III.6.8 Leave reporting and recording

 

• Purpose
• General rules on leave reporting and recording
• Roles and responsibilities
• Staff member
• Supervisor
• Leave Administrator
• HR Leave Specialist
• Requesting leave
• Staff members without access to the online system
• Unexpected absence
• Returning from leave
• Correcting leave
• Leave approval
• Annual leave verification exercise
• Verification of leave records prior to separation
• Taking leave prior to separation
• Effective date

Purpose

10    The purpose of these provisions is to outline the general rules on approval, reporting and recording of leave as provided for in Staff Rule 670. These provisions also define the roles and responsibilities of staff members, approvers and leave administrators in leave recording. Proper approval and leave recording is necessary to ensure fair and equitable use of leave and to avoid financial loss for the Organization.

General rules on leave reporting and recording

20    In accordance with Staff Rule 670, staff members are responsible for ensuring that absence from work is requested and approved in advance by the authorized official and/or promptly reported and recorded correctly. See Requesting leave below.

30    All requests for absences and amendment of those absences when a change occurs, must be submitted through the on-line leave system for approval by the authorized authority. See Leave approval table below.

40    All leave records are retained in the on-line system for each staff member.

50    Mandatory supporting documents required for approval of certain leave types (e.g. certified sick leave, maternity and parental leaves, rest and recuperation, special leave with or without pay, etc.) are retained in the Organization’s record management system. Director, Human Resources and Talent Management (HRT) establishes relevant confidentiality and access rules for staff members and authorized users to upload and/or view such documents.

60    Staff member’s accrued leave balances shall be available in the online system, e.g. annual leave, discretionary days, uncertified sick leave, compensatory leave and home leave due date as applicable.

Roles and responsibilities

Staff member

70    The staff member is accountable and responsible for ensuring correctness of their leave records.

80    Staff members are responsible for:

1. ensuring all absences are promptly and correctly recorded in accordance with Staff Rule 670;
2. initiating, amending, cancelling their own leave requests;
3. informing the Supervisor of unexpected absence within 4 hours of the start of the work day, if it is possible to do so;
4. adhering to administrative instructions on leave updating and the annual leave verification; and
5. raising any issues with the Leave Administrator and cooperate as necessary with the Leave Administrator to seek resolution.

Supervisor

90    Supervisors are responsible for ensuring:

1.  their team’s leave records are accurate;
2. where the Supervisor is a Team Lead or Director, designation of a staff member as Leave Administrator and a second staff member to act as alternate in case of absence;
3. approval or other action is taken promptly on leave requests in the online system while taking into consideration exigencies of service and staff member’s personal, family and wellbeing needs;
4. designating an acting leave approver in case of the Supervisor’s absence;
5. when notified of a staff member’s unexpected absence, ensuring that action is taken to record the leave either by the staff member or the Leave Administrator;
6. the Leave Administrator is informed of all unexpected staff absences;
7. consultations are promptly held as necessary with a staff member and the Leave Administrator to resolve issues with respect to leave administration and leave records;
8. liaising with the Human Resources Business Partner (HBP) for the division (HQ)/Regional HR Officer (RHRO) in case of unresolved entitlement or other issues.

Leave Administrator

100    A Leave Administrator and an alternate are appointed in each team by the respective Team Lead or Department Director. Division Management Officers (MO) or Regional HR Managers (RHRM) approve the request for access role to the online system for leave administrators. When reviewing requests for such access, the approver ensures the staff delegated to assume such a role have the adequate experience and training in the online leave system and in leave management. A Leave Administrator should normally be designated to monitor the leave of no more than 15 staff members.

110    Leave Administrator responsibilities include:

1. providing basic advice and guidance on leave to staff;
2. monitoring correctness of staff leave records;
3. entering absences on behalf of staff members as appropriate (i.e. in absence of the staff member or where staff members do not have access to the online system);
4. informing a Supervisor of unexplained or unrecorded absences;
5. reviewing basic leave issues with staff members and, if necessary, reporting leave recording issues or anomalies to the global online support service;
6. where issues are complex, raising the issue with the HRBP or RHRM;
7. verifying leave records and balances on appointment, inter-agency transfer, reassignment, separation;
8. ensuring all leave is confirmed prior to signing-off on clearance certificates.

HR Leave Specialist

120    Human Resources Leave Specialist (HRLS) is a specialist online role granted to division and regional HR staff only. The HRLS role allows oversight on all staff members’ absences in the division/region, access to extract reports, allows approval of maternity leave requests and submission of special leave requests on behalf of staff members.

130    The HRLS role and responsibilities include:

1.  supporting Leave Administrators and providing advice on leave entitlements as per the leave policies;
2. reviewing and approving maternity leave requests and briefing staff on their entitlements;
3. providing advice to staff members and approvers on procedure for special leave without pay (SLWOP) requests, and submitting the request in the online system upon approval;
4. monitoring return to work after maternity or parental leave and SLWOP and ensuring leave records are correct;
5. taking action if the staff member does not return to duty after Special leave and SLWOP on the agreed date set in the special leave conditions;
6. undertaking monitoring including but not limited to the annual leave verification exercise.

Requesting leave

140    Staff members are responsible for ensuring their leave is requested and approved in advance of the first day of absence in the online leave system.

150    When a staff member cannot submit a leave request, e.g. due to unforeseen circumstances or no access to the online system, an authorized Leave Administrator or a Human Resources Leave Specialist (HRLS) for the division/region may submit the request/s on behalf of the staff member. See Roles and Responsibilities above.

