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ICSC: The International Civil Service Commission
1. WELCOME and MABUHAY !WELCOME and MABUHAY !
Mr. VirGILio G. Gundayao,Mr. VirGILio G. Gundayao, MBA/MPAMBA/MPA
Exec. Dir., Graft-Free PhilippinesExec. Dir., Graft-Free Philippines, a national project of, a national project of PhilippinePhilippine Jaycee SenateJaycee Senate
2004 Exec. Director, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Phils.2004 Exec. Director, Junior Chamber International (JCI) Phils.
Immediate Past Exec. Director, JC Leaders InternationalImmediate Past Exec. Director, JC Leaders International
Ex-AMO, CSCEx-AMO, CSC Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na!Mamamayan Muna, Hindi Mamaya Na! ProgramProgram
2. WELCOME & MABUHAY ! ! !
TheThe International Civil Service CommissionInternational Civil Service Commission (ICSC):(ICSC):
Weathering Global ChallengesWeathering Global Challenges
09 February 2013 * (Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM)09 February 2013 * (Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
PUP-Graduate School, Sta. Mesa, ManilaPUP-Graduate School, Sta. Mesa, Manila
4. TheThe
International CivilInternational Civil
Service CommissionService Commission
(ICSC): Weathering(ICSC): Weathering
Global ChallengesGlobal Challenges
Presented by:Presented by:
VirGILio G. Gundayao, MBA/MPAVirGILio G. Gundayao, MBA/MPA
09 February 2013 * (Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM)09 February 2013 * (Saturday 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM)
PUP-Graduate School, Sta. Mesa, ManilaPUP-Graduate School, Sta. Mesa, Manila
5.
6.
7. The United Nations Common System
The WB Group and the IMF -- although specialized agencies of theThe WB Group and the IMF -- although specialized agencies of the
United Nations – claim to be not part of the common system.United Nations – claim to be not part of the common system.
8. Common System Organizations
United Nations (UN) World Health Organization (WHO)
United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP)
International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO)
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Universal Postal Union (UPU)
United Nations Office for Project Services
(UNOPS)
International Telecommunication Union
(ITU)
United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR)
World Meteorological Organization
(WMO)
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
International Maritime Organization
(IMO)
United Nations Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East
(UNRWA)
World Intellectual Property
Organization (WIPO)
International Trade Centre (ITC)
International Fund for Agricultural
Development (IFAD)
International Labour Organization (ILO)
United Nations Industrial Development
Organization (UNIDO)
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
International Atomic Energy Agency
(IAEA)
9. Definition of the Common System
« The common system represents common
standards, methods and arrangements being
applied to salaries, allowances and benefits for
the staff of the United Nations, those specialized
agencies which have entered into a relationship
with the United Nations, the International Atomic
Agency and a number of other international
organizations. The common system is designed
to avoid serious discrepancies in terms and
conditions of employment, to avoid competition
in recruitment of personnel and to facilitate the
interchange of personnel. It applies to over 52,000
staff members serving at over 600 duty stations. »
http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/common.htm
10. The International Civil Service Commission
The ICSC http://icsc.un.org/
-Growing fields of competence, increasingly conflictual, limited
staff representation
Established in 1974 by the UN General Assembly to
« regulate and coordinate the conditions of service of the
United Nations common system »
Recognised by all UN Organizations (ILO since April 1975)
-A technical body with political influences
15 commissioners are diplomats, Chairperson full time,
influential (Secretariat)
11. What is ICSC?
The International Civil Service Commission
is an independent expert body established by
the United Nations General Assembly:
The General Assembly of the United Nations
establishes an International Civil Service
Commission…
…for the regulation and coordination of the
conditions of service of the United Nations
common system…
- GA Resolution 3357 XXIX of 18 December 1974
12. Two of the members are
designated Chairman
and Vice-Chairman and
serve on a full-time
basis.
15 members appointed by the General Assembly in
their personal capacity as individuals of
recognized competence with substantial
experience of executive responsibility in Public
Administration.
Composition & Appointment
13. Selected with due regard for equitable geographical
representation ..
Chairman Kingston P. RhodesChairman Kingston P. Rhodes (Sierra Leone)(Sierra Leone)
Vice-Chairman Wolfgang StocklVice-Chairman Wolfgang Stockl (Germany)(Germany)
Composition & Appointment
15. The UN CharterThe UN Charter
The UN Charter, Art.101:
"3. The paramount consideration in the
employment of the staff and in the
determination of the conditions of service
shall be the necessity of 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".
