What is the UN Common System?
The United Nations common system is understood as common standards, methods and arrangements being applied to salaries, allowances and benefits for the staff of the United Nations system. The common system is designed to avoid serious discrepancies in terms and conditions of employment, to avoid competition in recruitment of personnel and to facilitate the interchange of personnel among common system organizations.
The conditions of service in the common system is regulated by the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), while co-ordination amongst common system entities take place through United Nations System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (CEB), under the chairmanship of the UN Secretary-General.
Who are the members of the UN Common System?
A list of UN common system members can be found on the ICSC website here.
Staff Representation at the UN Common System
FICSA was created in 1952, with the mission to coordinate the work of staff representative bodies in its membership, pool resources and have a common position when representing staff at interagency bodies.
- The former Consultative Committee on Administrative questions (CCAQ), now the High-Level Committee on Management (HLCM) recognized the importance of staff representation through the staff federations, when it decided, in 1973, that local associations/unions should raise matters of general importance through FICSA, as it was deemed impossible to expect the individual staff associations/unions to represent staff at the common system level.
- FICSA represents its members to the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) as stated in Article 4, 12, 17, 24, 25, 28 of its Statutes adopted by the UN General Assembly through resolution 3357(XXIX) in Dec 1974.
- The United Nations General Assembly resolution 34/220 (Dec 1979) and 35/213 (Dec 1980) reiterates its readiness to receive and consider fully the views of staff as set out by FICSA. FICSA attends the agenda item "UN Common System" at the 5th Committee of the UN General Assembly to present its statement and views to the Member States.
- FICSA sits as Observers to the UN Joint Staff Pension Board
Recent changes to the UN Common System, as approved by the Fifth Committee of the United Nations General Assembly based on recommendations from the ICSC:
Note: The ICSC Circulars are sent by the ICSC directly to the administration of the UN Common System Organizations, with copy to Staff Federations to keep staff informed.
| Effective Jan/Feb 2024 |
During the last session, the UN General Assembly decided to take no action on the item entitled “the United Nation common system. Therefore; •Items under Article 10 of ICSC statutes that involves ICSC's recommendations to the UNGA – to be revisited in the next session of the UNGA: oThere will be no adjustment to base/floor salary scale, oThere will be no consolidation of the post adjustment, and oThere will be no adjustment to the children’s and secondary dependants’ allowances. •Items under Article 11 of ICSC statutes that can be decided by the ICSC is therefore promulgated for implementation: oHardship Allowance oMobility Incentive oDanger Pay oSecurity Evacuation Allowance |
| Effective Jan/Feb 2023 |
UNGA Resolution 77/256 based on 2022 ICSC annual report (A/77/30) Changes: - UNGA approved 2.28% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2023 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- No decision on children's and secondary dependent's allowances - requested the ICSC to further refine the structure and review the feasibility of applying a means-tested methodology.
- Updated the allowance for children with disabilities in the amount of US$ 6,645 per annum.
- No decision on revision on hardship allowance and mobility incentive.
- Welcomed the establishment of the new parental leave framework for implementation for the year 2023 by the UN Secretary General, and encouraged the executive heads of other organizations of the common system to follow such practice.
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| Effective Jan/Feb 2022 |
ICSC/CIR/GEN/02/2022 dated 11 February 2022 on Scale of Pensionable Remuneration for Professional and Higher categories - Scale of Pensionable Remuneration for Professional and higher categories revised effective 1 February 2022 as per the attached annex, due to changes in post adjustment classification in New York.
ICSC/CIR/GEN/05/2021 dated 30 December 2021 on UNGA Resolution 76/240 based on 2021 ICSC annual report (A/76/30) Changes (see page 9-11, Annex in circular mentioned above for the actual amounts): - UNGA approved 0.92% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2022 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- Education grant reimbursement scale adjusted upward by 14% and boarding lump-sum increased to $5,300 effective academic year in progress on 1 Jan 2022
- Duty stations with extreme hardship conditions - pilot to be continued on:
- Granting $15,000 annually for staff members who opt not to install eligible dependents in category E duty station not designated as non-family
- Granting $14,000 annually for staff members who opt not to install eligible dependents in category D duty station not designated as non-family
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| Effective 1 Jan 2021 |
ICSC/CIR/GEN/2/2021 on UNGA Resolution A/75/670 based on ICSC annual report for 2020 (A/75/30) Changes (see page 9-11, Annex in circular mentioned above for the actual amounts): - UNGA approved 1.9% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2021 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- Danger pay increased to $1,645 per month for international professionals, and the reference year for locally recruited staff be updated from 2016 to 2019 and applying 30% of the net midpoint of the latest GS salary scales in effective in 2019 divided by 12, both effective 1 Jan 2021
- Recommended changes to dependency allowances - no action taken by the UNGA.
- Duty stations with extreme hardship conditions - pilot to begin on:
- Granting $15,000 annually for staff members who opt not to install eligible dependents in category E duty station not designated as non-family
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| Effective 1 Jan 2020 |
ICSC/CIR/GEN/1/2020 dated 3 January 2020 on UNGA Resolutions 74/255A and 74/255B based on ICSC annual report for 2019 (A/74/30) Changes (see page 9-11, Annex in circular mentioned above for the actual amounts): - UNGA approved 1.21% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2020 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- Hardship Allowance increased by 2% effective 1 Jan 2020
- Mobility Incentive increased effective 1 Jan 2020
- Education grant - deferred.
