Staff Regulations of the United Nations

A/RES/590(VI)No PDF available

Who created this mandate?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, published in 1952.

What subjects does this mandate have?

7 topics

Children's Allowance Education Grant International Civil Service Repatriation Grant Rules and Regulations Salaries and Allowances Termination of Employment

What does this mandate say?

5 operative paragraphs

This. Supplementary Agreement shall enter into fotcc as of 1 January 1952.

587 (VI). United Nations Joint Staff Penaion Fund: annual report of the Uaited Nations Joint Staff Pemion Board

The General Assembly Takes note of the annual report18 of the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Board for the year ended 31 December 1950 and of the supplementary report17 as of 31 May 1951.

12 January 1952.

588 (VI). United Nations telecommunication• system

The Gener-al Assembly Takes note of the report18 of the Secretary-General on the United Nations telecommunications system.

360th plena,-y meeting,

12 January 1952.

589 (VI). Headquarters of the United Nations

Takes note of the report19 of the Secretary-Gen~ eral-on the Headquarters of the United Nations ;

Decides that the Headquarters Advisory Committee, established by General Assembly resolution 182

of 20 November 1947, shall be continued with the existing membership;

Requests the Secretary-General to report to the General Assembly at its seventh session on the progress of construction of the Headquarters.

2 Feb,-ua,-y 1952.

11 See Official Rec01'ds of the General Assembly, Sixth Session, Supplement No. 8.

u Ibtd.

18 See document A/1919.

18 See Official Records of the General Assembly, Sixth Session, Annexes, agenda item 46, document A/1895.

598 (VI). Staff Regul■tiom of the United Nations

The Gene,-al Assembly Adopts as the Staff Regulations of the United Nations the regulations annexed to the present resolution. These regulations, which shall supersede all previous staff regulations, shall become effective on 1 March 1952.

2 Febrnary 1952.

StaO Regulation• oJ the United Nationa

Scope and Purpose The Staff Regulations embody the fundamental conditions of ""ice and the basic rights, duties and obligations of the United Nations Secretariat. They represent the broad principles of penonnel policy for the staffing and administration of the Seerete,riat. The Secretary-Ge~ral, as the Chief Administrative Officer, shall provide and enforce such Staff Rules consistent with these principles as he considers necessary.

Duties, obligations and privileges 1.1. Members of the Secretariat are international civil servants. Their responsibilities are not 'national but exclusively international. By accepting appointment, they pledge themselves to discharge their functions and to regulate their conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view.

1.2. Staff members are subject to the authority of the Secretary-General and to assignment by him to any of the aetivities or offices of the United Nations. They are responsible to him in the exercise of their functions. The whole time of staff members shall be at the disposal of the Secrctary- General. The Secretary-General shall establish a normal workin1 week.

1.3. In the performance of their duties members of the Secretariat shall neither seek nor accept instructions from ~ government or from any other authority external to the Organization.

).4. Members of the Secretariat shall conduct themselves al ~I times in a manner befitting their status as international civil servants. They shall not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the proper discharge of their duties with the United Nations. They shall avoid any action and in particular any kind of public pronouncement which may adversely reflect on their status. While they arc not expected to give up their national sentiments or their political and religious convictions, they shall at all times bear in mind the reserve and tact incumbent upon them by reason of their international status.

1.5. Staff members shall exercise the utmost discretion in re,ard to all matters of official business. They shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their official position which has not been made public, except in the course of their duties or by authorization of the Secretary-General. Nor shall they at any time use such information to private advantage. These obligations do not cease upon separation from the Secretariat.

1.6. No member of the Secretariat shall accept any honour, decoration, favour, gift or fee from any government or from any other source external to the Organization during the period of his appointment, except for war service.

1.7. Any member of the Secretariat who becomes a candidate for a public office of a political character shall resign from the Secretariat.

1.8. The immunities and privileges attached to the United Nations by virtue of Article 105 of the Charter are conferred in the interests of the Organization. These privileges and immunities furnish no excuse to the staff members who enjoy them for non-performance of their private obligations or failure to observe laws and police regulations. In any case where these privileges and immunities arise, the staff member shall immediately report to the Secretary-General, with whom alone it rests to decide whether ·they shall be waived.