– See ILO Staff Regulations, art.4.2. A)
17. Annex II: Oath of Office
Staff Regulation 1.1(b)
Staff members shall make the following written declaration witnessed by the SG
or his authorized representative:
“I solemnly declare and promise to 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 interest 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 sources external to the Organization. I also
solemnly declare and promise to respect the obligations
incumbent upon me as set out in the Staff Regulations and
Rules.”
(Source: ST/SGB/1998/19, 10 December 1998, Status, Basic Rights and Duties of United Nations Staff Members, p. 12
[revised Code of Conduct])
19. Broad principles
to determine
conditions of
service
Education grant, home leave,
repatriation grant, termination
indemnities, dependency
allowances &
language incentive for
Professional and above staff
Staff
assessment
Scales of
salaries
for professional
staff
1. Makes
recommendations
to the
General Assembly
on:
Functions & Powers
20. 2.
Establishes:
Methodologies by
which the
principles for
determining
conditions
of service should
be applied
Mobility and
Hardship
allowances
Hazard pay
Post
Adjustment
classifications
Job
Classification
standards
Daily
Subsistence
Allowance rates
Functions & Powers
23. Recent issues under ICSC consideration
Performance management;
Review of the mobility/ hardship scheme and of
the
different types of allowances and the danger
pay;
Review of the pensionable remuneration;
Base/floor salary scale and review of staff
assessment
rates used in conjunction with gross salaries;
Evolution of the United Nations/United States net
remuneration margin;
Survey and report on diversity in the United
24. Upcoming issues on the ICSC agenda
The new framework for performance management
based on rewards and recognition;
Update of the standards of conduct;
Review of the education grant methodology;
Review of the UN/US net remuneration margin;
Review of security evacuation allowance.
25. Human Resources Management
in times of financial crisis
The Secretary General pointed out recently
that we are living “in an era of austerity” and
proposed all UN departments to decrease their
budget by 3%.
“The 3% cut is not across the board and
doesn’t apply uniformly to all offices”.
14 September 2011, Town Hall Meeting of the SG with staff
from duty stations across the world.
Some departments voluntarily offered cuts of 7%.
26. Mobility in the UN common system
Movement within organizations:
* Across occupational groups/departments;
* Geographic mobility (may be voluntary or
mandatory)
Movement across organizations:
* Within the United Nations common system
(inter-organizational mobility).
27. Inter-Agency Mobility in the UN system
Goal:
Increased managed inter-agency mobility to
enhance system-wide efficiency
Role:
Promotes the sharing of knowledge and
experience;
Builds a competent, versatile, multi-skilled
and experienced international civil service
28. Inter-Agency Mobility Policy
Objectives Fostering staff members’ appreciation that they are part of
one United Nations system;
Encouraging movement of individual staff members
between organizations;
Valuing experience gained in UN system organizations;
With due regard for organizations’ placement, rotation and
internal mobility policies, giving staff members of all UN
common system organizations equal access and
consideration for employment opportunities on a
competitive basis;
Creating an administrative framework that supports
mobility;
Addressing work/life issues that impede mobility.
CEB Inter-Agency Mobility Statement (2003)
29. Inter-Agency Mobility in the UN system
What is being done?
CEB Statement on Inter-Agency Mobility (2003)
Dual Career and Staff Mobility Programme (2008)
Work/life balance initiatives (2008)
Delivering as One Programme (2009)
(8 pilot countries: Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan,
Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay, Viet Nam)
Right to work initiative pilots (2010)
30. Dual career/spouse employment
Increasing concern by staff about relocation and
expatriate spouse employment:
Dual Career &
Staff Mobility
Programme
To assist those
expatriate
spouses and
partners who
wish to work to
obtain
employment
To help newly
arrived
expatriate
families to
settle into their
new duty
station
Chief
Executiv
es Board
(CEB)
31. Dual career/spouse employment
Dual Career
& Staff Mobility Programme
Global Expatriate Spouse Association
Local Expatriate
Spouse Associations
Dual Career & Staff
Mobility Website
In UN & World Bank
Group duty stations (43).
Offer on-site assistance
for employment and
career interests of
spouses.
www.unstaffmobility.org
Information for settling
into new duty stations.
Offers country-specific
career and employment
information.
32. Career Development
A new Performance Management
framework emphasizing the motivation, engagement and
development of staff members.
