United Nations Common System Report of the International Civil Service Commission

A/RES/42/221No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 123United Nations common system, published in 1988.

What other versions does this mandate have?

20 versions · 1984–2002

This is an older version — the most recent is A/RES/56/244

2002A/RES/56/244United Nations common system :#report of the International Civil Service CommissionLatestCompare with previous version
2001A/RES/55/223United Nations common system :#report of the International Civil Service CommissionCompare with previous version
2000A/RES/54/238United Nations common system :#report of the International Civil Service CommissionCompare with previous version
1999A/RES/53/209United Nations common system report of the International Civil Service Commission :Compare with previous version
1998A/RES/52/216United Nations common system: report of the International Civil Service CommissionCompare with previous version

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What does this mandate say?

22 operative paragraphs

Decides to maintain the methodology described in annex I to the report of the International Civil Service Commission submitted to the General Assembly at its fortieth session65 for the calculation of the margin between the net remuneration of staff in the Professional and higher categories of the United Nations and that of the comparator civil service, which should continue to be applied for the time being;

Requests the Commission to continue its examination of the methodology for calculating the net remuneration margin and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session;

Further requests the Commission to continue reporting annually to the General Assembly on the net remuneration margin calculated in accordance with the methodology referred to in paragraph l above and to ensure that the margin is maintained at a leve! around the desirable mid-point of 115 over a period of time;

Takes note of the discussion referred to in paragraphs 97 to 104 ofthe report ofthe Commission63 and requests the Commission to develop a methodology regarding total entitlements and to present its recommendations thereon to the General Assembly at its forty-fourth session;

Noting the projected deficit m the Tax Equalization Fund by the end of 1987,

Approves, with effect from 1 April 1988, the revised rates of statf assessment for staff in the Professional and higher categories to be used in conjunction with gross base salaries and gross amounts of separation payments; also approves the maintenance ofthe current rates ofstatfassessment for staff members with a dependent spouse or dependent child for purposes ofpensionable remuneration and pensions; and consequently approves, with effect from l April 1988, the amendments to the Statf Regulations of the United Nations, as set forth in the annex to the present resolution, to replace, for staff in the Professional and higher categories, the present scale of staff assessment and the scale of net and gross salaries;

III

Noting that the post adjustment system is based on the concept of parity of purchasing power,

Mindful of the effects of currency fluctuations on the leve! of take-home pay of staff in the Professional and higher categories at different duty stations,

Noting the decision of the International Civil Service Commission in paragraph 174 of its report63 to establish a working group to study the problems connected with the separation of the effects of inflation and currency fluctuations in the post adjustment system,

Noting further the recommendation of the Commission in paragraph 178 of its report63 that for the time being post adjustment should be maintained at the base of the system,

Stressing the need to improve the response by the organizations ofthe United Nations common system to requests from Member States for assistance, through the continued

61 /bid .. Fortiech Session, Supplemenl No. 30 (A/40/30 and Corr. l)

provision of staff of the highest efficiency, competence and integrity, particularly in the field,

Taking note of the statistics on the mobility of staff of different organizations provided in chapter VII.O of the report,63 l.

Decides that a comprehensive review of the conditions of service of staff in the Professional and higher categories should be undertaken in order to provide a sound and stable methodological basis for their remuneration, having due regard to:

The need for securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity in recruiting staff with due regard being paid to equitable geographical distribution;

The need for greater transparency and simplicity in the concepts and administration of the remuneration system;

The need for sufficient flexibility to respond to varying requirements resulting from different types of appointments and changing circumstances;

The relativity of benefits among duty stations as a factor in staff mobility;

The need for long-term improvement in the operation of the post adjustment system, including the separation of the effects of inflation and currency fluctuations and a simpler and more accurate reflection of differences in cost of living between the base of the system- New York-and field duty stations;

Requests the International Civil Service Commission to submit to the General Assembly at its forty-third session a preliminary report on the comprehensive review described in paragraph 1 above, containing an analysis of the subject together with an outline of one or more possible alternatives, and to complete its review for presentation to the Assembly at its forty-fourth session;

Approves, as an interim measure for 1988 and 1989, the modifications to the post adjustment system recommended in paragraph 197 of the report of the Commission63 for application at selected duty stations outside Europe and North America, while recognizing that this measure would not constitute an acquired right;

Takes note ofthe action taken by the Commission to introduce into the assignment allowance a financia! incentive for mobility, for phased implementation with effect from 1 January 1988;

IV l.

Approves the modification recommended by the International Civil Service Commission in paragraph 153 of its report63 of existing education grant provisions for staff serving at locations where educational facilities are not available or are deemed inadequate, to enable them to claim reimbursement of 100 per cent of boarding costs up to $1,500 per year asan amount additional to the current maximum grant of$4,500 per year, and requests the Commission to report to the General Assembly annually, starting in 1988, on the number of such cases in the common system and on the related costs;

Requests the Commission to indicate in its next report the type of guidelines used for assessing the adequacy of educational facilities at field duty stations for the application of the above measure;

V Takes note of the decision of the International Civil Service Commission contained in paragraph 296 of its report63 to reaffirm the validity of its previous recommendations on special measures for the recruitment of women and to keep the ítem on its work programme and, in the light ofsection IV ofits resolution 41/207 of 11 December 1986, requests the Commission to report to the General Assembly at its forty-third session on:

Measures taken by the organizations ofthe United Nations common system, since the end of the United Nations Decade for Women: Equality, Development and Peace, to improve the status of women in their secretariats;

Results achieved during the same period at each leve) of the Professional category and in the General Service category;

Takes note of the report by the Commission on equitable geographical distribution in different organizations of the United Nations system;66 3.

Takes note a/so of the adoption by the Commission of eleven principies and guidelines for f.erformance appraisal and recognition ofmerit ofstaff,6 which should be taken into account by the organizations of the common system in the furtherance of their policies in these matters, and requests the Commission to report to the General Assembly at its forty-seventh session on the implementation by the organizations of measures taken in response to the Commission's recommendations;

VI

Reaffirming the importance of respect by all organizations of the United Nations common system of common standards and arrangements,

Expresses its concern over actions taken by sorne of the participating organizations which have led to disparities in the United Nations common system;

Requests the Secretary-General, in his capacity as Chairman of the Administrative Committee on Coordination, to draw to the attention of his colleagues the concern ofthe General Assembly at such departures from the common system;

Urges the executive heads of organizations concerned, after consultation with the International Civil Service Commission, to undertake a revision of their rules and regulations so that they may conform with decisions taken by the Commission;

Requests the Commission to continue reporting on the implementation of its decisions and recommendations by participating organizations;

Further requests the Commission to report to the General Assembly at its forty-fifth session on progress made in the promotion and strengthening of the United Nations common system through the development of common staff regulations;

VII

Recalling section II of its resolution 37/126 of 17 December 1982, concerning the practice of supplementary payments or deductions,

66 !bid., forty-second Session, Supplemenr No. 30 (A/42/30 and Corr. l ). chap. VII.A.

67 !bid .. annex XV.

Taking note of the ongoing review of the practice of supquests for information by the International Civil Service plementary payments or deductions being carried out by Commission; the International Civil Service Commission, in cooperation with the executive heads of the organizations of VIII the United Nations common system,

Requests the lnternational Civil Service Commission to

Emphasizing that such a review can only bring about undertake a study of its functioning with a view to enhancreliable results if full-scale information is provided by ali ing its work and to report thereon to the General Assem- Member States and organizations,

bly at its forty-third session. Requests ali Member States and organizations of the

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United Nations Common System Report of the International Civil Service Commission

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