1.9. Members of the Secretariat shall subscribe to the following oath or declaration :

"I solemnly swear (undertake, affirm, promise) tQ exercise in all loyalty, discretion and conscience the functions entrusted to me as an international civil servant of the United Nations, to discharge these functions and regulate my conduct with the interests of the United Nations only in view,

and not to seek or accept instructions in regard to the performance of my duties from any government or other authority external to the Organization".

1.10. The oath or declaration shall be made orally by the Secretary-General and Assistant Secretaries-General at a public meeting of the General Assembly and by all other mem~ of the Secretariat before the Secretary-General or his authorized deputy.

Classification of posts and staff 2.1. In conformity with principles laid down by the General Assembly, the Secretary-General shall make appropriate provision for the classification of posts and staff according to the nature of the duties and responsibilities required.

Salm-ies and related allowances 3.1. Salaries of staff members shall be fixed by the Secretary-General in accordance with the provisions of annex I to the present regulations.

The Secretary-General shall establish a scheme for the payment of children's allowances and education grants under the conditions specified in annex IV to the present regulations.

Appointment and promotion 4.1. As stated in Article 101 of the Charter, the power of appointment of staff members rests with the Secretary-General. Upon appointment each staff member shall receive a letter of appointment in accordance with the provisions of annex II to the present regulations and signed by the Secretary-General or by an official in the name of the Secretary-General.

4.2. The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer or promotion of the staff shall be the necessity for securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity. Due regard shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible.

4.3.

In accordance with the principles of the Charter, selection of staff members shall be made without distinction as to race, sex or religion. So far as is practicable, selection shall be made on a competitive basis.

4.4. Subject to the provisions of Article 101, paragraph 3, of the Charter, and without prejudice to the recruitment of fresh talent at all levels, the fullest regard shall be had, in filling vacancies, to the requisite qualifications and experience of persons already in the service of the United Nations. This consideration shall also apply on a reciprocal basis, to the specialized agencies brought into relationship with the United Nations.

--------------=----___:;'--------------------- Re1olution1 adopted on report• of the Fifth Committee

4.5. Appointments of Assistant Secretaries-General, Pi-;ncipal Directors and officials of comparable status shall nom1ally be for a period of five years, subject to prolongation or renewal. Other staff members shall be granted either permanent or temporary appointments under such terms and conditions consistent with these regulations as the Secretary-General may prescribe.

4.6. The Secretary-General shall establish appropriate medical stanc\ards which staff members shall be required to meet before appointment.

Annual and special leave 5.1. Staff members shall be allowed appropriate annual leave.

5.2.

Special leave may be authorized by the Secretary-General in exceptional cases.

5.3. Eligible staff members shall be granted home leave once in every two years. A staff member whose home country is the country of his official duty station or who continues to reside in his home country while performing his official duties shall not be eligible for home leave.

Social Security 6.1. Provision shall be made for the participation of staff members in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund in accordance with the regulations of that Fund.

6.2. The Secretary-General shall establish a scheme of social security for the staff, including provisions for health protection, sick leave and maternity leave, and reasonable compensation in the event of illness, accident or death attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the United Nations.

7.2. Subject to conditions and definitions prescribed by the Secretary-General, the United Nations shall pay removal costt for staff members.

Staff relations 8.1.

A Staff Council, elected by the staff, shall be established for the purpose of ensuring continuous contact between the staff and the Secretary-General. The Council shall be entitled to make proposals to the Secretary-General for improvements in the situation of staff members, both as regards their conditions of work and their general conditions of life.

The Staff Council shall be composed in such a way as to afford equitable representation to all levels of the staff.

Election of the Staff Council shall take place annually under regulations drawn up by the Staff Council and agreed to by the Secretary-General.

8.2. The Secretary-General shall establish joint administrative machinery with staff participation to advise him regarding personnel policies and general questions of staff welfare and to make to him such proposals as it may desire for amendment of the Staff Regulations and Rules.

Separation from service 9.1.

The Secretary-General may terminate the appointment of a staff member who holds a permanent appointment and whose probationary period has been completed, if the

necessities of the service require abolition of the post or reduction of the staff, if the services of the individual concerned prove unsatisfactory, or if he is, for reasons of health, incapacitated for further service.

The Secretary-General may terminate the appointment of a staff member with a fixed-term appointment prior to the expiration date for any of the reasons specified in paragraph

above, or for such other rea,on as may be specified in the letter of appointment.

