z Newsletter article

Electoral reform proposals: transparency in the ballot lists

Brussels, Electoral reform, Local Staff Committee, Newsletter - 2021-09-08 Print This Post

At Generation 2004 we make no secret of the fact that we would like to see electoral reform. A standardisation of the electoral rules would make the staff representation not just simpler and significantly more user friendly for all, but also much more transparent.

That transparency would, ideally, also be extended to groupings of trade unions and staff associations (OSPs). It is imperative that staff know for whom they are voting: the voting system is already opaque and any agreements in place between OSPs should be made clear in order to allow staff to make informed decisions when voting. [1] Continue reading Electoral reform proposals: transparency in the ballot lists →

Empty promises? Medical staff already forgotten?

Assistants, COVID-19, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, Promotions, Working conditions Print This Post

As Generation 2004 we would like to express our enormous gratitude to the medical staff as whole: you have worked extremely hard, under huge pressure, put in long working hours and showed great dedication throughout this pandemic. We make a special mention also of those in Brussels charged with the additional responsibility of vaccinating [1] Brussels-based and visiting staff Continue reading Empty promises? Medical staff already forgotten? →

Unfair distribution of promotion quotas

Administrators, Assistants, Local Agents, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, Promotions, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories Print This Post

If promotion quotas were distributed equally and without discrimination by DG HR, then each function group (FG) – administrator (AD), assistant (AST), and secretaries and clerks (AST/SC) – would have the same or a very similar ratio of promotion quotas to eligible staff (those with a minimum of 2 years in the grade) [1].

Since this information is not publicly available, we had to politely and firmly insist that DG HR release the relevant statistics by making an access to documents request. Continue reading Unfair distribution of promotion quotas →

Your medical file and your rights

Data Protection, Health, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, workplace bullying and harassment Print This Post

Several of you got in touch with Generation 2004, concerned about difficulties in accessing your own medical files.  You have the right to verify, modify or delete your  administrative data, all you have to do is ‘apply to the Head of the Medical Service … The results of medical examinations and the diagnosis cannot be altered, but you may add your own comments.’ (Point 5, Information note on data protection, 2017). Continue reading Your medical file and your rights →

Medical reservation = discrimination against persons with disabilities (long read)

disability and special needs, Health, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, Staff Regulations Reform Print This Post

*Update 23.10.2024 please check the disability section in our list of resources, if there’s anything you’d like to add there, get in touch.**Update 29.11.2023, we sent a note to Ms Ingestad on this topic but forgot to upload it here. Here it is now.*

Original article: The medical reservation rules and their implementation:  how well do they fit with the prohibition of discrimination against persons with disabilities and the current HR drive for diversity and inclusion [1]?

The pre-recruitment medical: excluding those with disabilities?

Continue reading Medical reservation = discrimination against persons with disabilities (long read) →

Sickness during annual leave: act fast and recover the days!

Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, Working conditions Print This Post

*Update 03.01.2023 additional information added (footnote 4) on sick leave away from the place of employment.**Update 18.12.2022: Having struggled to find the correct email addresses to send a sickness certificate or declare an accident, we have found using PMO Mobile 2.0 on a smart phone to be a bit more user friendly.* If you are sick during your annual leave it is possible to have those days credited to your sysper quota but the rules are different from those for being at work and the deadlines are tighter [1]

You require a certificate from the first day and must inform the medical service and send the certificate within 48 hours.

Continue reading Sickness during annual leave: act fast and recover the days! →

Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you?

Childcare, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, PMO Print This Post

*Update 31.03.2023 Revised Conclusion No 283/20 – Determination and payment of financial entitlements under the staff regulations in the event of dissolution of a marriage or partnership, or termination of a de facto relationship: This Conclusion cancels and replaces Conclusions 3/77, 38/79, 111/85, 131/86, 220/04, 222/04 and 283/20.* The recently adopted Conclusion No 283/20 Determination and payment of financial entitlements under the Staff Regulations in the event of dissolution of a marriage or partnership, or termination of a de facto relationship [1] sets out the updated information. Check whether this affects you. Continue reading Changes to financial rights after a breakup, does this affect you? →

Brexit and the annual travel allowance: explanation

Brexit, Newsletter - 2021-09-08, place of origin, PMO Print This Post

*Update 14.05.2024: situations 1 and 2 below have changed. Check the HR statement. This will apply going forward with no backpay/claw back for anyone other than the colleagues who went to court.* Check our place of origin articles.*

Original article: Many colleagues (of all nationalities) who normally receive the June annual travel allowance either did not receive it this year or received a modified sum: the determining factor was place of origin. Continue reading Brexit and the annual travel allowance: explanation →

Annual medical check-up: back to (socially distanced) normal

COVID-19, Health, Newsletter - 2021-09-20, PMO Print This Post

*update 12.10.2021: Still no annual medical service visits in Brussels, in spite of the information available on the staff matters website. We understand the process is currently still to go via your own doctor.*

*update 27.09.2021 the JSIS welcome Offices have reopened.*

*update 20.09.2021 Brussels: we have contacted the medical service about the e-agenda being deactivated, we will update this when we have more information, thanks to all of you who got in touch!* Continue reading Annual medical check-up: back to (socially distanced) normal →

Newsletter editorial – 1-7-2021

Editorial, Newsletter - 2020-07-01 Print This Post

Welcome to this latest edition of the Generation 2004 Newsletter.  In the last two weeks we’ve been looking at the HR decision on the ‘new normal’ (the introduction of a ‘disconnection bandwidth’ but the abolition of core time), at the IT kit available for teleworking (what kit/sites are still missing?) and at the pilot delegation teleworking project. We update you on our November contract agent petition (it’s now with the European Parliament), on our May DG GROW survey on the reorganisation and we consider the usefulness of a lingua franca at SCIC. We remind you of the offer of CBT training (deadline tomorrow 12.00) and lunchtime coachinge (9 July).  We ask you to sign our petition against the limitations of the AST/SC function group while we evaluate the stated aims of the creation of this function group against what actually happened.

That’s all for now, we hope you will enjoy the reading and, as usual, we invite you to let us know what you think or to get in touch if we can help you in any way or there’s something you’d like to see us address.