10 Staff Rule
1050.2 and
1050.3 provides that reasonable efforts shall be made to reassigning staff members whose posts have been abolished under Staff Rule
1050 or will come to an end under Staff Rule
1040.
20 Staff members who fulfil the following criteria on the date official notification of the decision to abolish the post is received, or on the date the staff member’s appointment will come to an end under Staff Rule 1040 shall qualify for the reassignment process:
- staff members with a continuing appointment as defined in Staff Rule 420.2;
- staff members holding a fixed-term appointment on 1 February 2013 who have completed at least five years of continuous and uninterrupted fixed-term service with the Organization, provided that this period of continuous and uninterrupted fixed-term certified satisfactory service began before 1 February 2013;
- staff members not holding a fixed-term appointment on 1 February 2013 who have completed at least ten years of continuous and uninterrupted fixed-term certified satisfactory service with the Organization; and
- staff members whose fixed-term appointment will come to an end pursuant to Staff Rule 1040 and who have completed at least ten years of continuous and uninterrupted fixed-term certified satisfactory service with the Organization.
30 Staff on secondment to the Organization are not eligible to participate in the reassignment process.
40 The decision to reassign the staff member concerned to another position will be taken by:
- the Director-General for all staff members occupying positions at grades above P.5 and WHO Representatives;
- Assistant Directors-General for Headquarters staff members occupying positions at grades up to the P.5 level; and
- Regional Directors for staff members in the regions occupying positions up to P.6/D.1 level, except for WHO Representatives.
50 If, for programmatic, budgetary or financial reasons, it is necessary to abolish an occupied position, the Director-General/Regional Director decides upon the request to abolish a position further to paragraph 60 on the
Establishment and abolition of longer-term positions.
60 When a decision is taken to abolish an occupied position, the Director-General may consider special provisions including training, early retirement or other measures in addition to the reassignment process to encourage staff to leave the service of the Organization.
70 Upon the decision of the Director-General/Regional Director to abolish a specific position, the Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP)/Regional Human Resources Manager (RHRM) notifies the staff member in writing of the decision to abolish their position and advises them of their rights and obligations and of the procedures that will be followed. Such notification will be uploaded to the staff member's personnel records.
80 The reassignment process begins upon the receipt by the staff member of the official notification of the decision to abolish the position he occupies.
90 A reassignment process shall be conducted by a reassignment committee as follows:
- the global reassignment committee considers reassignment possibilities for staff members in the professional and higher category and local reassignment committees consider reassignment possibilities for staff members in the general service and national professional officers categories at Headquarters or in the relevant region;
- the global reassignment committee is composed of seven members and eight alternates appointed for a two year period, having equal votes as follows (i) a chair and two alternates appointed by the Director-General after consultation with staff representatives at Headquarters and in the regions; (ii) three members and three alternates appointed by the Director after consultation with the Regional Directors, including two members and two alternates with extensive regional/country experience; and (iii) three members and three alternates nominated by the Staff Associations and appointed by the Director-General.
100 A HR Officer appointed by Director, Human Resources and Talent Management (HRT), shall serve as secretary to the global reassignment committee; the RHRM, appointed by the Regional Director, shall act as the resource person at the regional/country level to provide assistance and liaise with the global reassignment committee as necessary.
110 The chair of the global reassignment committee, in consultation with the secretary shall draw up a list of three committee members (chair, one member/alternate from the group appointed by the Director-General, and one member/alternate from the group nominated by the Staff Association) according to their availability, to consider a particular case.
120 At Headquarters the local reassignment committee is composed of seven members and eight alternates appointed for a two-year period, having equal votes as follows:
- a chair and two alternates appointed by the Director-General after consultation with the Headquarters Staff Association;
- three members and three alternates appointed by the Director-General; and
- three members and three alternates nominated by the Headquarters Staff Association and appointed by the Director-General.
130 A HR Officer appointed by Director, HRT shall serve as secretary to the Headquarters local reassignment committee.
140 The chair of the Headquarters local reassignment committee, in consultation with the secretary shall draw up a list of three committee members (chair, one member/alternate from the group appointed by the Director-General, and one member/alternate from the group nominated by the Staff Association) according to their availability, to consider a particular case.
150 Similarly, local reassignment committees are established by the Regional Director, in consultation with the Director-General, following the same general format as the Headquarters local reassignment committee, but adjusted as necessary to reflect regional needs. The RHRM shall serve as secretary to the local reassignment committee of the relevant region.
160 During the reassignment period, the relevant reassignment committee shall seek to identify and pursue all reasonable reassignment options. Throughout the reassignment process, the paramount consideration is the need to secure the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity with due regard given to the performance, qualifications and experience of the staff member concerned.
170 Each staff member is considered in accordance with the procedure described below either in the Organization as a whole (if the position abolished is subject to international recruitment) or for those posts available in the relevant commuting area (if the position abolished is subject to local recruitment).