( c) Jn the case of all other staff members, including staff members serving a probationary period for a permanent appointment, the Secretary-General may at any time terminate the appointment, if, in his opinion, such action would be in the interest of the United Nations.

9.2. Staff members may resign from the Secretariat upon giving the Secretary-General the notice required under the terms of their appointment.

9.3. If the Secretary-General terminates an appointment the staff member shall be given such notice and such indemnity payment as may be applicable under the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. Payments of termination indemnity shall be made by the Secretary-General in accordance with the rates and conditions specified in annex III to the present regulations.

9.4.

The Secretary-General shall establish a scheme for the payment of repatriation grants within the maximum rates and under the conditions specified in annex IV to the present regulations.

9.5. Staff mem hers shall not be retained in active service beyond the age of sixty years. The Secretary-General may, in the interest of the Orgaaization, extend this age limit in exceptional cases.

Disciplinary measures

10.1.

The Secretary-General may establish administrative machinery with staff participation which will be available to advise him in disciplinary cases.

10.2. The Secretary-General may impose disciplinary measures on staff members whose conduct is unsatisfactory.

He may summarily dismiss a member of the staff for serious misconduct.

Appeals

11.1.

The Secretary-General shall establish administrative machinery with staff participation to advise him in case of any appeal by staff members against an administrative decision alleging the non-observance of their terms of appointment, including all pertinent regulations and rules, or against disciplinary action.

11.2. The United Nations Administrative Tribunal shall, under conditions prescribed in its statute, hear and pass judgment upon applications from staff members alleging non-obser-

General Auembly-Sixth Seuion

vance of their terms of appointment, including all pertinent regulations and rules.

General provisions 12.1.

These regulations may be supplemented or amended by the General Assembly, without prejudice to the acquired rights of staff members.

12.2. The Secretary-General shall report annually to the General. Assembly such Staff Rules and amendments thereto as he may make to implement these regulations.

Salary scales and related provi,ion,

An Assistant Secretary-General shall receive a salary of $US 23,000 (subject to the staff assessment plan at the rates laid down in General Assembly resolution 239 (III) of 18 November 1948 and to such changes as may be directed from time to time by the General Assembly) together with an allowance varying from $US 7,000 to $US 10,000 at the Secretary-General's discretion. The allowances for Assistant Secretaries-General are deemed to include all representation (including hospitality) and special allowances, such as housing, education and children's allowances, but not such reimbursable allowances as travel, subsistence and removal costs upon appointment, transfer or termination of appointment with the Organization, official travel and home leave travel.

A Principal Director shall receive a salary of $US 17,000 rising after two years of satisfactory service to $US 18,000, (subject to the staff assessment plan at the rates laid down in General Assembly resolution 239 (III) and to such changes as may be directed from time to time by the General Assembly, and to salary differentials wherever applied) and if otherwise eligible shall receive the allowances which are available to staff members generally. In addition, he shall receive a representation allowance varying from $US 1,000 to $US 3,500, at the Secretary-General's discretion, provided that the incumbent of the post of Executive Assistant to the Secretary-General at the time the present annex is adopted may receive a representation allowance up to and not exceeding $US 5,500.

A Director shall receive a salary of $US 15,000 rising in two-yearly increments of $US 800 each to $US 17,400 (subject to the staff assessment plan at the rates laid down in General Assembly resolution 239 (III) and to such changes as may be directed from time to time by the General Assembly, and to salary differentials wherever applied) and if otherwise eligible shall receive the allowances which are available to staff members generally. In addition, the Secretary-General is authorized at his discretion to grant in special cases a representation allowance up to an amount of $US 1,500.

Except as provided in paragraph 6 of the present annex, the salary scales for staff members in the Principal Officer and Director category and in the Professional category shall be as follows ( subject to the staff assessment plan at the rates laid down in General Assembly resolution 239 (III) and to such changes as may be directed from time to time by the General Assembly, and to salary differentials wherever applied) :

_79

SALARY SCALES (Subject to the staff assessment plan at the rates laid down in General Assembly resolution 239 (III), to such changes as may be directed from time to time by the General Assembly and to salary differentials wherever applied.)

s,,,z sr.pI Step II Step III St,P IV Step V Step VI Step VII Step VIII Sut,IX

'us ,us 'us ,us ,us 'us $ us

,us ,us ,us

Principal Officer and Director Category Principal Director .... 17,000 18,000 Director .............. 15,000 15,800.

