Working conditions

“Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby” yet again

'voluntold', Newsletter - 2020-05-14, Standby duty, Working conditions

*Update 16.01.2025 unfortunately, we’re unable to find anything written, so this is an unwritten rule, stated in a committee meeting in late 2024. Those of you well enough to work but not well enough to do ‘voluntary’ standby duty (DGT, for example) can be (temporarily) excused from standby: get in touch with the Medical Service. Again, the mental gymnastics needed to continue to insist that this unpaid standby duty is ‘voluntary’. This is especially frustrating when we see that this time doesn’t even count towards the time already ‘gifted‘ to the Commission (which we believe to be the tip of the iceberg.

Continue reading “Generation 2004 stands by staff on standby” yet again →

Generation 2004 requests suspension of staff rotation in Representations during COVID-19 crisis

COVID-19, Newsletter - 2020-05-05, Representations

Some Commission staff in European Commission (EC) Representations to EU Member States are subject to rotation. Under normal circumstances the exercise is already complex to manage. If you have any doubts about that, then think about the last time you moved house and then add to it: Continue reading Generation 2004 requests suspension of staff rotation in Representations during COVID-19 crisis →

A little reminder why Generation 2004 MUST exist

Newsletter - 2020-04-16, Pensions, Staff Regulations Reform

The 2004 and 2014 staff regulations reforms introduced discrimination towards colleagues hired in the post 2004 generation, most of them from the – at the time – ten new Member States, which later got to 12 and eventually 13. These reforms introduced many changes affecting a wide range of working conditions for these newer colleagues while not touching most of the benefits of the already existing civil servants. Noteworthy are:
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Updated conversion coefficients for transfer of pension rights

Newsletter - 2020-04-16, Pensions

When you start in the European Institutions, you might already have worked somewhere else and gained pension rights that you can transfer into our pension scheme of European officials (PSEO), a so-called transfer-in. The same is possible or even compulsory when you leave the Institutions, a so-called transfer-out. For a transfer-in, your previous pension scheme transfers a certain amount of money to the PSEO: in return, you get credited with some more time that is used for the calculation of your future pension paid by the PSEO. For a transfer-out, the PSEO calculates what your accumulated ‘years’ are worth and transfers this sum to your next pension scheme.
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Current exceptional guidelines on teleworking

COVID-19, Newsletter - 2020-04-16, Teleworking, Working conditions

Teleworking Guidelines 4.2.2021 are now available.

The Commission has sent the vast majority of colleagues home to telework, following the Guidelines on teleworking in Commission departments during the Covid-19 pandemic and their subsequent update. In this article, we explain these guidelines – however, please do invest the time to read the guidelines yourself! It is not necessary to read the first version as the update replaces it completely as of 1 April 2020. The explanations below uses the updated guidelines as their base. Continue reading Current exceptional guidelines on teleworking →

How to cope with work, handle challenges at home while maintaining good health?

COVID-19, Health, Newsletter #40 - Apr 2020, return to the office-new normal, Teleworking, Working conditions

Due to the coronavirus, we were forced to adjust our lives and the way of living. Some of you might find it challenging as you work from home for the first time. Many colleagues usually opt out of teleworking, as they would not feel the pressure to complete their tasks or perhaps they need the social aspect.  We found some interesting tips for you.  Continue reading How to cope with work, handle challenges at home while maintaining good health? →

Current exceptional guidelines on telework

COVID-19, Teleworking

The Commission has sent the vast amount of colleagues into telework, following the ‘guidelines on teleworking in commission departments during the Covid-19 pandemic’. In this article, we explain these guidelines – however, please do invest the time to read the guidelines yourself! We also publish here the Q&A session of the social dialogue meeting where this document was discussed with unions and staff associations. Continue reading Current exceptional guidelines on telework →

2020 Annual Leave in Delegations

Leave, Newsletter #38 - Dec 2019, Outside the Union, Working conditions

On 4 December 2018 a sweeping ruling of the  European Court of Justice deemed Article 6 of Annex X of the staff regulations illegal. The said article, changed at the occasion of the 2014 Staff Regulations reform, reduced the annual leave of colleagues in Delegations to bring it in line with everyone else. The ruling was made on grounds of the health and safety of staff who, most times isolated in remote corners of the world, needs extra time to travel back home and rest with their family and friends. Continue reading 2020 Annual Leave in Delegations →

2019 pay rise: 2.0% + 0.3%

Newsletter #38 - Dec 2019, yearly salary update

As mostly every year (yes, we still remember the great salary freeze brought upon us by the 2014 staff regulations reform and a bunch of irresponsible bankers) December is a good pay month. In this month, we all get the adjustment of the nominal net remuneration of European officials in Brussels and Luxembourg, calculated according to the method to maintain a parallel development of purchasing power with the national civil servants in the Member States. Continue reading 2019 pay rise: 2.0% + 0.3% →