Introductory note. This chapter deals with the overall subject of conditions of service of staff assigned to field duty stations, and with the scheme for the classification of duty stations according to conditions of life and work. Other aspects of conditions of service in the field are covered under the relevant subject headings e.g. medical examinations (section 8.1), medical evacuation (section 4.3, para. (29)), security arrangements (section 11.2), housing (section 14.4), etc.

(1)     At its special session No. 1 (January 1976: CO-ORDINATION/R.1133, para. 5 and Add. 4), CCAQ agreed on a draft ACC text for ICSC (later cleared by correspondence) on conditions of service for staff in the field. It raised the question of some non-financial improvements as well as selective financial recognition of certain problems, through housing subsidies, rest and recuperation leave and the assignment allowance.

(2)     At its 5th session (February-March 1977), ICSC established a framework for a study of the conditions of service of staff in the field (particularly in small offices or attached to projects) "to identify what changes, if any, should be made in the existing conditions of service... in order to enhance the quality of their performance" (A/32/30, paras. 214-217; ICSC/R.77, paras. 146-148).

(3)     In its fourth annual report to the General Assembly (UN document A/33/30) ICSC recommended amendments to the conditions under which assignment allowance was paid (see section 2.12). ICSC also decided to modify the provisions governing installation allowance (see section 4.5).

(4)     At its 51st session (August 1979), CCAQ approved a paper for ICSC on issues concerning General Service staff in field duty stations (ACC/1979/R.55, para. 20 and Annex IV).

(5)     At its 54th session (March 1981: ACC/1981/7, paras. 78-81), CCAQ agreed to establish a joint CCAQ/FICSA working party to examine a number of issues relating to General Service staff in the field. The report of the Working Party was reviewed at the Committee's 56th session (March 1982: ACC/1982/5, paras. 58-60 and Annex VI).

(6)     At its 57th session (July 1982: ACC/1982/23, paras. 52-70), CCAQ noted that at its first regular session in 1982 ACC had taken a number of decisions aimed at seeking improvements in conditions of service of field staff and the removal of impediments to mobility. CCAQ agreed to recommend to ICSC revised rates of installation grant (lump sum) and assignment allowance; it also recommended to ICSC that it complete the study of the possibility of removing the housing component from post adjustment.

(7)     At its 58th session (March 1983: ACC/1983/9, paras. 66-70), CCAQ agreed on a programme of studies to which ICSC should attach priority.

(8)     At the same session, CCAQ agreed on revised entitlements in connection with the shipment and insurance of personal effects upon recruitment and reassignment (ACC/1983/9, paras. 71-72).

(9)     At its 59th session (July 1983: ACC/1983/18, paras. 85-91), CCAQ agreed on a number of studies which should be carried out using the lead agency approach.

(10)     At its 61st session (June-July 1984: ACC/1984/16, paras. 90-118), CCAQ examined a number of issues relating to conditions of service in the field:

     (a)     It was unable to accept proposals aimed at changing the conditions under which the assignment allowance and installation grant were paid, but agreed to request ICSC to review the level of these benefits every three years, beginning in 1985.

     (b)     It adopted an extra entitlement to shipment of personal effects for designated duty stations where there were shortages of basic supplies or a dearth of leisure and cultural activities (effective 1 January 1985).

     (c)     It also agreed that in locations where it was not possible to meet even daily consumer needs, organizations should continue to assist staff in arranging for procurement trips outside the duty station (see section 4.4, para. (20)).

     (d)     CCAQ agreed that the time limit for the payment of storage of household effects incidental to shipment on appointment or reassignment should beextended to 90 days in those situations where organizations were reimbursing storagecosts.

     (e)     CCAQ took a position on various measures designed to enhance the employment opportunities of spouses accompanying staff members to field duty stations.

     (f)     Information provided by UN on the Field Service category was noted by the Committee.