16,600 17,400 Principal Officer ....... 13,330 14,000 14,670 15,400 16,200 17,000

Professional CategMy 13,000 Senior Officer ......... 11,310 11,690 12,080 12,500 13,500 14,000 14,500 15,000 10,540 11',690 First Officer ........... 9,140 9,460 9,7W 10,150 10,920 11,310 12,0ID 12,500 Second Officer ........ 7,330 8,180 8,500 9,790 7,600 7,870 8,820 9,140 9,460 10,150 6,530 6,800 7,870 Associate Officer 5,750 6,000 6,270 7,070 7,330 7,600 Assistant Officer ...... 4,250 5,000 5,250 5,750 4,500 4,750 5,500 6,000

The date at which the staff member is required to enter 5.

Salary increments within the levels set forth in paragraph 4 of the present annex shall be awarded annually on the upon his duties ; basis of satisfactory service, provided that the period of satis-

( 4) The period of appointment, the notice required to terfactory service required for increments to any salary step above minate it and the period of probation, if any; $15,000 shall be two years.

The category, level, commencing rate of salary, and if

The Secretary-General shall determine the salary rates increments are allowable, the scale of increments, and the ma¥ito be paid to personnel specifically engaged for conferences and mum attainable; other short-term service, to consultants, to field service person-

Any special conditions which may be applicable. nel, and to technical assistance experts and social welfare advisers.

B. A copy of the Staff Regulations and of the Staff Rules shall be transmitted to the staff member with the letter of ap-

The Secretary-General shall :fix the salary scales for staff members in the General Service category and the salary or pointment. In accepting appointment the staff member shall wage rates for manual workers, normally on the basis of the state that he has been made acquainted with and accepts the conditions laid down in the Staff Regulations and in the Staff best prevailing conditions of employment in the locality of the Rules. United Nations office concerned, provided that the Secretary- Geaeral may, where he deems it appropriate, establish rules and salary limits for payment of a non-resident's allowance to Annex III General Service staff members recruited from outside the local area.

Termination indemnity 8.

The Secretary-General shall establish rules under which Staff members whose appointments are terminated shall be an extra payment may be paid to staff members in the General paid an indemnity in accordance with the following provisions: Service category who pass an appropriate test and demonstrate

Exceptasprovidedin (d) and (e) below,thefollowing continued proficiency in the use of two or more official languages, such payment to be equivalent to an additional step schedule shall apply to members holding permanent appointincrement which would continue beyond the maximum of the ments or temporary appointments which are not for a :fixed term; salary level of the staff member concerned.

The Secretary-General may adjust the basic salary rates Mo11ths of btJSe salary or wao• provided in paragraphs I, 2, 3 and 4 for duty stations away from Headquarters, by the application of salary differentials ~~ich take into account relative costs of living, standards of Compln,d ,_!I of s,n,. hvmg and related factors; provided that initial differentials Co11/iNKed P"'"°""" ~hall be_ not less than 5 per cent with minimum adjustments Ke i11 th• S •crdoriot appoi11tmnats m multiples of 5 per cent, and provided further that these 0 not applicable nil differentials shall be applied only to 75 per cent of base salaries.

1 not applicable 1 2 3 1 3 3 2 Annex II 4 4 3 Letters of appointment 5 4 6 6 5 A. The letter of appointment shall state:

7 7 6 8 8 7

That the appointment is subject to the provisions of the 9or more 9 8 Staff Regulations and of the Staff Rules applicable to the category of ,ap?ointment in q~estion, and to changes which may (b)

Except as provided in (d) and (e) below, staff membe duly made m such regula!Ions and rules from time to time;

bers who have temporary appointments for a fixed term of

The nature of the appointment;

over six months which are terminated prior to the expirati011

date specified in the letter of appointment shall be paid five days' indemnity pay for each, month of uncompleted service, but not less than thirty working days' indemnity pay.

( c) Indemnity pay shall be calculated on the basis of the staff member's base salary or wages at the time of termination.

No indemnity payment shall be made to:

A staff member who resigns, except where termination notice has been given and the termination date agreed upon;

A staff member who has a temporary appointment which is not for a fixed term and which is terminated during the first year of service ;

A staff member who has a temporary appointment for a fixed term which is completed on the expiration date specified in the letter of appointment.