Staff members without access to the online system

160    For staff members who do not have access to the online system, the Leave Administrator for the team/department shall be responsible for monitoring absences, submitting and updating leave requests and assisting with administrative instructions and verification exercises on behalf of such staff members. The Head of WHO country office or outposted offices, in cooperation with the Director, Business Operations (DAF) for the region, shall ensure that these mechanisms are established and communicated to the concerned staff members and they are informed of who and how to notify when they plan or take any leave.

Unexpected absence

170    Staff Rule 610.3 requires that a staff member who is unable to report for duty on a work day will notify the Supervisor within four (4) hours after the beginning of the work day if it is possible to do so. Failure to give such notification without proper justification may result in disciplinary action being taken. Notification of unexpected absence may be made by phone or email to the Supervisor.

180    Unexpected absence requests, normally for health reasons or unplanned personal or family emergencies may be submitted as uncertified sick leave for health reasons or family emergency or certified sick leave, as appropriate. See eManual sections on III.6.11 Uncertified sick leave, III.6.12 Family emergency leave and III.6.9 Certified sick leave.

Returning from leave

190    On return to duty from leave staff members must ensure that their leave records correctly reflect the actual absence. Where the leave dates taken differ from the leave requested, the staff member must amend the leave dates to reflect the actual absence.

Correcting leave

200    Within 14 days after the end of an approved or unexpected leave, the leave records must reflect the leave taken. No amendment of an approved leave shall be normally permitted more than 14 days after the leave end date unless the staff member provides proper justification. In such exceptional cases, the Leave Administrator shall seek the agreement of the Supervisor after verifying the staff member’s request and raise a request for correction through the Global Service portal.

Leave approval

210    Requests for leave are approved as set out in the following table. For more information please see the policy on the specific leave type in III.6 of the eManual.

Annual leave verification exercise

220    The purpose of the annual leave verification exercise is to ensure compliance with the Staff Rules and the WHO eManual policies on leave as set out in III.6 Leave and Absence. Staff members shall be required to verify their leave records and make a declaration that they are correct and complete.

230    In preparation for the exercise, in September and November of each calendar year the GHR Administrator informs all staff members via the online system to verify the correctness of their online leave records and take corrective measures as necessary. Staff members are reminded that no more than 15 days of annual leave accrued in a given year shall normally be carried forward to the next calendar year and not more than 60 days of accumulated annual leave shall be carried forward beyond 31 December of each calendar year. See III.6.2 Annual leave – Carry forward of annual leave at end of year.

240    In the first quarter of the calendar year, staff members shall be informed that the annual leave verification exercise is starting and be requested to review their prior calendar year online leave records for correctness in preparation for the exercise.

250    Staff members are responsible for completing the verification exercise within the time-limit set. They shall receive a notification through the online leave system when the leave verification exercise commences with instructions on how to proceed with the submission of their individual online declaration. A reminder and final reminder before the exercise closes shall be sent to those staff who have not submitted their declaration. Once the verification exercise closes, cases of staff who have not complied within the time frame shall be reviewed with respect to disciplinary or non-disciplinary measures in accordance with Staff Rule 1110, 1112 or 1115.

260 During the verification exercise, Supervisors will also receive a notification informing them of reminders sent to staff who have not yet submitted their declaration. Supervisors shall be responsible for ensuring that staff members in their units/departments have formally submitted all annual leave taken during the review year and that they have either approved or rejected such submissions. Supervisors should encourage their staff to complete the verification exercise within the time-limit set.

270    Leave Administrators shall assist staff members within their teams during the leave verification process.

280    The HRLS for the division/region may be requested to assist to seek resolution of unresolved leave issues. They shall have access to run reports to monitor the process and take action with departments to ensure compliance.

290    After the verification exercise closes, the HRLS for the division/region receives a list of staff members who have not complied within the time-limit. The HRLS shall provide information on action taken to assist the staff member, background and special circumstances to the MO for the Division or the RHRM for the regional office. The MO/RHRM makes a recommendation to the Assistant Director General of the Division (HQ) or Director, Business Operations (DAF) in the regions to justify appropriate administrative action. If the ADG or DAF consider appropriate the staff member may be subject to disciplinary measures or a non-disciplinary reprimand in accordance with Staff Rules 1110 or 1115 respectively. Staff Rule 1112 may also apply where misconduct has resulted in the Organization suffering a financial loss.

Verification of leave records prior to separation

300    When the appointment of a staff member is terminated, no final payment can be made until the leave records are confirmed and the local clearance process is completed by the Leave Administrator.

310    The leave records of staff members attached to a Headquarters or regional office but serving elsewhere in country or field offices will have their leave records verified by their designated Leave Administrator for the office where they are assigned.

320    The GHR Administrator shall inform separating staff members in the separation letter that they must submit their Leave Verification declaration prior to separation or, if taking leave, prior to departure on such leave. The staff member must submit the leave verification declaration and confirm this has been done in the local clearance certificate.

Taking leave prior to separation

330    Staff members separating from the Organization may request and be permitted to take all or part of their accrued annual leave prior to separation including any other leave they have accrued up to the separation date. See III.6.2 Annual leave and separation.

340    The staff member is responsible for completing clearance processes before departing on leave including the confirmation of all leave taken, including that requested prior to separation. Non-completion of the clearance processes may result in delayed final payments. The last month of salary of separating staff is withheld for this purpose and shall only be released when clearances are completed. See III.10.18 Separation procedures.

Effective date

350    This policy and these procedures are updated and enter into force for all staff members on fixed-term and continuing appointments effective 1 August 2021.

360    Staff members on temporary appointments are subject to the same rules, requirements and procedures.

370    Temporary staff members in service during the period for which the annual leave verification exercise is run, shall complete the exercise for the duration of their temporary appointment during that period.