The new
framework
More clear
role of the key
organizational
players
Emphasis on
the UN values
Changing
behaviors
Emphasis on a number
of key enablers in the
organization for
successful
implementation of
performance
management
33. Career Development Initiatives
UN Secretariat Voluntary Initiative for
Network Exchanges (VINEs)
-helps professional category staff to move
laterally across departments and duty stations
within Job Networks.
Revised UN Competency Framework
- includes a refined set of Core Values and
Core and Managerial Competencies that
together comprise the profile of what it takes
to be successful and effective in the UN’s fast-
changing operational terrain.
34. Austerity Measures in
Place
• New York post adjustment and
New York GS Salaries were
frozen 2009 and 2010
• GA request to take into account
member states’ decisions
regarding their national civil
services
• GA request to increase weight
of national civil service when
determining the GS salary scale
(new GS Salary Survey
35. Austerity Measures under
GA Consideration
• Revoke Post New York Post Adjustment
Increase of 1 August 2011 an freeze
New York Post Adjustment at prior
level for at least two years.
• Reduce Margin UN-US from range 110 –
120 to range 110 – 115.
• Not to increase hardship/mobility
scheme by 2.5 per cent as proposed by
ICSC and freeze at current level for
three year.
36. Consequences
• Beside New York salaries
pensionable remuneration would
be frozen (at level of 1 August
2007), because of link with New
York post adjustment.
• Possible post adjustment
increases at duty stations other
than New York would be
downscaled
37. Pivotal role of the International Civil
Service Commission (ICSC)
System-wide Coordination
Staff have to unite locally, even if not
internationally
Training to achieve the best out of the system
Final word should be local
– if well prepared.
Process is not necessarily transparent
World wide mobilization on methodology
38.
39. • United Nations Staff are International Civil
Servants 24/7
• Staff may take instructions only from the
Secretary-General (or his designated
representatives)
• Mobility: Staff may be assigned anywhere in
the world by the Secretary-General
• Highest standards of efficiency, competence
and integrity (Charter, article 101.3)
• Staff are subject to standards of conduct and
ethics
STAFF OF THE UNITED NATIONS
40. CATEGORIES OF STAFF
• Senior Levels
• Under-Secretary-General (USG)
• Assistant Secretary-General (ASG)
• Professional and Higher Categories
(internationally recruited):
• Directors (D-1 & D-2)
• Professionals (P-1 – P-5)
• Locally Recruited Staff:
• National Officers
• General Service & Related Categories (support staff)
• (G-1 – G-7, TC-1 – TC-8, S-1 – S-7, PIA, LT)
• Other Personnel:
• Consultants & Contractors (Special Service Agreement: SSA)
• Service Contracts
• Interns
• United Nations Volunteers (UNV)
41. MAIN ENTITLEMENTS & BENEFITS
• Annual & Sick Leave
• Home Leave
• Maternity & Paternity Leave
• Education Grant & Travel
• Rental Subsidy
• Defined-benefits Pension
• Health Insurance
• Installation & Shipment & Repatriation
• Pay for Additional Official Language
• Mobility and Hardship Pay
• Rest and Recuperation (peacekeeping missions)
42.
43. UN ESTABLISHED DUTY STATIONS &
TRIBUNALS
Geneva
UNOG,
UNCTAD,
OHCHR, ECE,
OCHA
Nairobi
UNON,
UNEP,
UN-Habitat
New York
UN
Headquarters
Vienna
UNOV,
UNODC
Addis Ababa
ECA
Bangkok
ESCAP
Beirut
ESCWA
Santiago
ECLAC
The Hague
ICTY
Arusha
ICTR
44. SUBSTANTIVE JOBS IN THE UNITED
NATIONS
• Economic Affairs
• Social Affairs
• Political Affairs
• Civil Affairs
• Humanitarian Affairs
• Human Rights
• Rule of Law
• Public Information, Radio & TV
• Drug Control & Crime Prevention
• Statistics
• Demographics
• Public Administration
• Electoral Affairs
• Legal Affairs
45. SUPPORT JOBS IN THE UNITED NATIONS
• Administrators: Human Resources,
Finance, Budget, Facilities
Management, Administration
(general)
• Information and Communications
Technology
• Information Management
• Cartography
• Medical
• Programme/Project Management
• Security
• Logistics
• Procurement
• Engineering
• Aviation
• Library Science
• Conference Servicing
• Language Staff:
Interpreter, Translator,
etc.
