United Nations Common System Report of the International Civil Service Commission

A/RES/53/209No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, under agenda item 120United Nations common system, published in 1999.

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

Versions are identified automatically by matching titles within the same organ (~97% accuracy on a manual audit).

What does this mandate say?

37 operative paragraphs

I

Reconfirms the continued application of the Noblemaire principle;

Reaffirms the need to continue to ensure the competitiveness of the conditions of service of the common system;

Notes the decision of the Commission to suspend total compensation comparisons until 2001, and requests the Commission to undertake the next study in 2001 to identify the highest paid national civil service, using the methodology endorsed by the General Assembly in a manner consistent with the United States/United Nations total compensation comparison;

B. Evolution of the margin

Recalling section I.B of its resolution 52/216 of 22 December 1997 and the standing mandate from the General Assembly, in which the Commission is requested to continue its review of the relationship between the net remuneration of the United Nations staff in the Professional and higher categories in New York and that of the comparator civil service (the United States federal civil service) employees in comparable positions in Washington, D.C. (referred to as “the margin”),

Recalling also section IX, paragraph 3, of its resolution 46/191 A of 20 December 1991, in which it requested the Commission to include in its work a review of the differences between the United Nations and the United States net remuneration at individual grade levels,

Recalling further section II.B, paragraph 3, of its resolution 48/224 of 23 December 1993, wherein it considered that the Commission should address the imbalance in the United Nations/United States remuneration ratios in the context of overall margin considerations,

Notes the intention of the Commission, in the light of its previous recommendations with respect to the above request, to explore possible solutions to the problems of imbalances in the United Nations/United States net remuneration ratios at individual grade levels;

Also notes that the margin between net remuneration of United Nations staff in grades P-1 to D-2 in New York and that of officials in comparable positions in the United States federal civil service for 1998 is 114.8;

C. Base/floor salary scale

Recalling section I.H of its resolution 44/198, by which it established a floor net salary level for staff in the Professional and higher categories by reference to the corresponding base net salary levels of officials in comparable positions serving at the base city of the comparator civil service (the United States federal civil service),

Approves, with effect from 1 March 1999, the revised base scale of gross and net salaries for staff in the Professional and higher categories, contained in annex I to the present resolution, and the consequential amendment to the Staff Regulations of the United Nations, as reflected in annex II to the present resolution;

D. Treatment of expatriation

Recalling section I.B, paragraph 3, of its resolution 50/208 of 23 December 1995 and section I.E, paragraph 4, of its resolution 51/216 of 18 December 1996,

Takes note of the analysis and decisions of the Commission thereon, as contained in paragraphs 104 to 117 of its report;1

Requests the Commission to continue to develop its study in this area and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session;

E. Common scale of staff assessment

Recalling section III, paragraph 1, of its resolution 51/216, by which it approved, with effect from 1 January 1997, a revised staff assessment scale recommended by the Commission for determining the pensionable remuneration of all categories of staff, and recalling that, in paragraph 2 of the same section, it requested the Commission to report on the impact of the differences in national and local tax rates at the seven headquarters duty stations on the gross pension benefits of locally recruited staff in the General Service and related categories at those duty stations in comparison with the compensation for such taxes provided by the common staff assessment rates,

Takes note of the conclusion of the Commission, as set out in paragraph 215 of its report,1 that the current common staff assessment scale should continue to apply and should again be reviewed in 2000;

Takes note also of the conclusions of the Commission based on the comparison of the impact of the common staff assessment rates and local taxes on the levels of pensionable remuneration and consequent pensions of the General Service and related categories of staff, as reported in paragraph 224 of its report;

Endorses the view of the Commission, as set out in paragraph 225 of its report, that the local practice approach to determining pensionable remuneration of the General Service and other locally recruited categories of staff should not be pursued further;

F. Dependency allowances

Recalling section II.F of its resolution 47/216 of 23 December 1992, in which it noted that the Commission would review the level of dependency allowances every two years,

Taking note that the review of dependency allowances by the Commission reflected relevant changes in tax abatement and social legislation at the seven headquarters duty stations since 1996, as contained in paragraph 119 of its report,1