180 A list is first drawn up by the relevant reassignment committee, with input from HRBP/RHRM as follows:
- all current and expected vacancies that are to occur in the Organization as a whole or at the local level during the reassignment period, that are at the same grade or one grade lower and in the same occupational group as the position of the staff member whose position is abolished;
- all current and expected vacancies that are to occur in the Organization as a whole or at the local level during the reassignment period, that are at the same grade or one grade lower and in another occupational group or groups. In such cases the reassignment committee should consider whether the staff member has the requisite qualifications and experience to perform the functions of a position in another occupational group or groups or has existing qualifications which could be enhanced by training so as to perform the functions of a position in another occupational group or groups.
- the reassignment committee assesses the staff member's qualifications and experience against the requirements of the relevant vacant posts.
- if a staff member is unsuited for a particular position, by reason of failure to meet the health standard required or to fulfil the language or any other requirements specified as essential qualifications for the position, that position is removed from the list.
190 In order to take into consideration the maximum number of positions in the reassignment process, any selections for positions at the same grade or one grade lower, for which the staff member under consideration for reassignment is qualified, are normally suspended at the request of the Chair of the Reassignment Committee, provided a selection recommendation has not already been sent to the approving authority. Normally, the suspension should be for a period of no more than two months.
200 If the reassignment committee identifies a position of the same grade or one grade lower for which the staff member is qualified and if the staff member has a satisfactory performance record, the reassignment committee, following consultation with the first level supervisor of the position in question, recommends to the Director-General (or the Regional Director for positions subject to local recruitment) the direct reassignment of the staff member to the position. The Director-General would, for positions subject to international recruitment in a region for which delegated selection authority exists, consult the Regional Director prior to making a decision. If the Director-General/Regional Director accepts this recommendation, the position will be offered to the staff member and any previously issued vacancy notice shall be cancelled and any on-going selection process shall be terminated.
210 In the event of a resumption of the selection process, should the direct reassignment not be approved, and if the staff member whose position has been abolished has applied for the vacancy notice, due preference shall be given to that staff member during the reassignment period respecting Staff Rule
1050.5. If assessed by the selection panel as meeting the essential requirements of the position, due preference requires that the staff member is included in any testing or interview, or is interviewed if no preliminary tests are being conducted. The secretary of the reassignment committee informs the HRBP/RHRM, as secretary of the relevant selection panel, accordingly. The selection process should then proceed without further delay.
220 A staff member reassigned to a vacant position at one grade lower than that of the abolished position, may maintain their current grade on a personal basis.
230 If a staff member declines an offer, final action is taken to terminate their appointment in accordance with Staff Rule
1050.8.
240 A staff member whose position has been abolished and who wishes to be considered for positions at a higher grade must apply and compete with other applicants in accordance with established selection procedures with due preference given to them during the reassignment period respecting of Staff Rule 1050.4. If assessed by the selection panel as meeting the essential requirements of the position, due preference requires that the staff member is included in any testing or interview, or is interviewed if no preliminary tests are being conducted. The secretary of the reassignment committee informs the HRBP/RHRM, as secretary of the relevant selection panel, accordingly.
250 The reassignment committee shall review the case of each staff member still remaining under consideration for reassignment no later than one month prior to the end of the six-month reassignment period. The reassignment committee shall prepare a report on the actions taken and the outcome of the reassignment process in respect of each staff member, which shall be submitted to the Director-General/Regional Director for decision.
260 If no reassignment decision has been taken during the reassignment period, the reassignment committee informs the Director-General/Regional Director that the committee is satisfied that all reasonable reassignment options have been exhausted.
270 Alternatively, the reassignment committee may recommend to the Director-General/Regional Director that the reassignment period be exceptionally extended for up to an additional six months, if (i) no offer has been made during the initial six month reassignment period and vacancies for which the staff member would be qualified are to occur shortly due to, for example, resignation, establishment of new position or other exceptional reasons, or (ii) due to circumstances beyond its control, the reassignment committee has not been able to fulfil its mandate within the initial six-month reassignment period. The decision on whether to extend the reassignment period will be taken by the Director-General/Regional Director.
280 In accordance with Staff Rule 1050.7, training options recommended by the reassignment committee may take place within the six month reassignment period if it is considered that a staff member would benefit from the enhancement of specific existing qualifications in the context of this exercise.
290 In case of direct reassignment, any previously issued vacancy announcement is cancelled.
300 A staff member who has not been placed during the reassignment period will be served by the HRBP/RHRM with notice of termination, in accordance with Staff Rule 1050.9.
310 The HRBP/RHRM concerned will initiate the separation action attaching all the related documentation. On receipt of the separation action, the HR Administrator, GSC provides the staff member with all information concerning the separation and undertakes the appropriate administrative action.
320 Staff members whose appointments are terminated in the context of the reassignment process, whose service has been satisfactory and who wish to be considered for vacancies during the twelve months after their separation, are considered for vacancies for which they are qualified in preference to equally qualified external candidates.
330 Staff re-employed within one year of the termination of their appointment may be reinstated at the option of the Organization, in accordance with the provisions of Staff Rule
470. In such cases, in accordance with
470.1, they shall have restored to them the status which they held upon termination, and the intervening absence shall be charged to annual and special leave without pay as necessary. They shall refund to the Organization all separation payments made to them.
