Guilty until proven innocent… and punished forever no matter the outcome!

Features, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, Professional mobility, Promotions, reclassification

*Update 27.08.2024: Check out the the 2023 IDOC report.*

Original article: The Investigation and Disciplinary Office of the Commission (IDOC) is the European Commission service responsible for “ensuring compliance by (former) officials and other agents with their obligations as laid down in the staff regulations by conducting administrative inquiries and disciplinary proceedings in a fair, transparent and timely manner.”

IDOC procedures can be quite lengthy and often last several years. This is especially so in the situation where you are prosecuted in a civil court for a situation unrelated to your work but where, in parallel and linked to that civil case, you may be placed under an IDOC investigation. Until your civil court case is finished, the internal IDOC procedure will be pending (no matter how long that takes). Continue reading Guilty until proven innocent… and punished forever no matter the outcome! →

It happened to me! A ‘sometimes’ serious illness

Complementary coverage, Features, Health, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, PMO, Working conditions

In 2017 I was diagnosed with serious illness. This kind of information crushes you as if a heavy stone was put on your back. What helps in this misfortune is the fact that European institutions’ staff shouldn’t have to worry about the financial aspect of the treatment, being insured via the Joint Sickness Insurance Scheme (JSIS), staff are entitled to 100% reimbursed of medical fees where they have a recognised serious illness. Continue reading It happened to me! A ‘sometimes’ serious illness →

2022 internal competitions, where are we?

Contract Agents, EEAS, EPSO, Events, Internal Competitions, Newsletter - 2023-02-22, Professional mobility, Temporary Agents

*Update 19.02.2025: ‘By default, all [internal] competitions will be cross-category.’ (Stay tuned: A new approach for internal competitions) This is excellent news and should now put the Commission on an even footing with the Parliament and other EU institutions. We hope that this inclusion is genuine and that the competitions are not  otherwise skewed to reduce participation.* Continue reading 2022 internal competitions, where are we? →

The annual medical check-up: the ‘new normal’

additional teleworking costs, Brussels, Complementary coverage, Cost of living Luxembourg, COVID-19, Health, Ispra-Seville, Luxembourg, New HR strategy, Newsletter - 2023-01-27, Outside the Union, PMO, return to the office-new normal

*Update 03.03.2023 clarification of the changes announced for mid-February:  tests previously covered by «bons roses»[*] are now to be done via the health screening programme in order to be reimbursed at 100% e.g. a gynecological check up.*[**]

Original article: We start with some context: the annual medical check-up, that obligation that is not generally enforced, is done by only around 1/3 of staff [1]. Why might this be? Well, cost is an issue: while the check-up itself and associated laboratory tests are normally reimbursed at 100%, anything stemming from that check-up (‘diagnostic examinations’ or ‘additional treatments’, for example) will be reimbursed in the normal way (85% up to set ceilings which may or may not correspond to reality, we hear you Luxembourg [2]). Continue reading The annual medical check-up: the ‘new normal’ →

How to increase your chances to get a promotion/reclassification in 2023?

Events, Newsletter - 2023-01-27, Promotions, reclassification

Please find here the recording of the 2023 conference, and its slides.

The promotion/reclassification process is not particularly user-friendly. It’s not always clear how DGs choose who to reward, nor why some years appear to be better than others. There are situations suggesting that  some staff are less favoured, while some staff are evaluated as ‘not applicable’, regardless of how well they work. Continue reading How to increase your chances to get a promotion/reclassification in 2023? →

Generation 2004 is hiring!

Assistants, Contract Agents, Newsletter - 2023-01-09, Secretaries and clerks, Temporary Agents, Vacancy

*Deadline for application: Friday 20 January 2023 16.00 CET.*

Generation 2004 is the largest staff organisation in the Commission. We are a dynamic and motivated team of 16 colleagues who are highly committed to supporting staff in all HR-related matters. We are looking for a motivated colleague to join us. This would be a full-time job where you will be seconded from your service to Generation 2004.  Continue reading Generation 2004 is hiring! →

Certification: 5 days to appeal non-inclusion

Assistants, Certification, Newsletter - 2023-01-09

*Update 02.10.2023: the deadline for applications for the 2023/2024 edition is Friday 6 October 2023 at 23:59 (Brussels time).* Original article: Well done and good luck to the 100 colleagues selected for interview: you’ve come this far, keep up the hard work! To everyone else, you have the option of appealing your non-inclusion, essentially asking the Joint Certification Committee to have a second look at your file.  Who can appeal? We count a potential 209 colleagues: the 194 colleagues whose application was considered eligible, but who were not selected for interview and the 15 colleagues whose application was not considered eligible. You can all appeal, but you must act fast. You have only 5 Commission working days starting from 05.01.2023. Please draft your text now! Continue reading Certification: 5 days to appeal non-inclusion →

More than 12 days of annual leave remaining from last year?

disability and special needs, Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2023-01-09, Newsletter - 2023-01-27

*Update 13.12.2023: If you are sick for >20 days in a year then you have the right to transfer all of your annual leave to the following year. There is (currently?) no budget to automate this process. If are not able to do this yourself within sysper in January, it should be done on your behalf (for 2024 onwards) please check your days are credited to you. Also for anyone returning to work after long-term absence, check out the new HR resources. * Continue reading More than 12 days of annual leave remaining from last year? →