Approves, with effect from 1 January 1999, an increase of 14.6 per cent in the children’s allowance (including the allowance for disabled children) and in the secondary dependant’s allowance;

Takes note of the updated list of hard-currency duty stations for which the allowances are specified in local currency, as contained in annex III to the present resolution;

Notes that dependency allowances payable to eligible common system staff should be reduced by the amount of any direct payments received from a Government in respect of dependants;

Requests the Commission to undertake in 2000 an examination of the methodology, rationale and scope of the allowances;

G. Post adjustment matters

Operation of the post adjustment system

Recalling section I.B of its resolution 50/208 and section I.E of its resolution 51/216,

Takes note of the conclusions of the Commission regarding the operation of the post adjustment system at the base of the system, as contained in paragraph 140 of its report;1

Requests the Commission to continue to explore the feasibility of using outside data sources for the next round of place-to-place surveys;

Post adjustment at Geneva

Recalling section I.B of its resolution 50/208, section I.E of its resolution 51/216 and section I.D of its resolution 52/216 related to the establishment of a single post adjustment index in respect of staff members whose duty station is Geneva,

Requests the Commission, in the context of its preparation of the next round of place-to-place surveys, as referred to in paragraph 141 of its report,1 to conduct a comprehensive review of the post adjustment system as a whole with a view to its reform, with the assistance of independent experts, if necessary, keeping in mind the need for cohesion within the common system, and to ensure that the post adjustment at each duty station, with particular emphasis on headquarters duty stations, is fully representative of the cost of living of all staff members in the Professional and higher categories working at each duty station, and to report thereon to the General Assembly no later than at its fifty-fifth session;

II.CONDITIONS OF SERVICE APPLICABLE TO BOTH CATEGORIES OF STAFF

A. Education grant

Recalling section IV, paragraph 1, of its resolution 47/216 and section IV of its resolution 51/216, by which it endorsed the revised methodology for the determination of the education grant,

Recalling also section III.A, paragraph 1, of its resolution 52/216, by which it endorsed the modifications to the methodology and noted that the revised methodology would be taken into account beginning with the 1998 biennial review of the education grant,

Approves increases in the maximum reimbursement levels in the seven currency areas, as well as other adjustments to the reimbursement of expenses under the education grant, as contained in paragraph 190 of the report of the Commission; 1

Takes note of the decision of the Commission to review the methodology in 2001;

B. Recognition of language knowledge

Recalling section II.E of its resolution 48/224 of 23 December 1993, in which it requested the Commission to review the language incentive scheme of the United Nations and the schemes of the organizations of the common system,

Having considered the proposals of the Commission contained in paragraphs 207 to 209 of its report,1 which would be implemented only after the General Assembly has agreed thereto,

Notes that a number of essential elements still remain to be resolved, including the rationale for recommending a change to the existing scheme, the degree to which such a change will continue to serve as an incentive for multilingualism in the organizations, the basis for determining the incentive amounts for both categories, and transitional measures;

Requests the Commission to submit to the General Assembly at its fifty-fifth session a comprehensive report covering all the elements raised, taking into account the acquired rights of the staff;

C. Hazard pay

Reiterating the expression of its appreciation for the dedication of increasing numbers of staff of the United Nations common system who are required to work under dangerous conditions,

Takes note of the decisions of the Commission contained in paragraph 236 of its report; 1

D. Standards of travel and per diem

Recalling section III.D of its resolution 52/216,

Takes note of the decisions of the Commission regarding standards of travel and per diem, as outlined in paragraph 247 of its report; 1

E. Mission subsistence allowance

Recalling section III.E of its resolution 52/216,

Takes note of the decisions of the Commission regarding various aspects of the system of mission subsistence allowance, as outlined in paragraph 260 of its report; 1

III.THE CONSULTATIVE PROCESS AND WORKING ARRANGEMENTS IN THE COMMISSION

Recalling its resolutions 50/208, 51/216 and 52/216 concerning, inter alia, the consultative process and working arrangements of the Commission,