46. • P-2 = 2 years
No experience required if you pass the United
Nations NCRE or Language examination
• P-3 = 5 years
• P-4 = 7 years
• P-5 = 10 years
• D-1 = 15 years
MINIMUM EXPERIENCE
REQUIREMENTS
47. Rank-in-person*
Salary hierarchy
Personal
qualifications or
contributions
INTERNAL PAY POLICY
Rank-in-job
Job hierarchy
Responsibility and
assigned tasks or
contributions
*not used by the Secretariat
49. • Examinations held annually based on a country’s representation
status and government’s agreement
• Most entry level positions (P-2), except for peacekeeping, are
filled through competitive examinations
NCRE applicants must:
• Be a national of any of the participating Member States
• Be younger than 32 years old as of 31 December of the year of
the exam
• Hold at least a first-level university degree relevant to one of the
offered occupational groups
• Be fluent in either English or French
UN NATIONAL COMPETITIVE
RECRUITMENT EXAMINATION
50. • Examinations held based on the needs of the United Nations
• All language staff (interpreters, translators, etc.) must have passed
the applicable examination
• Language staff are hired from the roster at the entry level (P-2)
• No age limit other than the retirement age of 62
Language examination applicants must:
• Hold at least a first-level university degree
• Be able to interpret or translate from two languages into main
language
• Interpreters: be graduates of a reputable interpretation school
and/or have practical experience of conference interpretation
• Translators, editors, etc.: persons with any background (law,
economics, etc.) are welcome
UN LANGUAGE EXAMINATIONS
51. UN INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME
• Opportunity to familiarize yourself with the daily issues of
the United Nations
• Interns work in departments related to their field of study
• It is an unpaid full-time internship
Requirements:
• Must be enrolled in graduate school
• Must apply at least 4 months in advance of the start of
internship to the duty station of choice
• Duration: 2 months (may be extended up to 6 months)
• Starting dates are mid-January, June and mid-September
• http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/sds/internsh/index.htm
• http://jobs.un.org -> Internship
52. MAIN REASONS FOR WORKING AT
THE UN• Opportunity to serve a good cause
• Opportunity to work in a multicultural environment
and global organization
• Opportunity to serve in different locations
• Status and reputation of the United Nations
• Strong belief in the purpose of the United Nations
53. PUP Regent Corazon Alma G De Leon, former CSC Chair & DSWD Secretary
served the ICSC from 1991 - 1995
54. Mario D. Yango, former CSC commissioner; 84
ICSC Member 1991 - 1995
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 00:44:00 07/02/2009
MANILA, Philippines. Mario Yango, retired civil service commissioner and former Philippine
representative to the International Civil Service Commission, died on June 29 at the Manila Doctors
Hospital surrounded by his family. He was 84.
• He is survived by his wife, Pilar Benigno, (first wife, Edelmira Poblete died in 2002); daughter
Cynthia Yango-Eugenio; sons Jaime and Mario Jr.; son-in-law Rene Eugenio and daughters-in-law
Adora De Ramos and Levi Cello; nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
A graduate of the Ateneo College of Law in 1952, Commissioner Yango started as a mere clerk, rose
from the ranks through merit and retired as commissioner after 39 years of uninterrupted service.
Yango was known and beloved for his hard work, efficiency, and most of all honesty.
• Yango established standards and guidelines and chaired an interagency body to pass requirements
for exempting Civil Service positions from eligibility requirements. This was one way of avoiding
unscrupulous politicians from skirting the eligibility requirement in appointing their protégés in
government.
Upon his retirement from the Civil Service Commission in 1991, he was elected to the International Civil
Service Commission (ICSC), which is responsible for making recommendations to the General Assembly
of the United Nations for the regulation of agencies that participate in the UN common system.
• Long after retirement from these capacities, Yango continued to help government employees with
eligibility issues as well as securing employment in government offices. Untiring in all these
endeavors, Yango often said that his job didn?t pay much but it was ennobling.
59. The best way to find
your self is to lose your
self in the service of
others. Mahatma Gandhi
60. References
Stoeckle keynote presentation, Berlin, Dec. 1-2, 2011
http://icsc.un.org/
http://www.un.org/Depts/OHRM/salaries_allowances/common.htm
A Framework for Human Resources Management International Civil Service Commission, 2001
The New Book of Knowledge, Scholastic Library Publishing, Inc., 2007.