III.8.2 Travel of spouse and children

 

• One-way travels​
• Round trip travels
• Travel of new spouse after initial appointment of the staff member to the duty station
• Travel of new child(ren) after arrival of the staff member to the duty station
• Repatriation travel and shipment entitlement of a former spouse 

 One-way travels

10    Family members recognized as eligible for purposes of travel at the Organization's expense are a spouse, a child meeting the definition of dependency in Staff Rule 310.5.2 including a child of the staff member, an adopted child and a step-child who resides with the staff member at the duty station.  In accordance with the provisions of Staff Rule 820 one way travel for eligible family members includes travel on: 

• appointment by the staff member as defined in Staff Rules 820.2.1, 820.2.2;
• change of duty station as defined in Staff Rules 820.2.3; and
• separation from service as defined in Staff Rules 820.2.7; and
• for eligible children with an entitlement to the education grant as defined in Staff Rules 820.2.5.1 and  820.2.5.5.

Round trip travels

20    In accordance with Staff Rule 820.2, round trip travel for eligible family members includes travel on:

• home leave as defined in Staff Rules 820.2.4 and 820.25.4; and
• education grant as defined in Staff Rule 820.2.5.2 and eManual III.8.4.
• spouse visit travel in accordance with Staff Rule 820.2.6 for the spouse to visit the staff member when the spouse has not joined the staff member at the duty station.

30    The mode of travel is normally by air by the most direct, fastest and most economical route.  Under these provisions, a one-way least expensive economy class ticket or round trip ticket on the most direct route, for eligible family members will be provided.  Any supplement that may be payable over and above the authorized air fare level for higher standard flight accommodation, purchase of a round trip, personal deviation is the personal responsibility of the staff member.

40    WHO liability is limited to the cost of such air fares up to a maximum of the cost of the one-way or round trip air ticket, as appropriate, that would normally be provided.  The cost of any expenses for air fares above that level being the responsibility of the traveller.

Travel of new spouse after initial appointment of the staff member to the duty station

50    The travel of a new spouse of an internationally recruited staff member to the duty station may be authorized, together with the applicable related unaccompanied shipment entitlement, provided that:

1. the marriage took place outside the area of the duty station, and the staff member's fiancé(e) was not residing at the duty station prior to the marriage;
2. the staff member is expected to remain in service at the duty station for at least six months after the spouse's arrival at the duty station;
3. the spouse remains at the duty station for at least six months after arrival;
4. the expenses borne by WHO will be limited to the cost of travel between the staff member's recognized place of residence and duty station;
5. travel of a former spouse had not been authorized to that same duty station.

60    No settling-in grant or per diem shall be paid for any new family member, after arrival of the staff member at the duty station.

Travel of new child(ren) after arrival of the staff member to the duty station

70    No travel or related installation expenses will be payable for a newborn child, an adopted child, or a new step child to join the staff member at the duty station under Staff Rule 820.2.2 or 820.2.3 when the staff member and his/her spouse have travelled to, and have been installed at the duty station.  Where the newborn or newly adopted child travel to the duty station for the first time in conjunction with the staff member's return travel from home leave, the staff member may claim the travel of the child to the duty station under the home leave entitlement provided the new child is expected to remain at the duty station for a minimum of six months.  There is no entitlement for a step-child to travel under the home leave entitlement until after joining the duty station and being recognized as a dependant for entitlement purposes.

Repatriation travel and shipment entitlement of a former spouse

80    WHO will pay for the repatriation travel and relocation shipment of the recognized spouse of an internationally recruited staff member leaving the duty station due to divorce/legal separation provided that the following conditions are met:

1. The former spouse was installed at the duty station at the expense of WHO;
2. The staff member served at least one year of continuous service at the duty station.

90    Travel will be authorized up to cost of duty station and staff member's recognized place of residence.   

100    WHO will also pay for the relocation shipment of the former spouse or the lump sum relocation grant in lieu of actual shipment as per established entitlements for the recognized spouse (see section III.8.6 on relocation shipment). Staff members requesting for and receiving the lump sum relocation grant for the departing spouse will be considered to have exercised their entitlement to the lump sum relocation grant for the family for that assignment.  The staff member will therefore only receive the lump sum at single rate when leaving the duty station regardless of whether they are travelling with dependent children.   

110    No other travel and shipment entitlement will exist for another spouse as long as the staff member is serving in the same duty station where the former spouse was installed and from where the spouse repatriated.

