Frequently Asked Questions

There will be no change for NCRE candidates who were appointed before the implementation of the YPP and have already attended their orientation.

Those who have not been placed yet, will be invited to the same orientation as the YPP candidates and will participate in a rotation programme after having normally served in the Organization at the Professional level for two years.

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.

Mobility allowance is payable to staff in the P and FS categories. To qualify for payment of the mobility allowance, a staff member must have five years’ prior consecutive service as a staff member in the United Nations or another organization of the common system. Service credited towards the five-year requirement may include service as a GS or NO staff member.

Rental subsidy is an integral part of post adjustment. If an internationally-recruited staff member at Headquarters goes on assignment to a field mission which involves a change of duty station, on return from assignment he/she would have a new change of duty station and be again installed at the Headquarters duty station. He or she would be eligible to apply for rental subsidy.

For the purpose of payment of salary and allowances, General Service staff members who are assigned to a non-family duty station are temporarily converted to the Field Service level for the duration of their assignment. The staff member’s pensionable remuneration, however, will remain at the General Service level. Upon return to the parent duty station, the staff will revert to their General Service level.

Installment involves a change of duty station with payment of salary and allowances applicable to the duty station. A staff member assigned to a mission duty station for one year will be installed and be eligible for payment of assignment grant, shipment of personal effects, post adjustment, rental subsidy, and mobility and hardship allowance at rates applicable to the mission duty station. Effective 1 July 2011, staff members serving in non-family duty stations will be paid an additional hardship allowance.

Yes. If you are assigned to a field mission for one year or longer, you are eligible for assignment grant as well as 1,000 kgs shipment of personal effects (or relocation grant in lieu of shipment of personal effects). Upon return from mission assignment, you would again be eligible for payment of assignment grant, and 1,000 kgs shipment of personal effects (or relocation grant in lieu of shipment). Please see the UN Salaries, Allowances and Benefits website for more information on assignment grant and relocation grant.

Family members of staff members assigned to non-family duty station are normally expected to remain at the parent duty station during a staff member’s mission assignment. However, where the entitlement exists, staff members would be given the option to travel their family members to the place of home leave under the home leave travel or advance home leave travel entitlement. When the staff member returns to the parent duty station, eligible family members may travel back against the return leg of home leave travel or advance home leave travel.

Initial assignments to field missions are normally for a period of one year. Extensions of assignments to field missions may be made, subject to the mission’s needs, the staff member’s performance and the agreement of the releasing office.

Administrative instruction ST/AI/2011/7 on “Rest and recuperation” details the rules on R&R.