10 In accordance with Staff Rule 630.1 annual leave is provided to staff members for the purposes of rest and relaxation from their duties and for attending to personal business.
20 Staff members holding fixed-term, continuing appointments, and temporary appointments under Staff Rule 420.4 shall be entitled to annual leave.
30 The annual leave cycle is the calendar year from 1 January to 31 December.
40 Eligible staff members shall accrue annual leave while in full pay status, at the rate of 2.5 working days per calendar month i.e. 30 days per calendar year. Leave accrues on a daily basis from the first day of appointment.
50 Annual leave entitlement will be pro-rated for staff members holding an appointment for less than a full calendar year based on their service time during the calendar year and for staff members working on a part-time schedule. See “Annual leave for part-time staff members” below.
60 All service credits continue to accrue normally during periods of annual leave.
Annual leave ceases to accrue
70 Staff members do not accrue annual leave from the start date of the following absences:
- Sick Leave under Insurance Coverage (SLIC) of more than 30 days;
- Special Leave Without Pay (SLWOP) of more than 30 days, unless otherwise indicated in the provisions relating to Special Leave types.
80 During periods of Special leave at half pay and periods of SLWOP and SLIC on a half-time basis, annual leave accrues at half the ordinary rate.
Carry forward of annual leave at end of year
90 For the purposes of well-being staff members should take a minimum of 15 days annual leave per calendar year. Staff members who accrue less than the full 30 days annual leave credit in a calendar year due to contract duration or part-time schedule are also required to take half of their annual leave entitlement.
100 At the end of the calendar year, normally no more than 15 days accrued annual leave may be carried forward to the next year in accordance with Staff Rule 630.5.
110 A maximum of 60 days annual leave may be carried forward from one calendar year to the next in accordance with Staff Rule 630.5. Annual leave balances in excess of 60 days are automatically reduced to 60 days on 1 January of each year.
120 Annual leave will be carried forward from one appointment to the next and no cash payment in lieu of annual leave will be made in the following cases:
- conversion of a temporary appointment under Staff Rule 420.4 to a fixed-term appointment;
- conversion from a fixed-term appointment to a continuing appointment; and
- consecutive fixed-term appointments resulting in uninterrupted service.
130 Upon any interruption in service and separation, annual leave shall not be carried forward to the next appointment.
Roles & responsibilities
140 Supervisors should take an active managerial role to ensure prompt planning, recording and approval of their staff member’s leave throughout the year.
150 The approval of leave is subject to the exigencies of service.
160 In approving annual leave, supervisors are expected to make reasonable efforts to accommodate the staff member’s request, by giving due consideration to the individual needs of the staff member and the requirement that all staff take a minimum of 15 days leave per calendar year, or half of the annual leave entitlement due in the calendar year, whichever is lower. Prior to year-end supervisors should take appropriate action with a staff member if the minimum leave has not been taken to either take leave before year end or in January of the next year. Supervisors should only reject annual leave requests if there are justifiable work and/or human resource reasons for doing so. The staff member must be duly informed.
170 Annual leave requests must be submitted in advance, and, whenever practicable, well before the expected date of leave in order to facilitate resource/work planning and ensure that the leave may be approved by the supervisor in advance of the start date of the absence. A staff member may not depart on annual leave until the leave request has been approved.
- Inability to return to work on the approved date
180 If for any reason a staff member is unable to return from annual leave on the date originally foreseen, the staff member shall notify the supervisor at the earliest opportunity, and in all cases prior to the expected date of return. The supervisor and staff member shall agree on an amended return date. The supervisor should instruct the leave administrator to amend the staff member’s leave period if the staff member is unable to do so.
190 In accordance with Staff Rule 610.3 and 610.5, failure to give notification of a delay in return to duty may constitute unauthorised absence and be subject to withholding of salary. Should the staff member not provide a satisfactory justification for the unauthorised absence, he may be subject to disciplinary action under Article X of the Staff Regulations and Rules. In addition, in accordance with Staff Rule 1080 a staff member absent from duty without satisfactory explanation for more than 15 working days shall be considered to have abandoned his post. Under Staff Rule 1115 a non-disciplinary reprimand may also be used.