A staff member who is summarily dismissed;

A staff member who abandons his post;

A staff member who is retired under the United Nations Joint Staff PensiOfl Fund Regulations.

Staff members specifically engaged for conference and other short-term service or for service with a mission, as consultants, or as experts, and staff members who are locally recruited for service in established offices away from Headquarters may be paid termination indemnity if and as provided in their letters of appointment.

Children'• allmc,ance, education 11ran1 and repatriation 11rant

Full-time members of the staff, with the exception of those specifically excluded by resolution of the General Assembly, shall be entitled to a children's allowance of $US 200 per annum in respect of each child under the age of eighteen years, or, if the child is in full-time attendance at a school or a university (or similar educational institution), or is totally disabled under the age of twenty-one years; provided that, if both parents are members of the staff of the United Nations, only one allowance will be paid in respect of each of their children; and provided further that, where the Secretary-General deems it advisable, no allowance or an allowance of an amount other than $US 200 may be paid under special circumstances, as for uample, short-term assignments or assignments at duty stations where the levels of United Nations salary scales are fixed at levels varying from the Headquarters scale.

Each full-time member of the staff, with the exception of those specifically excluded by resolution of the General Assem- .bly, entitled to receive a children's allowance under paragraph 1 above, who is employed by the United Nations in a country -other than his own country, as specified in: his letter of appointment, shall be entitled to the following education grant:

The sum of $US 200 per annum for each child, in re- .spect of whom a children's allowance is payable, in full-time attendance at a school or a university in his home country; provided that where a child attended such an educational institution for a period of less than two-thirds of any .one scholastic year, the grant shall be reduced to sui;h proportion of $US 200 as the period so attended bears to a full scholastic year;

Once in each scholastic year the travelling expenses of the outward and return journey of such a child by a route approved by the Secretary-General ;

Should staff members elect to send their children to special national schools in the area where they are serving, in- -eluding international schools orga_nized for children of United Nations staff members, rather than to schools in their home countries, the United Nations will pay for each child otherwise eligible for the education grant, a grant equal to the difference between the cost of education at the special school which he attends, and the cost at a comparable school attended by chil- -dren of persons normally resident in the area, provided that

General Auembly~th Seaaion

the rrant shall not aceed $200 per year. This grant shall l>e payable only trhen there is a valid reason for the child not to attend school in the home country; for instance, in the case of children under thirteen years of age or when the health of the child is such that return to the home country is not feasible ;

If both parents are members of the staff of United Nations only one grant will be paid in respect of each of their children.

The Secretary-General. may decide in each case whether allowances or grants under paragraphs 1 and 2 above shall extend to adopted children or step-children.

In principle, the repatriation grant shall be payable to staff members whom the Organization is obligated to repatriate, except those terminated by summary dismissal. Detailed conditions and definitions relating to eligibility shall be determined by tlie Secretary-General. The amount of the grant shall vary with the lehgth of service with the United Nations (exclusive of periods when an expatriation allowance was received). The mwmwn rates payable shall be as follows :

3 ..

After 2 years 4 8

5 10

4 6 12

5 "

7 14 6 8 16 7

9 18 zo 8 10

9 11 22 " 10 12 24 " 11 13 26 " 12 14 28

The tnaximum grant payable under this plan shall be $US Z;,W net for a staff member without dependants and $US 5;000 net for a staff member with dependants.

591 f\rl). Queations concerning the llquidatloa of the lntemational Inatitute of Intellectual Co-operation

The General Assembly, . Recalling its resolutions 24 (I) and 79 (I) of 12 February and 7 December 1946 respectively, whereby it act:epted the transfer to the United Nations of certain assets belonging to the League of Nations and its dependent organizations or institutes,

Considering that the Assembly of the League of Natid!:is, by its resolution dated 17 April 1946,20 decided to ,transfer to the United Nations its right in any articles and, in particular, the archiv-es and collections of documents deposited in the premises of the International Institute of Intellectual Co-operation by its Governing Body, as well as any property which had been acquired by the Institute during its period of operation,

Considering that, pursuant to General Assembly resolution 71 (I) of 19 November 1946, the Secretary- General in order to ensure, under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the continuity of the work performed by

90 See Official Records of the Gnswal Assn,ibly, Second part of the first session, Fifth Committee, Annex 13 (C) (document A/136).