Welcome to the Generation 2004 Newsletter of 27 September 2022. In this edition we start with looking for results from the 12 actions announced 6 months ago to make it easier to fill vacancies in Luxembourg.  We have a series of lunchtime events planned, starting today, with a contract-agent-focussed look at the future, this links with an update on internal competitions and our ongoing contract agent petition: please register and sign!  The next Generation 2004 event takes place on Tuesday 4 October and looks at all things AST, particularly the approaching deadline for application for the 2022/23 certification exercise.  Unfortunately, our petition on AST/SC issues has come to a halt, with the conclusion that the Commission ‘does not consider that the AST/SC staff members are treated unfairly’. We are checking out what further options we have there. And finally, we present a medical ‘control’ during sick leave FAQ: what it is, how to respond and how to challenge outcomes if you don’t agree.

That’s it now for now! Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!

Welcome to the Generation 2004 Newsletter of 15 September 2022.  We’ve been looking at the working time and hybrid working decision, collecting examples of how the new rules are being implemented in different DGs and looking forward to contributing to general Commission-wide guidelines via the new WTHW joint committee. Tied in with the WTHW decision and the ‘new normal’, is an evaluation of whether working from home is truly voluntary (especially when several Commission buildings were closed during the summer, ostensibly to save energy, will they be closed again in winter?).

One of the many issues we have with working from home is the additional cost, particularly for utilities. This is significant in the context of the Council request to further reduce spending on staff. Costs disproportionately affect our colleagues who earn less and for those whose earnings buy less. Luxembourg-based colleagues, check whether you qualify for the new state aid on accommodation costs (the Commission itself is fully committed to doing nothing).

In other news, we present the first in our new series of ‘it happened to me’ with the case of Schrödinger’s reimbursement, and we continue on the topic of health with a long read on the culture of burnout and a look at how the annual medical check-up is to be done for the foreseeable future in Brussels.  There have been big changes in Luxembourg with the change in the electoral rules for November 2022. In terms of events, we have a series of lunchtime events planned with a contract-agent-focussed look at the future. Last, but not least, we are recruiting a Brussels-based IT specialist, feel free to let your IT-savvy colleagues know!

That’s it now for now! Enjoy the reading and get in touch if you believe we can help!