     (g)     CCAQ agreed that a working party should examine the principles and methodology used to determine entitlements and benefits in connection with service in the field.

     (h)     Medical facilities: see section 8.3, para. (7).

     (i)     Evacuation allowances: see section 4.3, para. (28).

(11)     At its 62nd session (March 1985: ACC/1985/6, paras. 119-120), CCAQ agreed on the text of a paper to be submitted to ICSC on various aspects of conditions of service in the field (ICSC/21/CRP.19 refers). In adopting this text, the Committee noted that its work programme on field-related issues would continue.

(12)     At its 63rd session (July 1985: ACC/1985/14, paras. 95-98), the Committee reviewed the findings of the working party established to examine a possible methodology for determining field benefits (see para. (10)(g) above). The consensus of that meeting was that a formal methodology, however flexible, was not necessary. The Committee concurred with that view.

(13)     At its 64th session, CCAQ discussed a paper by the ICSC secretariat which discussed a number of parameters for the establishment of a methodology for determining conditions of service of Professional staff at field locations. It reiterated its view that a formal methodology was not necessary (ACC/1986/3, paras. 83-87).

(14)     At its 65th session (July 1986), the Committee again took up this matter on the basis of a document by the ICSC secretariat which analysed certain earlier studies on field conditions. It noted with satisfaction that earlier attempts to establish a "methodology" for determining Professional field staff benefits had been redefined in terms of a "review" of comparable benefits in organizations with staff in the field. In view of various inter-related studies planned for the coming year in the area of field conditions, the Committee believed that in this case an integrated approach should be taken to the analysis of the package of benefits provided to field staff; at the same time, a deadline of July 1987 should be set for the completion of the studies (ACC/1986/10, paras. 66-67).

(15)     Also at its 65th session, the Committee examined proposals by FICSA and CCISUA for improving a broad range of conditions of service in the field (ICSC/24/CRP.13 and 7 refer respectively). Its views on these proposals are reflected in ACC/1986/10, paras. 76-85.

(16)     At its 67th session (July 1987: ACC/1987/10, paras. 78-83), CCAQ discussed proposals prepared by UNDP, UNICEF and UNHCR, as well as a paper prepared by the ICSC secretariat regarding the remuneration package in the field and the serious problems being encountered by the administrations in the recruitment and retention of staff. At its 26th session (July 1987: A/42/30, paras. 182-199), the Commission proposed a number of interim corrective measures to deal with these problems (see sections 2.4, 2.10, 9.7, and 14.4). At the same time, the Commission requested its secretariat to undertake a comprehensive study on the conditions of service of UN system staff in comparison with those of staff in other international organizations and bilateral aid programmes, for submission to its 28th (July 1988) session (A/42/30, para. 195).

(17)     Also at its 67th session (ACC/1987/10, paras. 55-56), CCAQ reviewed proposals for refinements to the salary survey methodology for non-headquarters duty stations (see section 2.3). It also examined certain aspects relating to local staff in countries with severe economic problems (ibid, paras. 84-90). It agreed that the conclusions reached should be brought to the attention of ACC at its October 1987 session, pursuant to ACC decision 1987/15. ACC took note of these conclusions (ACC/1987/2).

(18)     Again, at its 67th session, CCAQ discussed certain discrepancies in the treatment of staff working for different organizations at the same duty station. It agreed that these should be examined by a working group, prior to its 68th session (ACC/1987/10, paras. 91-95). The working group's report was discussed by CCAQ at its 68th session (February-March 1988) and some aspects of it were considered jointly by a meeting of the two components of the Committee. CCAQ(PER) agreed with the working group that whenever new arrangements were decided upon by either CCAQ or ICSC, there should at the outset be agreement among organizations on their actual implementation. It also reaffirmed that uniformity of practice on all points was not feasible. The Committee's conclusions on 16 specific issues raised by the working group are set out in paragraphs 85-106 of its report (ACC/1988/4); as for the joint meeting, it agreed to keep under review the possibility of issuing revised guidelines for the private use of official vehicles at field duty stations (ACC/1988/6, paras. 7, 8; see also ACC/1988/13, paras. 51, 53).