Recalling also that by its resolution 50/208 the General Assembly reaffirmed the statute of the Commission, in particular article 6 thereof, whereby its members shall perform their functions in full independence and with impartiality,

Emphasizes that the responsibility for the decisions taken by the Commission rests solely with the members of the Commission;

Welcomes the progress made by the Commission in promoting a spirit of constructive cooperation and flexibility towards improving working relations with the staff bodies;

Takes note of the changes approved by the Commission to its rules of procedure and other procedural changes;

Notes that the changes approved by the Commission to its rules of procedure could enable all parties to ensure that their views are reflected during all phases of the consideration of all issues;

Requests the Commission to monitor the progress of the implementation of the revised rules of procedure and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-seventh session;

IV.APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS OF THE COMMISSION AND OTHER MATTERS

Reaffirms the statute of the Commission;

Emphasizes the need to adhere to the provisions of articles 3 and 4 of the statute of the Commission;

Requests the Secretary-General to draw the attention of Member States to the provisions of article 3, paragraph 1, of the statute of the Commission when presenting candidates for appointment to the Commission;

Decides to revert to issues related to the Commission, including its working methods, the respective roles of the Commission and its secretariat, the selection and appointment of members and the role of the Commission in the review process, in the context of the consideration of the recommendations by the Secretary-General for a review of the Commission at the resumed fifty-third session of the General Assembly;

V.FRAMEWORK FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT

Recalling its resolutions 51/216 and 52/216,

Convinced that the Commission must play a lead role in the development of innovative approaches in the field of human resources management as part of the overall reform currently taking place in the organizations of the common system,

Welcomes the initiative of the Commission to examine a framework for human resources management;

Invites the Commission, as part of the planned review, to examine, inter alia, the reform initiatives by all organizations of the common system, as well as reform efforts outside the common system, the facilitation of inter-agency mobility and the introduction of specialist pay;

Urges the Commission to address speedily the request of the General Assembly regarding studies in the area of human resources management and to submit a report thereon to the Assembly at its fifty-fourth session;

VI.REPORT ON GENDER BALANCE IN THE UNITED NATIONS SYSTEM

Recalling section VI of its resolution 47/216 and section III.H of its resolution 52/216, in which it urged the organizations of the common system to introduce a coherent plan for improving the status of women in each organization,

Notes the continuing work of the Commission to assist the organizations in achieving gender balance, and in particular welcomes its initiative in the areas identified under paragraph 290 of its report;1

Endorses the requests of the Commission to the organizations, as outlined in paragraphs 283 and 291 of its report, and urges all organizations to take steps to implement them as soon as possible;

Notes that the Commission will revert to this matter in 2001;

VII.REPORT OF THE BOARD OF AUDITORS

Recalling its request to the Board of Auditors to conduct a management review of all aspects of the work done by the secretariat of the Commission in time for the submission of a report thereon to the General Assembly at its fifty-second session,

Takes note of the report of the Board of Auditors on the management review of the secretariat of the Commission and the response of the Commission contained in paragraph 37 of its report;1

Requests the Board of Auditors to conduct audits of the secretariat of the Commission on a periodic basis, in accordance with financial regulation 12.5 of the Financial Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and the statute of the Commission.

Salary scale for the Professional and higher categories showing annual gross salaries

and net equivalents after application of staff assessment*

(United States dollars)

(Effective 1 March 1999)

D = Rate applicable to staff members with a dependent spouse or child.

S = Rate applicable to staff members with no dependent spouse or child.

*This scale will be implemented in conjunction with a consolidation of 2.48 per cent of post adjustment. There will be consequential adjustments in the post adjustment indices and multipliers at all duty stations, effective 1 March 1999. Thereafter, changes in post adjustment classifications will be effected on the basis of the movements of the consolidated post adjustment indices.

Amendments to the Staff Regulations of the United Nations

Regulation 3.3

Replace the second table in paragraph (b)(i) with the following:

Amounts of children’s and secondary dependant’s allowances for staff in the Professional and higher categories

(effective 1 January 1999)

Paragraph content is machine-extracted from UN documents. For authoritative content, please refer to the official UN document.