III.6.6 Official holidays

 

10    The number of official holidays is ten days per year.  Except as otherwise decided by the Assistant Director-General Business Operations (ADG/BOS) for Headquarters and Regional Director for Regional and Country Offices¹:

1. eight days will be fixed following, as far as practicable, the most commonly observed holidays in the locality concerned, after consultation where possible with the staff representatives;
2. two remaining days will be taken at the discretion of individual staff members, bearing in mind the need to balance the exigencies of the service and the personal needs of the individual staff member.

20    In the case of staff members who separate from the Organization during the calendar year, discretionary days(s) are granted as follows: one discretionary day within the calendar year provided that they have completed at least 4 months of uninterrupted service; two discretionary days within the calendar year, provided that the staff member has completed at least 8 months of uninterrupted service at the time they wish to exercise the second discretionary day.

30    Discretionary days cannot be carried over into the following year. In the event of separation from the Organization, if this leave is not taken, it will not be monetarily compensated. The method for establishing the two discretionary days may be determined on a regional office basis.

40    If an official holiday should fall within an important conference period or on a non-working day, ADG/BOS for Headquarters, Regional Director for Regional and Country Offices may, at their discretion, declare an alternative day an official holiday. The dates of the holidays are fixed normally in September or October of the preceding year, particularly those that vary or need to be changed because of conference requirements. When possible, staff representatives are consulted in advance. In certain circumstances staff working on official holidays may instead be granted compensatory leave. 

50    Staff members who work on an official holiday of the duty station, including those on duty travel, may be granted compensatory leave.

60    No leave is granted in compensation for travel performed or rest stop-overs taken during official holidays.

70    If a staff member works up to and including the last working day of a month ending with a weekend or an official holiday, the effective date of separation is the end of the month, unless the travel time continues beyond the end of the month.

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¹Delegation of authority from Director-General effective 1 January 2021

80    The following provisions will apply to staff members on temporary appointments:

a) Staff members on temporary appointments of one year or longer

90    Staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer are entitled to official holidays under the same terms and conditions as fixed-term staff.

100    As regards the entitlement to discretionary days, temporary staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer, will be entitled to two (2) discretionary days within a calendar year. For periods of service not covering a full calendar year, the staff member will be entitled to one (1) discretionary day upon having completed at least four (4) months of service, and to an additional one (1) discretionary day, upon having completed at least eight (8) months of service in a calendar year.

b) Staff member on temporary appointments of less than one (1) year

110    Staff Rule 620 provides for ten (10) official holidays to be observed per year as follows:

1. eight (8) days are fixed following, as far as practicable, the most commonly observed holidays in the locality concerned.
2. two (2) days to be taken at the discretion of individual staff members, bearing in mind the need to balance the exigencies of the service and the personal needs of the individual staff members.

120    Staff members on temporary appointments of less than one (1) year are entitled to the fixed official holidays falling within the period of their appointment. Staff members on temporary appointments of less than six (6) months are entitled to one (1) discretionary day within the calendar year provided that they have completed at least five (5) months of uninterrupted service. Temporary staff members on temporary appointments of six (6) months or more but less than one (1) year, are entitled to two (2) discretionary days within the calendar year provided that they have completed at least eight (8) months of uninterrupted service at the time they wish to exercise the second discretionary. In the event of separation from the Organization, such leave if not taken will not be monetarily compensated. 

130    If an official holiday should fall within Governing Body meetings or on a non-working day, the Assistant Director-General Business Operations (ADG/BOS) for Headquarters and Regional Director for Regional and Country Offices may, at their discretion, declare an alternative day an official holiday.

140    Staff members who work on an official holiday of the duty station to which they are assigned, including those on duty travel, may be granted compensatory leave.

150    No leave will be granted in compensation for travel performed or for rest stop-overs taken during week-ends or official holidays.

160    If a staff member works up to and inclusive of the last working day of a month ending with a weekend or an official holiday, the effective date of separation will be the end of the month, unless the travel time continues beyond the end of the month. Travel time should be taken into account when determining the duration of the appointment.

c) Upon the extension of an initial temporary appointment of less than one (1) year resulting in an uninterrupted period of service of one (1) year or longer

170    Upon the extension of an initial temporary appointment of less than one (1) year resulting in an uninterrupted period of service one (1) year or longer, the staff member will be entitled to official holidays under the same terms and conditions as fixed-term staff.

180    As regards the entitlement to discretionary days, the following will apply:

1. If the extension results in uninterrupted period of service of one (1) full calendar year, the staff member will be entitled to two (2) discretionary days within the calendar year.
2. If the extension results in uninterrupted period of service of more than one (1) full calendar year but less than two (2) , for the period of service not covering a full calendar year, the staff member will be entitled to one (1) discretionary day upon having completed at least four (4) months, and to an additional one (1) discretionary day upon having completed at least eight (8) months of service in a calendar year.
3. If the extension results in uninterrupted period of service spanning two (2) full calendar years, the staff member will be entitled to two (2) discretionary days in each calendar year.