(19)     The joint meeting also discussed the access of locally-recruited staff to foreign currency - see section 18.1.

(20)     At its 69th session (July 1988: ACC/1988/12, paras. 54-58), CCAQ endorsed two proposals to promote the uniform application by the organizations of rental deductions; organizations should require all staff in the field to submit regular housing reports and, if they considered it useful, they might provide that failure to submit a report could result in an automatic full rental deduction.

(21)     For the 1988 decision of ICSC on reimbursement for medical examinations for dependants at duty stations with adverse health conditions, see section 8.1.

(22)     At its 70th session (March 1989: ACC/1989/6, paras. 72-75) CCAQ decided to defer consideration of problems arising over the payment of non-resident's allowance (NRA) and rental subsidy for internationally-recruited General Service staff. It eventually returned to these issues after completion of the comprehensive review of conditions of service for the Professional and higher categories (see para. (27) below).

(23)     At the suggestion of its Field Working Group, CCAQ at its 71st session (July-August 1989: ACC/1989/14, para. 127) agreed that a revision of the local salary survey manual should be undertaken in 1990. At the same session, the Committee concluded, on the basis of a UNDP report, that current local salary survey arrangements were operating satisfactorily (ibid., para. 126; ACC/1989/6, para. 67).

(24)     At both its 72nd and 73rd sessions (February-March and July 1990: ACC/1990/4, para. 165; ACC/1990/10, paras. 83, 84) CCAQ was informed of progress in a survey by UNDP on reimbursement of the cost of transportation of privately-owned vehicles. It endorsed a proposal by its Field Working Group that the revised list of qualifying countries and the revised level of maximum reimbursement, after consultation by UN and UNDP, be circulated by the CCAQ secretariat for clearance/approval (see also para. (28) below).

(25)     On the basis of proposals developed by UN in co-operation with the secretariat of ICSC and representatives of Field Service staff, ICSC at its 32nd session (July 1990: A/45/30, paras. 254-270 and annex XXI) recommended a new base salary scale for the Field Service, using as a comparator the United States federal civil service working abroad (rather than the United States foreign service as in the past). The mobility and hardship matrix approved for the Professional and higher categories, as well as the assignment grant, would be applied to the Field Service, and the new scale and allowances would be adjusted in future in relation to adjustments for the Professional and higher categories. CCAQ had earlier taken the position that the conditions of service of the Field Service category were not a common system issue, an opinion not shared by the Commission (see ACC/1987/4, para. 75, ACC/1988/4, paras. 58-60, and ACC/1990/10, paras. 51 and 87).

(26)     At its 73rd session (July 1990: ACC/1990/10, para. 51) CCAQ concluded that the new Field Service remuneration package (see para. (25) above) should not be applied to internationally-recruited General Service staff. However, the latter should be entitled to the new assignment grant (ibid., para. 56).

(27)     At its 74th session (March 1991: ACC/1991/5, paras. 60-63) CCAQ - with some organizations expressing reservations - invited its secretariat to develop further, in consultation with the ICSC secretariat, proposals it had made for discontinuation of the non-resident's allowance for internationally-recruited General Service staff and the introduction at all locations of a revised rental subsidy scheme for such staff. These proposals, in the secretariat's view, flowed logically from the application to such staff of the new mobility and hardship matrix (see section 10.2).

(28)     In accordance with a proposal by UN and UNDP, CCAQ at its 75th session (July-August 1991: ACC/1991/17, paras. 97-99; see also ACC/1991/5, paras. 118, 119) approved an increase from $1,200 to $1,875 (i.e. 75 per cent of $2,500) in the maximum allowable reimbursement towards the cost of transporting privately-owned vehicles, effective 1 September 1991. The updated list of eligible duty stations was issued as ACC/1991/PER/CM/19 (21 October 1991).