120    If eligible as advised by the HR Administrator, Global Human Resources (GHR) the staff member may opt for a lump sum in lieu of one way or round trip travels – see III.8.7.

• Staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer
• Staff members on temporary appointments of less than one (1) year
• Upon the extension of an initial appointment of less than one (1) year resulting in an uninterrupted period of service one (1) year or longer
• Travel of new spouse after initial appointment of the staff member to the duty station
• Travel of new child(ren) after arrival of the staff member to the duty station
• Repatriation travel and shipment entitlement of a former spouse

Staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer:

130    A staff member on a temporary appointment of one (1) year or longer will be eligible for payment of travel expenses for his spouse and child(ren) at the Organization's expense on appointment, subsequent to appointment  and  on separation under the same terms and conditions as staff members on fixed-term appointments.

140    On appointment, or subsequent to appointment, the requirement for a minimum stay of the family members at the duty station after arrival is six months.  The staff member's contract must also be valid for six (6) months from when the family member(s) are expected to arrive at the duty station.

150    Internationally-recruited professional staff members on temporary appointments are eligible for home leave travel for their eligible family members subject to the requirements of Staff Rule 820.4 and 820.5.4 under the same terms and conditions as fixed term appointments. See III.6.13.

160    Staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer are eligible for home leave travel as follows:

1. If the staff member is assigned to a twelve (12) month duty station, he/she is eligible to exercise home leave travel provided that he/she meets the qualifying service (twelve (12) months of uninterrupted at the duty station) and that his/her appointment is expected to continue on an uninterrupted basis for six (6) months beyond the date of return from home leave or six (6) months beyond the date of eligibility whichever is later. Staff members assigned to a twelve (12) month duty station may only exercise one (1) home leave travel in an uninterrupted period of service of twenty-four (24) months. Upon completion of an uninterrupted period of service of two (2) years on a temporary appointment at the duty station, repatriation travel would be authorized.
2. If the staff member is assigned to a twenty-four (24) month duty station, he/she is not eligible to exercise home leave travel as given the maximum duration of service on temporary contracts, their service would not be expected to continue for six (6) months beyond the expected date of return from home leave. In this case, repatriation travel would be authorized.

170    Education grant travel entitlements under Staff Rule 820.2.5 are due if in any school year, the staff member's period of employment with the Organization and the period of the child's attendance at the educational institution outside commuting distance of the official station are each not less than two-thirds of the school year, except if the staff member dies while in service after the beginning of the school year as provided for in Staff Rule 350.5. 

180    Temporary staff members whose recognized spouse has not joined them under Staff Rules 820.2.1, 820.2.2 or 820.2.3 may be entitled to return travel to visit the staff member at the duty station in accordance with Staff Rule 820.2.6, under the same terms and conditions as a spouse of a fixed term staff member.  The duration of the stay should not be less than seven days excluding travel time.  For more details see III.8.5.

Staff members on temporary appointments of less than one (1) year:

190    There is no entitlement to any travel of family members when the staff member's temporary appointment duration is of less than one (1) year.

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

200    The provisions for staff members on temporary appointments of one (1) year or longer will apply (see above). As from the effective date of the extension of a temporary appointment of less than one (1) year resulting in an uninterrupted period of service of one (1) year or longer, WHO will pay for the travel expenses of the staff member's spouse and dependent children under the same terms and conditions applicable to staff members on temporary appointments of one year or longer (see above). 

210    Upon the extension of an initial temporary appointment of less than one (1) year resulting in an uninterrupted period of one (1) year or longer, the staff member's eligible family members will be eligible to exercise home leave travel in accordance with the provisions applicable to temporary staff members whose initial temporary appointment is of one (1) year or longer (see above). The effective date of accrual of credit points will be determined with reference to the first day of the appointment.

Travel of new spouse after initial appointment of the staff member to the duty station

220    The same conditions which apply to fixed term staff members apply to temporary staff members' new spouse.

Travel of new child(ren) after arrival of the staff member to the duty station

230    The same terms and conditions which apply to fixed term staff members' new child(ren) also apply to temporary staff members whose appointment duration is at least one year or longer in duration.

Repatriation travel and shipment entitlement of a former spouse

240    The same terms and conditions which apply to fixed term staff members also apply to temporary staff members when a recognized spouse who has travelled and been installed at the duty station leaves the duty station prior to the staff member due to divorce, dissolution of domestic partnership or legal separation.