Welcome to the last Generation 2004 Newsletter of 2020. And to the end of week 40 of telework for most of us.
Since our last instalment the details of the partial reimbursement of an office chair and screen have become clearer, but there appears to be a second scheme planned [1], how does this fit with what’s already being done: is it backwards compatible?
The Junior Professionals Programme has been extended to include Contract Agents (CAs), but our look at the eligibility criteria [2] suggests that it’s less inclusive than it seems.
No general return [3] to the office is planned for the foreseeable future, but when it does happen (and it will!) we need to be sure that we don’t return to office space which has been reconfigured in our absence [4] and without our input.
We also provide information on the (even further!) extended deadline for local agents [5] (LAs) to agree new working conditions and point out a couple of pitfalls.
We take a look at the responses you provided to our survey on teleworking from abroad [6] and list some tasks [7] it’s worthwhile getting done this side of the Christmas and New Year [8] break.
So, that’s it for 2020, which, despite not knowing what 2021 will provide, we are only too eager to see it behind us! Take care and enjoy reading!
toolTips('.classtoolTips23','Contract Agents (CAs) were created by the 2004 staff regulations Reform. There are two types of CA: those with unlimited contracts, 3A [9] (‘indefinite’) and those with time-limited contracts [10], 3B [11]. CAs can belong to 4 different function groups (\'GF\') with different responsibilities and salaries [12].
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 [13]: 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 [14] (here is the cover e-mail [15]).
As a background you can see the report of the Commission to the Council regarding the recruitment of the contract agents in 2010 [16] (in French, COM(2011)802 final 23.11.2011).
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