Leave

During periods of SLWOP, staff members retain their status as international civil servants with all obligations this entails. Therefore, SLWOP is not normally granted to provide staff members with an avenue to pursue employment in other UN or non-UN entities but rather is granted for work-life balance, to accompany a spouse to a different duty station, etc. Should a staff member during the period of his or her SLWOP be presented with an opportunity to engage in outside employment/activities, he or she must request approval to engage in such activity.

Except for sabbatical leave, staff members are required to address a memorandum through their Chief to their Director/ASG for approval. The approved memorandum is then forwarded to the Executive Office for administrative action. Depending on the request, it may be further reviewed by OHR.

As outlined in staff rule 5.3 (a) (i), Special Leave without Pay (SLWOP) may be granted at the request of a staff member holding a fixed-term or continuing appointment. It is usually envisaged for advanced study or research in the interest of the United Nations, to meet personal obligations, such as for child-care in cases of extended illness, or for other important reasons, and for such period of time as the Secretary-General may prescribe. Requests for SLWOP are reviewed on their merits and approved on the basis of the interest of the Organization.

In accordance with staff rule 5.3, Special Leave may be granted to staff members holding fixed-term, permanent or continuing appointments. Staff members holding temporary appointments are exceptionally granted special leave for compelling reasons, subject to approval from the Secretary-General.

Special leave without pay is granted at the discretion of the Secretary-General. Special leave can normally be authorized for up to two years. The acceptable reasons for special leave are advance studies and research in the interest of the United Nations, extended illness, child care, family support, mandatory military service, and other. For eligibility requirements, please refer to staff rule 5.3.

Eligible staff may apply for sabbatical leave under the sabbatical leave programme to pursue projects of study and research related to the work of the United Nations. Sabbatical leave lasts no more than four months, during which the staff member would be granted special leave with full pay.

Staff members holding temporary appointments may be granted special leave on an exceptional basis for compelling reasons, subject to approval from the Secretary-General.

SLWOP will have an impact on rental subsidy. “Without pay” refers to any and all types of payments. No allowance, benefit or entitlement is payable. Rental subsidy will, therefore, also not be paid during periods of SLWOP

The conditions under which special leave may be granted to a staff member vary. The table which is attached summarizes the conditions for requesting special leave, which are reviewed individually and take both the Organization’s and the staff member’s interests into account.

This summary illustrates different modalities of special leave with full, partial or without pay. The list of requirements is not exhaustive; and it should be noted that the Staff Regulations, Rules, and governing Administrative Issuances prevail in all instances.

Sick leave during annual leave may be approved if a staff member is ill for more than five consecutive working days (not including weekends or holidays), in any seven day period while on annual leave, including home leave, provided that the sick leave is certified. If the illness does not cover at least five consecutive working days, the entire duration of absence is considered annual leave.