Leave administrator
200 The designated leave administrator shall initiate or amend planned annual leave requests on behalf of staff members during their absence if the staff member is unable to do so. Normally such action is taken upon instruction of the supervisor or upon request by the staff member. The supervisor’s approval is required in all cases.
210 Prior to the separation of a staff member, the leave administrator verifies that all leave has been recorded and confirmed and the annual leave balance is correctly reflected in GSM. Upon separation the leave administrator certifies the leave balance on the effective date of separation by signing the local clearance certificate.
220 Annual leave is requested by the staff member in advance of the leave being taken through the on-line leave system.
230 Annual leave may be requested within the accrued balance available up to the end of the calendar year, or the end of the contract if earlier.
240 Annual leave may be requested in full or half days only in accordance with Staff Rule 630.4. Half day options are available in the leave request screen.
250 Annual leave is deducted on working days only. No annual leave is deducted on weekends or official holidays.
260 Annual leave is approved by the 1st level supervisor in advance of the leave being taken.
Annual leave requested after the leave start date
270 A request for annual leave which is submitted after the leave start date will require approval by both the 1st and 2nd level supervisor and the staff member will be required to provide a written comment in the leave request.
280 Recurrent requests for leave after the start date shall be subject to explanation by the staff member concerned. In addition, should the staff member not provide a satisfactory justification for the unauthorised absence, he may be subject to disciplinary action under Article X of the Staff Regulations and Rules.
290 Staff members whose appointments continue into the next calendar year may, in accordance with Staff Rule 630.6, be advanced annual leave on an exceptional basis beyond the leave balance available at the end of the current calendar year. Staff members may not request advanced annual leave two calendar years in a row.
300 Advanced annual leave may be exceptionally approved up to a maximum of 7.5 days from the next year’s entitlement for full-time staff on the condition that the appointment continues 3 months into the next year i.e. up to 31 March. The staff member makes the request on line. The negative balance will be forwarded for approval by the 1st and 2nd level supervisors. See below for Part-time staff.
310 In no circumstances will annual leave be advanced beyond the balance available at the end of contract.
Requesting sick leave while absent on annual leave
320 In accordance with Staff Rule 630.7, a staff member who is ill or hospitalized for five working days or more in any seven-day period during annual leave, including home leave, may, subject to the provisions of Staff Rule 740, have the absence approved as sick leave upon presentation of a satisfactory medical report which confirms that the staff member was seriously ill or injured during the period of annual leave and approval by SHW/RSP. See Certified Sick Leave.
330 Uncertified sick leave for health reasons or family emergency cannot be requested retroactively during periods of approved annual leave.
Annual leave combined with other leave
340 Annual leave (including home leave) may be combined half-time with sick leave (including certified, SLIC, Service-incurred).
350 In accordance with Staff Rule 740.5, staff members on annual/home leave combined with sick leave must seek medical clearance from SHW/RSP prior to departing from the duty station.
360 Subject to approval annual leave may be combined half-time with other leave types, e.g., compensatory leave, uncertified sick leave, parental leave, Special leave with full pay.
370 Annual leave may not be taken consecutively with flexi-leave. Leave taken on a Friday and the following Monday is considered as consecutive leave.
Annual leave deduction for home leave
380 Annual leave is deducted for absence on home leave on working days only. Official travel days granted during home leave which fall on working days are not deducted from annual leave.
Annual leave and separation
Requesting annual leave during notice period
390 Annual leave requests submitted during the notice period prior to separation may be approved subject to exigencies of service. Annual leave accrued by a staff member until the last day of service may be requested.
400 During annual leave prior to separation, the staff member remains on the payroll for pay and allowances. Service credits for all purposes, including annual leave, continue to accrue during this period.
