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ELEVENTH ITEM ON THE AGENDA

Amendments to the Staff Regulations

Amendments approved by the Director-General

1. In accordance with a decision taken by the Governing Body at its 192nd Session (February-March 1974), the Director-General reports to the Governing Body in November each year on the amendments he has approved during the preceding 12 months under the authority delegated to him.

2. The Director-General hereby informs the Governing Body of the amendments to the Staff Regulations which he approved under the authority conferred on him by the Governing Body at its 267th Session (November 1996)⁽¹⁾  "to give effect in the ILO, through amendments to the Staff Regulations (as necessary), to the measures" recommended by the International Civil Service Commission (concerning net salary scales and staff assessment for staff in the Professional and higher categories) "subject to their approval by the General Assembly".

Article 3.1 (Salary scales)

Salary scales for officials in the Professional category and above

3. The Staff Regulations were amended to introduce, as from 1 March 1999, the new salary scales and staff assessment rates adopted by the General Assembly. The new scales represented an increase of 2.48 per cent in net (base) salaries, effected through consolidation of post adjustment in accordance with the "no gain- no loss" principle. This increase in the base salary scale entailed a proportional increase in the mobility, hardship and non-removal allowance.

4. The Director-General also wishes to inform the Governing Body of the following amendments to the Staff Regulations which he approved after consulting the Administrative Committee of the Office under the authority conferred on him by the Governing Body at its 192nd Session (February-March 1974).

Salary scales for General Service category officials in Geneva

5. Article 3.1 was also amended to reflect the interim adjustment of General Service category remuneration in Geneva. New salary scales were introduced with effect from 1 June 1999. The new scales, representing a net increase of 0.25 per cent, reflected a rise in the Geneva CPI of 0.28 per cent over the reference period 1 March 1998 to 1 March 1999. The new salary scales applied only to staff recruited on or after 1 December 1995, transitional arrangements remaining in force for staff recruited before that date.

Article 3.12 (Family allowance in the Professional category and above)

6. The Staff Regulations were amended from 1 January 1999 to reflect the General Assembly's decision to increase the children's allowance and the secondary dependant's allowance by 14.6 per cent. The children's allowance was thus increased from $1,510 to $1,730 and the secondary dependant's allowance from $540 to $619 per annum.

Article 3.14 (Education grant)
Article 3.14bis (Special education grant)

7. These two articles were amended to reflect, from the school year in progress on 1 January 1999, increases in the maximum allowable expenses, the maximum education grant, the flat rate for boarding and the special education grant for disabled children in selected currencies, based on the ICSC's analysis of education costs in the various countries.

Article 4.12 (Personal files)
Article 12.3 (Warning)

8. For some time, the existence of various "personal files" has been a cause of concern to the administration and the Staff Union in view of the changing attitudes to privacy and confidentiality. A joint working party was set up to examine practices concerning the use and storage of personal and personnel information, and to recommend measures that would respect the twin principles of confidentiality of personal information and the right of officials to information concerning them. The Director-General approved the working party's recommendations and the Staff Regulations were amended to permit their implementation.

9. The Committee was informed in November 1998 that the costs of the amendments to article 3.1 relating to the Professional category, article 3.12 relating to family allowances and articles 3.14 and 3.14bis relating to education grants were covered by the provisions for staff costs in the Programme and Budget for 1998-99. The very marginal cost associated with the new General Service salary scales introduced in June 1999 is also covered by provisions made in the programme and budget. There are no financial implications of the amendments to articles 4.12 and 12.3 (paragraph 8).

10. Following a decision taken by the Governing Body at its 244th Session (November 1989),⁽²⁾  all the abovementioned amendments were announced in Series 6 (Personnel) Circulars Nos. 593, 595 and 597, which were also distributed to the members of the Governing Body.

Geneva, 30 September 1999.

1. GB.267/PFA/12.

2. GB.244/PFA/8/15.