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Newsletter editorial – 22-02-2023

Editorial, Newsletter - 2023-02-22 Print This Post

Welcome to the third Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. We take a good look at EPSO. We share your adventures with the EPSO online CBT tests,  invite you to contact us quickly if you want to join your individual case to the joint action of the Common Front complaint and then put the EPSO transformation in a wider context, noting that they have chosen not to take the Junior Professionals Programme (JPP) as their model.  We provide an estimated timeline for the ongoing internal competitions. In other topics, we present how an accusation of misconduct (whether founded or unfounded) can impact your career. We also encourage you to query mismatched JSIS reimbursements, please don’t miss out on what you’re entitled to!

We continue to ask for your assistance in our ongoing follow-up survey on utilities costs.

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!

Social Dialogue, or the big hypocrisy: do as I say, not as I do!

COVID-19, EPSO, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, Social Dialogue Print This Post

The Commission recently presented an initiative to strengthen social dialogue with actions at both national and EU level. Generation 2004 agrees that this is necessary (long overdue) and we agree also with the inspiring statements reproduced below. Unfortunately, we observe that, in spite of all these nice words and good intentions, the corresponding follow-up action appears to simply vanish when it comes to social dialogue within the Commission itself: the dialogue with the staff committee (CSC/LSCs): the statutory body elected by staff and the trade unions and staff associations (OSPs).  Continue reading social dialogue, or the big hypocrisy: do as I say, not as I do! →

Guilty until proven innocent… and punished forever no matter the outcome!

Features, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, Professional mobility, Promotions, reclassification Print This Post

*Update 27.08.2024: Check out the the 2023 IDOC report.*

Original article: The Investigation and Disciplinary Office of the Commission (IDOC) is the European Commission service responsible for “ensuring compliance by (former) officials and other agents with their obligations as laid down in the staff regulations by conducting administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings in a fair, transparent and timely manner.”

IDOC procedures can be quite lengthy and often last several years. This is especially so in the situation where you are prosecuted in a civil court for a situation unrelated to your work but where, in parallel and linked to that civil case, you may be placed under an IDOC investigation. Until your civil court case is finished, the internal IDOC procedure will be pending (no matter how long that takes). Continue reading Guilty until proven innocent… and punished forever no matter the outcome! →

It happened to me! A ‘sometimes’ serious illness

Complementary coverage, Features, Health, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, PMO, Working conditions Print This Post

In 2017 I was diagnosed with serious illness. This kind of information crushes you as if a heavy stone was put on your back. What helps in this misfortune is the fact that European institutions’ staff shouldn’t have to worry about the financial aspect of the treatment, being insured via the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS), staff are entitled to 100% reimbursed of medical fees where they have a recognised serious illness. Continue reading It happened to me! A ‘sometimes’ serious illness →

2022 internal competitions, where are we?

Contract Agents, EEAS, EPSO, Events, Internal Competitions, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, Professional mobility, Temporary Agents Print This Post

*Update 19.02.2025: ‘By default, all [internal] competitions will be cross-category.’ (Stay tuned: A new approach for internal competitions) This is excellent news and should now put the Commission on an even footing with the Parliament and other EU institutions. We hope that this inclusion is genuine and that the competitions are not  otherwise skewed to reduce participation.* Continue reading 2022 internal competitions, where are we? →

Newsletter editorial – 09-01-2023

Editorial, Newsletter - 2023-01-27 Print This Post

Welcome to the second Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2023. In the last 2 weeks we have assisted 274 colleagues with their evaluation text and we’re still here if you need us! That first promotion/reclassification  event was attended by 967 colleagues (a new record!) and we now follow-up with a lunchtime event on how to increase your chances of getting a promotion/reclassification (Monday 30 January). Here, the focus is on explaining the next steps in the process and we thank all of the colleagues who provided information to enable us to fill the gaps in our table.

Please don’t miss out on your rights! You have until Tuesday 31 January to request the transfer of more than 12 days of annual leave. We are deeply disappointed to see that the sysper automation  has not (yet) happened. Please also note that the annual medical check-up remains working time, in spite of the recent changes.

We continue to ask for your assistance in our ongoing follow-up survey on utilities costs.

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, stay healthy and enjoy reading!

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’ →