410 The staff member is responsible for completing the local clearance certificate prior to his/her departure on annual leave prior to separation. This includes verifying that all leave is recorded and confirmed in GSM. Failure to complete the leave clearance process may result in delays in the processing of any residual annual leave payment and other final payments including withholding of the last month's salary.
Payment or recovery of annual leave upon separation
420 In accordance with Staff Rule 630.8 accrued annual leave up to a maximum of 30 days will be paid on the effective date of separation provided separation formalities are completed.
430 In the case of resignation, abolition of appointment, termination of appointment or other administrative action which results in a negative annual leave balance on the date of separation, the equivalent amount for each day will be deducted from any salary or terminal payment due in accordance with Staff Rule 630.8 and 380.2.2. Where no payments are due upon separation the Organization may request a cash refund from the staff member or the amount due will be deducted from the last month(s) of salary.
440 Part-time staff members are granted a pro-rata amount of annual leave based on their working percentage per full calendar year, for example:
80% = 24 days’ annual leave, 60% = 18 days’ annual leave, 50% = 15 days’ annual leave.
450 Part-time staff members working less than a full calendar year are entitled to annual leave on a pro-rata basis for the duration of their appointment during the year.
Change in part-time percentage and/or daily schedule
460 Changes to a part-time work percentage and/or daily schedule affect annual leave accruals. Once the change in working percentage (FTE) and/or daily schedule has been submitted by the HRA/RHRM and implemented by Global Human Resources, leave balances are automatically adjusted in the leave system.
470 Part-time staff may request advanced annual leave on a pro-rata basis from the next calendar year for up to 3 months of annual leave credit if their appointment duration is sufficient. A 50% staff member would therefore be entitled to a maximum advance from the next year’s balance of 3.75 days, if the appointment runs to 31 March of the next year. The relevant pro-rata amount may be advanced if the appointment expires prior to 31 March.
Annual leave upon inter-agency transfer, secondment or loan
480 In accordance with the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or Loan of Staff among the Organizations applying the United Nations Common System of Salaries and Allowances, when a staff member is transferred, seconded or loaned to WHO the staff member will carry with him or her to the receiving organization (WHO) any accrued annual leave credit. A staff member who is transferred, seconded or loaned from WHO to another organization carries his/her accrued annual leave credit to the receiving organization. After completion of the clearance process, the Global Human Resources (GHR) provides the staff member’s leave details to the receiving organization.
490 The annual leave entitlement of the staff member concerned is governed/administered as follows:
- Transfer or secondment: governed and administered by the rules of the receiving organization;
- Loan: governed by the rules of the releasing organization, but subject to administrative control by the receiving organization.
500 Staff members are responsible for maintaining records of their leave while on secondment or loan to the Organization.
510 So far as possible, the receiving organization will enable a seconded or loaned staff member to take, before his or her return to the releasing organization, all the annual leave which he accumulates during his or her service with it.
520 If a staff member on transfer, secondment or loan to another organization is separated from service, any payment of unused annual leave is subject to the following:
- Transfer or secondment: the maximum specified by the rules of the receiving organization;
- Loan: the maximum specified by the rules of the releasing organization.
530 A staff member who returns to the releasing organization brings with him/her any accrued annual leave credit as of the date of return provided they do not exceed the 60 day annual leave carryover plus the credit of 30 days for the calendar year.
Leave verification exercise
540 Staff members are requested to comply with the annual “leave verification” exercise during which staff are requested to verify and confirm all absences for the calendar year. Please see “WHO eManual III.6.8 Leave and absence records.”
550 This policy does not apply to:
- Junior Professional Officers
- Staff members engaged on a daily basis for whom the provisions of III.13.2 apply.
- Staff members on non-reimbursable loan or secondment agreements.
- Non-staff e.g. interns, Special Service Agreements, Consultants.
560 Leave taken is recorded for information for their releasing organizations only.