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| Effective 1 Jan 2019 |
ICSC/CIR/X on UNGA Resolution A/RES/73/273 based on ICSC annual report for 2018 (A/73/30) Changes: - UNGA approved 1.83% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2019 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- Decides to grant, on a pilot basis, an amount of $15,000 for staff with eligible dependants in category E duty stations with hardship classification only
Note that the UNGA was silent on end-of-service severance pay that it was due to review on the 73rd session. |
| Effective 1 Jan 2018 |
ICSC/CIR/GEN/6/2017 dated 29 Dec 2017 on UNGA Resolution 72/255 based on ICSC's annual report for 2017 (A/72/30) Changes (see page 9-11, Annex in circular mentioned above for the actual amounts): - UNGA approved 0.97% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2018 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- Approved guidelines for the use of National Professional Officer (NPO) category as para 48(a) of the UNGA resolution and as per Annex II of Commission's Annual Report A/72/30
- Approved principles for performance appraisal and recognition (including non-cash awards and addressing underperformance) as per Annex III (pages 128 to 135 of A/72/30) but not including the cash award section.
- Updated level of danger pay for locally recruited staff by updating reference year from 2016 to 2018.
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| Effective 2017 |
ICSC/CIRC/GEN/04/2017-rev1 dated 31 July 2017 - Modification to the gap closure measure for cost-of-living surveys conducted in the 2016 round effective 1 August 2017. - Augmentation of the survey-based PAI by 3% to derive a revised PAM
- Difference between revised PAM and prevailing pay index paid as personal transitional allowance (PTA) to be paid in full for the first 6 months after implementation date, and adjusted downward by 3% every 4 months until it is phased out
- See the circular and Annex I for more details
ICSC/CIRC/X on UNGA resolution 71/264 based on ICSC's annual report for 2016 (A/71/30) Changes: - UNGA approved 1.02% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2017 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- UNGA took note of ICSC's revised Human Resources Management Framework as per Annex II of A/71/30
- Recalls that no decision was taken at the 64th and 65th session of the UNGA on the end-of-service severance pay for staff serving under a fixed-term contract and separating from the Organization upon expiration of the contract after 10 years or more of continuous service and requested the ICSC to undertake a comprehensive analysis to report to the 73rd session,
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| Effective 1 Jan 2016 onwards (different dates for various items) - Comprehensive Review of the UN Common System Compensation Package for Professional and higher categories |
ICSC/CIRC/GEN/03/2015 on UNGA resolution 70/244 based on ICSC's annual report for 2015 (A/70/30) Changes (see page 8-13, Annex in circular mentioned above for the actual amounts): - UNGA approved 1.08% adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2016 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment.
- A revised, unified net base salary scale structure will be in place from 1 Jan 2017 replacing the single and dependency rate scale. The unified scale will have 13 steps at grades P1 to D1 and 10 steps at D2 level, and dependent spouse/single parent allowance will be set at 6% of net remuneration
- Step periodicity at P1 to P5 levels beyond step 7 will be granted biennially, and for D1 from step 5 and D2 from step 2, effective 1 Jan 2017
- Education grant replaced by new system on declining scale of reimbursement, and boarding will only be provided to A to # duty stations for children in primary and secondary levels, effective 1 Jan 2018
- Approved repatriation grant as proposed by the ICSC with a five years expatriate service as threshold
- Requested ICSC to study performance management and performance incentives, including cash and non-cash rewards such as possibility of accelerated step increments, and detailed study on the establishment of a cash reward system and report to the 72nd session of UNGA
- Approved new relocation package effective 1 July 2016:
- Settling-in-grant:
- Lump-sum amount equivalent to one month of net base pay plus applicable post adjustment at the new duty station
- DSA of 30 days for staff and 15 days for each accompanying family member
- Discontinue non-removal allowance
- Relocation shipment:
- Full removal of household goods for relocation shipment; or
- Lump-sum option established at 70% of the actual cost of relocation shipments; or
- Lump-sum option set by organizations based on 70% of costs of past shipments not exceeding $18,000.
- Adjusted hardship system and hardship allowance as per the matrix in Table 1 effective 1 Jul 2016
- Non-family service allowance in lieu of the current additional hardship allowance effective 1 Jul 2016
- Mobility incentive in lieu of mobility allowance effective 1 Jul 2016
- Accelerated home leave travel only for D and E category of duty stations that do not fall under R&R (rest and recuperation) framework effective 1 Jul 2016
- Recruitment incentive not more than 25% of annual base salary effective 1 Jul 2016
- Ensure the work-life balance and career development opportunities that are important elements for motivating and retaining staff
- UNGA decided to raise the Mandatory Age of Separation from 65 for staff recruited before 1 January 2014, taking into account their acquired rights, at the latest by 1 Jan 2018
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| Effective 1 Jan 2015 |
ICSC/CIRC/GEN/02/2014 on UNGA resolution A/RES/69/251 based on ICSC's Annual Report for 2014 (A/69/30) Changes: - UNGA approved adjustment of the unified base/floor scale for international professional and higher categories effective 1 Jan 2015 at no-loss/no-gain adjustment as per Annex III of its annual report (percentage increase undisclosed)
- UNGA approved ICSC's recommendation to maintain current apportionment of Health Insurance premiums
- UNGA decided to raise the Mandatory Age of Separation from 65 for staff recruited before 1 January 2014, taking into account their acquired rights,
- To refer the continued use of the 5% rule for group I duty stations to ACPAQ in its review of operational rules
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Refer to the following non-exhaustive list of Staff Rules and Regulations of Organizations in the UN Common System:
Read more about the UN Common System on the website of International Civil Service Commission, UN Office of Human Resources
