Frequently Asked Questions
Regarding the base criteria for eligibility for a continuing appointment, what is considered a disciplinary measure?
Disciplinary measures can take one or more of the following forms:
How many continuing appointments will be awarded during each exercise?
As of the eligibility date, I had a disciplinary measure imposed on me, but I am appealing the decision through the UN Dispute Tribunal. Will I be eligible for consideration of a continuing appointment?
When will the continuing appointment review exercises take place?
The timeline and any updates can be found on the HR Portal Continuing Appointments page
Will service with Agencies, Funds and Programmes count towards eligibility and the points for continuing appointments?
In order to be eligible for consideration for the granting of a continuing appointment, staff members must have five years of continuous service on fixed-term appointment(s) under the United Nations Staff Rules and Regulations. Thus, periods of service on fixed-term appointments in another entity governed by the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules prior to joining the United Nations Secretariat shall be counted towards the qualifying service provided the service has been continuous.
What is the difference between a permanent appointment and continuing appointment?
Permanent appointments were linked to the concept of a career service, and thus subject to satisfactory performance. A staff member granted a permanent appointment had a reasonable expectation of continued employment until his/her mandatory age of separation.
Continuing appointments are open-ended appointments. However, unlike the permanent appointment, the Secretary-General may terminate the appointment without the consent of the staff member if, in the opinion of the Secretary-General, such action would be in the interest of the good administration of the Organization.
Does time spent working on a temporary assignment count towards the five years of continuous service required to be eligible for a continuing appointment?
Are staff members placed at the professional level from the YPP examination given the same personal development opportunities as external YPP candidates?
Yes, absolutely. No distinction is made between YPP participants in terms of development opportunities offered.
When should I expect the results of the YPP examination and how will I be notified?
The marking of the written examination is usually completed within 3-4 months of the examination. The status of each job family is updated on the UN Careers Portal. All examinees are notified via email to their last updated email address. Please inform us of any change in your email address during the examination process so that a notification can be sent to your current email. The application numbers of examinees invited to the interview are also published. The interview usually takes place 1-2 months after the written examination has been marked.