Global Briefing on the revised ICSC compensation package

21 June 2016, 9:30 am to 11:00 am (NY time) in the GA Hall

Panel:

Ms Carole Wainaina, Assistant Secretary-General, OHRM, DM

Mr WolfgangStoeckl, Vice Chairman, ICSC

Mr Victor Kisob, Director, Learning, Development and Human Resources Services Division, OHRM, DM

Mr MattSanidas, Chief of Human Resources Policy Officer, OHRM, DM

Ms Geraldine Gourves-Fromigue, Human Resources Policy Officer, OHRM, DM

Mr Francois Dang Tran, Team Lead, Umoja Payroll, DM

Mr Christophe Monier, OPPBA, DM

The new compensation package was adopted by the General Assembly on 23 December 2015 and will be implemented across all organizations of the UN common system. Changes will be applicable to internationally-recruited staff in the Professional and higher category, in the Field Service category and the General Service category. While most changes are being implemented with transitional measures to mitigate any immediate impact on staff, it will be important for staff to understand how the changes will affect them individually in the future.

This is the first comprehensive review of the compensation package after 27 years.

Changes will be on these items:

  • Salary structure and recognition of dependents
  • Step periodicity and accelerated step increments
  • Education grant and Special education grant
  • Mobility and hardship allowances / Non-family service allowance
  • Relocation-related entitlements, including non-removal allowance
  • Accelerated home leave
  • Repatriation grant
  • Transitional measures for a number of elements for currently servingstaff members to limit any negative impact

Implementation time line:

1 July 2016

• Accelerated home leave

• Repatriation grant

• Relocation-related entitlements

• Hardship allowance & non-family service allowance (replacing theadditional hardship allowance)|

1 November 2016

• Mobility incentive (replacing the mobility allowance)

• Discontinuation of the non-removal allowance

1 September 2017

• Salary structure and recognition of dependents

• Step periodicity and accelerated step increments

School year in progress as of 1 January 2018

• Education grant and Special education grant

Details of the changes can be found on ICSC dedicated webpage: (

The impact on the changes can be best “actualized” by trying out the Calculator – ( Two packages are currently available: Remuneration and Education Grant. ISCS will further refine/improve the calculator to accommodate more scenarios and additional parameters.

No changes of these items:

  • Dependent child and Secondary dependent allowance amounts
  • Post adjustment and Rental subsidy scheme
  • Special post allowance
  • Repatriation grant amounts (after 5 years of eligible service)
  • Annual leave, Special leave and 24-month home leave cycle
  • Sick leave, maternity and paternity leave entitlements
  • Official travel on recruitment, assignment, secondment, loan or transferof staff members and eligible family members
  • Daily subsistence allowance
  • Rest and recuperation framework
  • Danger Pay
  • Security Evacuation allowance

Other elements:

Change in mandatory age of separation to 65 to be effective as of1 January 2018. Current staff members who are eligible to retire at60 or 62 will still be able to do so beyond 1 January 2018 (acquiredright)

Lift of the freeze of increases to allowances for GS staff effective 1Jan 2016 and for staff in Professional and higher categorieseffective 1 Jan 2017

New recruitment incentive for recruitment of experts in highlyspecialized fields where the Organization is unable to attractsuitably qualified candidates, up to 25% of annual base salary foreach year of agreed contract

Some of the questions/concerns raised from the room and webcast from several duty stations.

  • Further clarification on the re-mapping of the steps
  • Clarification on the discontinuation of spouse allowance who earns beyond the threshold limit
  • Clarification on the discontinuation of accelerated home leave in C duty station
  • Education grant: 7-bracket sliding scale (should take into account the yearly tuition increase)
  • Concerns of misuse of recruitment incentive of up to 25% of annual base salary for experts in highly specialized fields
  • Staff representation or lack thereof during the review. Staff council/union is offering legal help for those who have concerns for of their acquired rights
  • Will any of the changes affect the pension?

Additional briefing opportunities:
Staff who are unable to attend or have further questions can sign up for additional briefing opportunities on 29 and 30 June (webinars for staff globally) and 22 and 28 June (in-person for NY staff). For more briefings please contact your local HR officer/partner.

The Power Point used during the briefing is available on

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