: it’s all about the money →

EPSO competition cancelled – is this really the least-bad option?

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*Update 21.02.2024, Politico picked up this story.* Original article: Here’s the story so far on the revamped, updated and not-quite-ready-for-general-release rollercoaster ride of recruitment to the European institutions that was AST/154/22.  From the launch of this competition (22.09.2022) to the opening of an ombudsman inquiry (OI/1/2023/VS, 15.03.2023[1]) and on to the unexpected (and abrupt) decision of the EPSO director to cancel the whole thing (31.03.2023), Generation 2004 and all OSPs have been inundated with requests for help on the many and various issues encountered by candidates (covering everything from technical aspects to poor instructions to odd and alarming experiences), and it’s not finished yet! Continue reading EPSO competition cancelled – is this really the least-bad option? →

Evaluations of working time and hybrid working so far

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*Update 13.12.2023 Here is the official evaluation of working time and hybrid working and our experience of the corresponding ‘town-hall’ meeting. Do you agree with the conclusions?* Original article: It’s been a year since the implementation of the working time and hybrid working (WTHW) decision (entered into force 01.04.2022). The only official feedback sought during this time are the Pulse surveys of June 2022 and February 2023 (comparative) which show increasing satisfaction on  every single point measured, from flexible working overall to physical working arrangements in the office to impact on work-life balance and impact on trust within the organisation. Are you surprised? We were surprised. Continue reading Evaluations of working time and hybrid working so far →

Lunchtime conference: the Picard case

CA screening, Contract Agents, Events, Newsletter - 2023-04-20, Pensions Print This Post

*Update 23.06.2023: HR MyIntracomm article.* Do you want to know more about the recent Picard judgement C-366/21 P concerning Contract Agent (CA) pension rights? This case has repercussions on pension accrual and also on retirement age. We presented the different aspects of the judgement in this during our lunch-time conference. You can find the recorded video and the PowerPoint presentation  here.

Continue reading Lunchtime conference: the Picard case →

Ongoing difficulties for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye

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*Update 29.09.2022 Local Agents in Türkiye are now being paid in euro, thank you all for your support!* Original article: Generation 2004 finds the situation for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye frustrating. We urge the administration to do the right thing: uphold the rule of law and principle of equal treatment.  Abide by the outcome of the court case and comply with the instructions of the court.  The pretext/excuse of a “lack of administrative” budget does not hold water. Losing a court case is not a daily operational business and therefore no institution should expect to be able to meet the financial liabilities under that business-as-usual budget item. Continue reading Ongoing difficulties for Local agents in Delegation Türkiye →

Flexibility days 2023 now available to request

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Friday 19.05.2023 is still available. For those of you keen to plan the year ahead and organising things to look forward to, note that the 2023 flexibility days are now listed on MyIntracomm and available to request in sysper. These are the three public holidays every year where you can choose to work and have the days back as annual leave [1]. Perhaps this is not an option for you at the moment, but it’s good to know that this possibility exists. Continue reading Flexibility days 2023 now available to request →

Lifetime limit on medical part-time? Yes, sometimes

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*Update 20.02.2024 have any of you accessed the available help for returning to work after long-term sick leave? Tell us about it!* Original article: You’ve been on sick leave and you’re not quite fit enough yet to return to work 100%, but yes, you could do at least 50% and you’re keen to get back to some semblance of normality. Note, if you’re unable to work a minimum of 50% or you’re not able to be back to your normal 100% within a maximum of 6 months, then it’s too early to start, wait a little and look at the caveat below before making a decision! Continue reading Lifetime limit on medical part-time? Yes, sometimes →