Welcome to our seventh newsletter edition. In this edition, we start with breaking news: we are hiring a secretary [1] and you can now combine parental leave with teleworking abroad [2]. We talk about revisiting the GIPS [3] for Contract Agents and highlight the hidden injustice in EU hiring [4]and call for better prices and food quality in Commission canteens [5]. In the realm of family and personal life, we ask the European Commission to stop discriminating against women on egg freezing [6] and raise the topic of marriage versus partnership [7]. Furthermore, we examine Luxembourg-specific updates, including the housing allowance [8], JMO2 [9], and EU education allowance and state aid [10]. Finally, we touch on EEAS-specific topics, such as the modernisation of the Delegation Network [11], the appraisal system reform [12], the teleworking rights for local agents [13], as well as what Permanent Representation [14] (should not) know about you. And last but not least, some summer holiday useful tips. [15]
That’s all for now!
Enjoy the reading and get in touch [16] if you believe we can help!
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Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [17] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [18], 3B [19]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [20].
As the use of contract staff becomes increasingly common, there has been a corresponding increase in the diversity of status and pay of the Commission’s workforce. For example, GFIV contract staff meeting the same minimum recruitment requirements (education and experience) as junior administrators may earn 28 % less. (European Court of Auditors, 2019, Special report no 15/2019 [21]: Implementation of the 2014 staff reform package at the Commission – Big savings but not without consequences for staff, point 61, page 34)
We have a working group dedicated to the dossier, and in December 2012 we addressed the first of many letters (\'notes\') about Contract Agents to Human Resources of all Institutions and agencies [22] (here is the cover e-mail [23]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [24] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
Our articles on Contract Agents [25]
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