10 Staff members are offered the following forms of protection against the
financial consequences of accident or illness::
- compensation for a death, injury or illness attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of the World Health Organization"
- if they are staff members on fixed-term or continuing appointments or staff members on temporary appointments other than staff members on temporary appointments of 60 days or less and paid on a daily basis, assistance with the payment of medical expenses incurred by themselves and their insured dependants, through the Staff Health Insurance [see, III.7.4 Staff Health Insurance and SHI Rules];
- if they are staff members on temporary appointments of 60 days or less and paid on a daily basis, assistance with the payment of medical expenses incurred by themselves only, through the Staff Health Insurance [see III.7.4 Staff Health Insurance];
- insurance coverage through Organization accident insurance policies against the risk of death or permanent disablement, either partial or total [see III.20 Annex 7.C];
- if they are staff members on fixed-term or continuing appointments, voluntary participation in the Voluntary Group Life Insurance plan [see, III.7.5 Voluntary Group Life Insurance].
20 In the settlement of financial transactions or claims, conversions of
currencies are made in accordance with the prevailing rate of exchange in use
by the World Health Organization.
Organization personal accident and illness insurance
30 In accordance with Staff Rule 720.2, staff members are insured against the risk of death or permanent disability to the extent laid down in the policy reproduced in III.20 Annex 7.C.
40 Only staff members and not their dependants are covered by this
insurance. The premium is 0.42% of the net salary plus, as appropriate, post
adjustment, non-resident's allowance, dependant's allowance, settling-in
grant and language allowance, of which 0.14% is paid by the staff member and 0.28%
by the Organization.
50 The contributions of participating staff members are deducted from their salary in accordance with Staff Rule 380.5. The Head, Global Insurance Risk Management (IRM) at headquarters maintains the necessary financial and accounting records relating to these contributions.
60 Contributions during a period of special leave without pay are due in one lump
sum in advance. Non-payment of contributions cancels the right to participate
in the accident insurance scheme. Proof of payment of contributions must be
addressed to the Head, Global Insurance Risk Management (IRM) at
headquarters.
70 Benefits due from this insurance:
- may be advanced to the staff member by the Organization if the
entitlement has been established;
- are credited to the Special Fund for Compensation if an accident or illness has been declared service-incurred [see paragraphs 130 to 150 below].
80 The final benefit (or balance after the immediately preceding provisions
have been complied with) is paid, in order of priority, to:
- the staff member;
- the surviving spouse and any dependent orphan children (or to their legal guardian), all such persons sharing the benefits equally; for the purpose of this provision, an orphan child is defined as a child bereft of one or both parent(s);
- the late staff member's estate.
90 The Head, Global Insurance Risk Management (IRM) requires to be notified
by the Organization as soon as possible but in any case within three calendar
months of the date of an incident resulting in death or permanent disablement.
The accidental death of a staff member must be reported immediately.
100 Accidents or illnesses that are likely to result in a claim must be reported by supervisors to the relevant office. That office notifies the Head, Global Insurance Risk Management (IRM) at headquarters who from then on follows the development of the case [see also III.6.9].
110 The staff member is sent a copy of form WHO 418 for completion by their physician, who should return it to Staff Health and Wellbeing (SHW) or to the regional staff physician.
Compensation for recognized service-incurred death, injury or illness
120 In accordance with the provisions of Staff Rule 730, the Director-General has established rules governing the payment of compensation for service-incurred death, injury or illness. The full text of these rules appears in III.20 Annex 7.E.
130 The Director-General has established a Special Fund for Compensation to service the payment of periodic benefits awarded under the compensation rules. This Special Fund is funded by:
- transfers of funds from the budgetary provisions from which the staff member's salary was being paid or from the benefits received under the Organization accident and illness insurance policy for death and total permanent disability;
- interest received on investments;
- residual balances remaining after the discontinuation of payment of periodic benefits. (A certificate testifying that the beneficiary is alive is requested at the end of each year; when no such certificate is submitted, payment is discontinued. When a beneficiary cannot be traced over a period of five years, the benefit is forfeited at the end of the five-year period).
140 At the end of each financial period the Organization will perform an evaluation of the level of the accrued liability in accordance with IPSAS 39 on Employee Benefits. The use of an actuary is encouraged by the IPSAS standard as the calculation of the present value of the defined benefit obligations is quite complex. Any surplus or deficit for the period will need to be recorded in the Statement of Financial Performance. Any substantial shortage in the account is reported by the Comptroller to the ADG/BOS for consideration of whether additional budgetary provision should be made available.
150 All other benefits and expenses payable for travel, medical examinations and reports relating to a claim are normally also chargeable to the budgetary provisions from which the staff member's salary was being paid.
