Article VI
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.
The Secretary-General shall establish a scheme of social security for the staff, including provisions for health protection, sick leave, maternity and paternity 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.
Chapter VI
Participation in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund
Staff members whose appointments are for six months or longer or who complete six months of service under shorter appointments without an interruption of more than 30 calendar days shall become participants in the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, provided that participation is not expressly excluded by their letters of appointment.
Sick leave
- (a) Staff members who are unable to perform their duties for reasons of health, including illness or injury, or whose attendance at work is prevented by public health requirements may be granted certified or uncertified sick leave.
- (b) Under conditions established by the Secretary-General, sick leave shall be granted as:
- (i) Certified sick leave upon approval by the Secretary-General of a medical certificate or medical report or when, in accordance with staff rule 6.2 (i), the staff member is required by the United Nations Medical Director not to attend the workplace;
- (ii) Uncertified sick leave:
- a. If staff members do not provide a medical certificate or medical report, or if the medical certificate or medical report is not approved; or
- b. If staff members are unable to perform their duties by reason of a personal or family emergency.
Maximum entitlement
- (c) The maximum overall entitlement to certified and uncertified sick leave shall be determined in accordance with the following provisions:
- (i) Staff members who hold a temporary appointment shall be granted sick leave on full salary at the rate of two working days per month;
- (ii) Staff members who hold a fixed-term appointment and who have completed less than three years of continuous service shall be granted sick leave of up to 65 working days on full salary and 65 working days on half salary in any period of 12 consecutive months;
- (iii) Staff members who hold a continuing appointment, or who hold a fixed-term appointment for three years or who have completed three years or more of continuous service shall be granted sick leave of up to 195 working days on full salary and 195 working days on half salary in any period of four consecutive years.
- (d) Within the limits set out in staff rule 6.2 (c), staff members may be granted uncertified sick leave for up to seven working days in the annual leave cycle as established by the Secretary-General. Used uncertified sick leave days, including for personal or family emergency, shall be deducted from the staff member s maximum overall entitlement specified in staff rule 6.2 (c).
Certified sick leave
- (e) Sick leave taken by a staff member in excess of the limits set in paragraph (c) above requires approval in accordance with conditions established by the Secretary-General. When those conditions are not met, the absence shall be treated as unauthorized in accordance with staff rule 5.3 (e).
Sick leave during annual leave
- (f) When sickness occurs while a staff member is on annual leave, including home leave, sick leave may be approved subject to appropriate medical certification.
Obligations of staff members
- (g) Staff members shall inform their supervisors as soon as possible of absences for reasons of health, including illness or injury, under conditions established by the Secretary-General. They shall promptly submit any medical certificate or medical report required under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
- (h) Staff members may be required at any time to submit a medical report as to their condition or to undergo a medical examination by the United Nations medical services or a medical practitioner designated by the United Nations Medical Director. When, in the opinion of the United Nations Medical Director, a medical condition impairs a staff member s ability to perform the staff member s functions, the staff member may be directed not to attend the office and requested to seek treatment from a duly qualified medical practitioner. The staff member shall comply promptly with any direction or request under this rule.
- (i) Staff members shall immediately notify a United Nations medical officer of any case of contagious disease occurring in their household or of any quarantine order affecting their household. Staff members may be required by the United Nations Medical Director not to attend the office and requested to seek treatment from a duly qualified medical practitioner. If so, the staff member shall receive full salary and other emoluments for the period of authorized absence, as applicable. The staff member shall comply promptly with any direction or request under this rule.
- (j) A staff member shall not leave the duty station while on sick leave without the prior approval of the Secretary-General.
Parental leave
- (a) Under conditions established by the Secretary-General, staff members shall be granted:
- (i) Sixteen weeks of parental leave with full pay in the case of the birth or adoption of a child;
- (ii) An additional period of 10 weeks of prenatal and postnatal leave with full pay for the parent who gives birth, bringing the total duration of their parental leave to 26 weeks;
- (b) Staff members may avail of the 16 weeks of parental leave mentioned in paragraph (a) (i) above any time within a year following the date of their child s birth or adoption, provided that it is completed during that year.
- (c) Parental leave in the case of the birth or adoption of a child under paragraph (a) (i) above may not be granted more than once in any 12-month period to be counted from the date of birth or adoption of the child. This paragraph (c) shall not apply to a parent who gives birth.
- (d) Sick leave shall not normally be granted for maternity cases during the prenatal and postnatal leave mentioned in paragraph (a) (ii) above, except where serious complications arise.
- (e) Annual leave shall accrue during periods of parental leave.
Compensation for death, injury or illness attributable to service
Staff members shall be entitled to compensation in the event of death, injury or illness attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the United Nations, in accordance with the rules set forth in appendix D to the present Rules.
Compensation for loss or damage to personal effects attributable to service
Staff members shall be entitled, within the limits and under terms and conditions established by the Secretary-General, to reasonable compensation in the event of loss or damage to their personal effects determined to be directly attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the United Nations.
Medical insurance
Staff members may be required to participate in a United Nations medical insurance scheme under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
Review of medical determination
- (a) Where a staff member disputes a medical determination, the matter shall be referred, at the staff member s request, to an independent medical practitioner acceptable to both the United Nations Medical Director and the staff member or to a medical board, under conditions established by the Secretary-General.
- (b) The cost of an independent medical practitioner or a medical board mentioned in paragraph (a) above shall be borne by the United Nations or by the staff member, or by both, under conditions established by the Secretary-General.