Update 25.01.2022: internal competition COM/AD/02/21 (AD5) – what’s next?

Internal Competitions, Newsletter - 2022-01-13, Petition, Professional mobility, Staff Categories, Temporary Agents

*25.01.2021Rejection letters are out, please let us know whether you took action and we can coordinate on the  next steps*

Thanks to all of you who answered our December call to action in response to yet another very discriminatory internal competition (COM/AD/02/21 (AD5)) which excludes over 16 000 potentially eligible candidates. Yes, we also noticed that the ‘talent screener’ was simply a request for permission and your staff number. We have a Microsoft Teams group on this topic, come and join the discussion! Continue reading Update 25.01.2022: internal competition COM/AD/02/21 (AD5) – what’s next? →

It’s only for 2 days a week! hot-desking and buildings

COVID-19, Events, Health, Newsletter - 2022-01-21, Open Plan Office, return to the office-new normal, Social Dialogue

How much does the move to hot-desking (‘dynamic’) and open-plan Offices matter with the move to hybrid working? It will only be 40% presence in any given week, you can tolerate 2 days, right? And we’re not going back to the office just yet, so it’s not a worry for the moment! Regardless, the move to hot-desking and open-plan offices for thousands of staff continues apace during a pandemic that is showing no sign of slowing. Have you considered what that entails? Continue reading It’s only for 2 days a week! hot-desking and buildings →

The hidden costs of teleworking – and now energy prices!

additional teleworking costs, Events, Newsletter - 2022-01-21

*Update 09.10.2023 please participate in the Commission survey on the environmental impact of teleworking: deadline 11.10.2023. These emmissions must also be counted in greening the Commission!**Update November 2022, we have republished this survey in order to make a comparison, please participate!* *Update March 2022: 1193 colleagues responded to our additional teleworking costs survey: only 2.85% saw no utility-bill increase. With 27% of respondents seeing their monthly bills increase by a total of 51-100 EUR.* Continue reading The hidden costs of teleworking – and now energy prices! →

Generation 2004 is hiring a 50%-of-full-time Secretary at the European Commission in Brussels

Contract Agents, Vacancy

For our daily work ‘For the many, not the few’ Generation 2004 employs a team of committed and hardworking colleagues.

If you are a Contract Agent FG II (in the Commission, trade unions and staff associations are limited to employing CAs FG II for this type of post) you can join that team, as Generation 2004 is hiring for its headquarters in Brussels a 50%-of-full time secretary. If you are not eligible but you know someone that is and that you believe could be interested in the job, please feel free to forward the message on. There is a high probability that the position can be transferred later to a 100% post. Continue reading Generation 2004 is hiring a 50%-of-full-time Secretary at the European Commission in Brussels →

How to increase your chances to get a promotion/reclassification in 2022?

Events, Newsletter - 2022-01-13, Promotions, reclassification

Here is the presentation(note that the timetable for reclassification is slightly  different) and here is the recording. To access you must be connected to ECAS, and some browsers work better than others. If you have any difficulties,  contact us and we’ll send the presentation to you.)

If you expect to be promoted/reclassified in 2022 or even just want to understand what happens behind the scenes between the self-assessment and the publication of the draft lists in June, this is the event for you: we will shed some light on the mystery! This builds on our recent presentation on the self-assessment where we offered one-to-one assistance. Continue reading How to increase your chances to get a promotion/reclassification in 2022? →

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

COVID-19, disability and special needs, Health, Leave, Newsletter - 2022-01-13

*In 2023 it should no longer be necessary to request the transfer of days where it is a right thanks to our initiative [1].*

For those of you with surplus days of annual leave: check out the viable reasons for requesting that the days (in addition to the standard 12 days) be added to your 2022 quota: either for requirements of the service or for health reasons. Even if you do not fall into one of the categories listed, please discuss with your line manager rather than just assume the days are lost. Continue reading More than 12 days of annual leave remaining from last year? →

Zero net salary increase after advance in step!

Newsletter - 2022-01-13, Petition, Promotions, reclassification, Secretaries and clerks, Staff Categories, Working conditions, yearly salary update

When is an upgrade not an upgrade? So, you didn’t get promoted or reclassified last year, but you’re due an upgrade in step and are looking forward to the (however small)  associated salary increase. The only circumstances where there is no increase in pay is in the last step in the grade: the salary there is always the same as step 1 of the next grade. So you reckon you’ll get something, right? Well… at the end of the day it might actually be nothing: zero. Continue reading Zero net salary increase after advance in step! →

2022 appraisal and promotion/reclassification exercises conference

Events, Newsletter - 2021-12-16, Promotions, reclassification, workplace bullying and harassment

*Check out our 20.01.2022 update on this very topic*

2022 is here and with it comes the annual appraisal exercise [1] (Commission staff: 5 January for the launch of appraisal self-assessments and 12 January for reclassification self-assessments). It is crucial to understand how this works because it will play a huge part in how your career will progress.

Generation 2004 organises a conference to explain and offer tips. We cover how to prepare your self-assessment and your one-on-one interview with your reporting officer [2]. Continue reading 2022 appraisal and promotion/reclassification exercises conference →

Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year!

Newsletter - 2021-12-16

We wish you a very merry Christmas and a healthy and happy New Year! It’s been a very particular year (again!), with the pandemic difficulties adding to those we’re more used to. Nevertheless we’d like you to know that we continue to raise your issues and fight on your side, even in the unprecedented perfect storm of circumstances we have been living for a while now: the ongoing (never-ending?) ‘new normal’ of a global pandemic, national lockdowns, sudden border closures, homeschooling-teleworking burnout, hybrid working, phases, bubbles and the ongoing insistence on moving still to dynamic open spaces, we are always here for you! Continue reading Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year! →

Things to check before holidays start (Tips)

COVID-19, Health, IT kit for telework, Leave, Newsletter - 2021-12-16, PMO, Teleworking, Working conditions

Well done on getting though another year of a global pandemic! While that brings its own challenges, there are perhaps some additional things worth checking before your well-deserved Christmas and New Year holiday leave.

Collective action on the very discriminatory internal competition for temporary agents (TAs) only: to join our collective action please apply for this internal competition by 21 December 2021. Continue reading Things to check before holidays start (Tips) →