(29)     At the same session (ACC/1991/17, paras. 62-69) CCAQ dealt with the issues raised in paragraph (27) above. It recommended to ICSC that the non-resident's allowance be eliminated with effect from 1 January 1992, in conjunction with the introduction of a revised rental subsidy scheme, which in its view should be modelled on that applicable to Professional staff. However, the Committee noted that internationally-recruited General Service staff did not readily lend themselves to regulation at the common-system level.

(30)     At its 76th session (March 1992: ACC/1992/6, paras. 72-77) the Committee reviewed a report by the ICSC secretariat recommending, for internationally-recruited General Service staff, the elimination of the NRA as proposed by CCAQ but further study of the adoption of a revised rental subsidy scheme, similar to that applicable to Professional staff. In view of the small number of such staff, who were difficult to recruit and retain under the present arrangements which had become anachronistic with the introduction of the mobility and hardship allowance, CCAQ objected to any further study and suggested that, given the diversity of the difficulties experienced by the organizations, a common system approach might not be appropriate. ICSC took note of the proposals but decided that before acting on them it would require objective means for determining the recruitment and retention needs of the organizations (ICSC/35/R.17, para 160).

(31)     At its 77th session (July 1992: ACC/1992/23, paras. 40-41) CCAQ was informed by the ICSC's secretariat of its intention to carry out a comprehensive review of the conditions of internationally-recruited General Service staff in time for the Commission's March 1993 session. CCAQ felt that such a global study might lead to ICSC approving a rigid common system approach which would not be appropriate and urged that the implicit establishment of a new category should be avoided.

(32)     At its 80th session (February 1994: ACC/1994/4, paras. 91-94) CCAQ considered the report of a working group set up by ICSC (ICSC/38/R.19, para. 95) to study all aspects of NPOs. The organizations using this category subscribed to the recommendations put forward in the document. FAO and UNHCR announced that they were also about to make use of this category. The Committee felt that further proposals should also be subject to further consultation and therefore requested that any additional proposals be held over until the Commission's next session. The item was deferred.

(33)     At its 81st session (June 1994: ACC/1994/14, paras. 128-132) CCAQ continued its discussion on the basis of further information provided by the ICSC secretariat. CCAQ welcomed the upcoming visits of members of the Commission to field locations and decided to request the Commission to report on the results of the visits. The Committee recognized that the increasing use of NPOs, as well as the use of National Professional Project Personnel (NPPPs), responded to Member States' policies calling on organizations to increase reliance on national capacity in the delivery of their programmes. The organizations using NPOs subscribed to the revised guidelines but some members had serious difficulties with the salary comparisons presented by the ICSC secretariat. The Committee considered that the New York Steering Committee mechanism should be retained for reviewing NPO scales. ICSC recommended revised criteria for the employment of NPOs and reaffirmed the application of the Flemming principle for the determination of their conditions of service and of the Master Standard for the classification of their posts. ICSC also decided to apply to NPO surveys the relevant decisions in respect of the general methodology for surveys of the best conditions of service at non-headquarters duty stations and made a number of requests to the organizations and its secretariat to enable the Commission to follow the matter further (A/49/30, para. 244 & annex VI). The Assembly agreed to the revised criteria (resolution 49/223 IV B).

(34)     At its July 2003 meeting (CEB/2003/HLCM/20, paras. 24-25) the HR Network reviewed a note presented by FICSA requesting that action be taken at the inter-agency level on matters which it considered required attention, especially as regards conditions of service in field-based duty stations. Specifically, action was requested regarding contractual arrangements, use of core resources, career development and training, treatment of staff by managers, harassment, gender balance, mobility and security. The Network thanked FICSA for bringing the issues to organizations' attention and pointed out a number of areas in which organizations had taken action along the lines requested by FICSA.