Umoja is an administrative reform initiative for the United Nations Secretariat that includes a thorough streamlining of UN business processes. At its core, it is an implementation of SAP Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software.

Umoja will provide a simplified and real-time approach to the Organization’s management of finances, resources and assets. By 2016, the United Nations Secretariat will have transitioned to Umoja as its central administrative tool, leaving behind multiple and fragmented legacy systems such as IMIS, Mercury, Sun, and many others.

Umoja is not an acronym. Its name means “unity” in Swahili, and, appropriately, the solution represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the United Nations to: upgrade its technology, tools and practices to those appropriate for the 21st century; comply or exceed international industry standards such as IPSAS; streamline fragmented administrative processes, to allow Managers and Staff to focus on important work rather than red-tape; and, finally, unify multiple IT and computer systems and platforms to avoid delays, waste,  and frustration.

On a project of this magnitude, strong governance is essential in order to steer the project, monitor progress, resolve conflicts without delay, decide on priorities, help manage change and communicate progress to all stakeholders. The main policy decision-making body is the Umoja Steering Committee, which reports to the Management Committee.

The detailed planning and execution of the project is being done by the Umoja team led by Assistant Secretary-General, Ernesto Baca, who serves as Project Director and reports to the Under-Secretary-General for Management. The Project Director is ultimately accountable for the execution of the project in collaboration with the Assistant Secretaries-General, responsible for the four main functional areas: human resources, finance and budget, supply chain, and central support services.

The Umoja project team includes experts on change management, process management, administration management, and technology management, as well as experts in each of the functional areas. These Subject Matter Experts came to the Umoja team from various departments and offices within the UN in order to ensure that the solution meets the needs
of the UN.

Umoja Website

Keep checking in here on the website for up-to-date information on the progress of the project, training materials, and other important resources such as the User Quick Guide, the Umoja Journey of Goods, and the Deployment Timeline.

Facebook

Visit Umoja’s Facebook page at at www.facebook.com/unumoja. Click “Like” in order to receive the latest updates from Umoja and photos from our activities in the field.

Twitter

Follow Umoja on Twitter at www.twitter.com/unumoja for the latest project news and information.

SAP is the name of the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software at the core of the Umoja solution. Umoja will be using multiple types of SAP Software. Our core processing systems are based on SAP ECC 6.0 and SAP Netweaver 7.3.

SAP will provide a financially integrated and robust centralized system which will allow the UN to better manage its resources, assets and finances.

Additionally, beginning in 2014, Umoja Extension 1 began rolling-out the Employee Self-Service (ESS) and Management Self-Service (MSS) components of SAP, otherwise known as "self-service portal" for UN Staff to manage Personnel and Travel Entitlement requests with less paperwork and delays. 

Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) is a system that provides an integrated suite of information technology applications that support activities such as finance and budget management, human resources management, supply chain management, central support services, and other core functions. ERPs allow for the streamlining of operations in an organization through process re-engineering, sharing of common data, and implementation of best practices and standards.

International Public Sector Accounting Standards (“IPSAS”) is an internationally accepted accounting protocol that the UN Organization will fully comply with by 2014, following the recommendation of the General Assembly in 2006.

Compliance with IPSAS will ensure that UN accounting practices are aligned with industry best practices, enabling enhanced financial transparency and accountability, improved decision making resulting from more detailed financial information, improved consistency and comparability of financial statements across offices and duty stations and full and easy access to more comprehensive information on costs and expenses.

The UN has gradually moved from its own set of accounting standards (UNSAS) towards the adoption of the new internationally accepted standard in order to make its financial and reporting system more effective and transparent.

To read about IPSAS standards and learn how and why the UN is complying with IPSAS, please visit http://ipsas.un.org (UN network only).

The Umoja solution and IPSAS go hand in hand. Using SAP as the new Enterprise Resource Planning software across the UN Secretariat will further ensure that the UN complies with IPSAS standards in all its financial transactions once Umoja has been deployed.

The Umoja team is working closely with the IPSAS implementation team within the UN Office of Programme Planning, Budget and Accounts (OPPBA) in all of its preparatory activities for deployment of the Umoja solution.

Please check the Umoja website for the latest information on deployment timelines. See when your entity will deploy Umoja by viewing the interactive Umoja deployment timeline.

 Click to review the Umoja Deployment Timeline.  

Umoja’s phased approach enables the UN to mitigate delay, absorb change at a tolerable rate, and address some of the risks associated with deploying a comprehensive solution in a global organization.

Umoja will enhance accountability, transparency and internal controls for all types of resources. It will help improve decision making and planning capabilities by providing up-to-date and accurate reports and data. Additionally, Umoja will enable managers to exert tighter financial planning and controls and ensure compliance with public sector standards such as IPSAS.

The Umoja solution represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the United Nations to:

• Upgrade its technology, tools and practices to those appropriate for the 21st century
• Comply or exceed international industry standards (e.g. IPSAS)
• Streamline fragmented administrative processes, to allow Managers and Staff to focus on value-added work rather than red-tape;
• Unify multiple IT and computer systems and platforms to avoid delays, waste and frustration.

An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system provides an efficient means for transferring and sharing information across many different functions across a business, rather than having to maintain parallel versions of that information in multiple unique systems. This allows the organization to reduce redundant effort and eliminate conflicting information concerning vendors, clients, resources, employees, and other critical data used to make decisions and complete transactions.

In order for such a system to be truly effective, our organization will first have to fundamentally change and modernize how day-to-day work is carried out, by streamlining and simplifying processes.

UN staff will not just be learning a new system, but more effective and efficient ways to work. Staff members will be freed from repetitive and redundant tasks, enabling them to devote their energies to providing value-added services. In addition, staff will be able to update personal information, complete benefits enrollment, view leave balances, submit travel requests and expenses, and check payments – all online.

The Umoja solution will:

• Provide all Secretariat offices with an integrated transactional system.

• Replace or integrate numerous existing legacy systems such as IMIS, Mercury and Sun.

• Reduce time and resources spent on manual, paper-based processes.

• Increase time and resources directed toward programmes that make a difference in the lives of UN beneficiaries.

• Equip UN staff with modern technology and enhanced skills.

Umoja will:

Renew the way the UN manages human, financial and material resources, bringing the organization up to accepted common standards

Enhance decision-making by linking programmes and operations with the allocated resources

Reduce the average time required for administrative processes, by streamlining, integrating and automating business processes

Increase efficiency by reducing the amount of staff time spent on manual processes while enhancing accountability on internal controls

Enable the implementation of IPSAS by the Secretariat

Click image to review the Top Ten Improvements

As processes are simplified and streamlined throughout this initiative, roles within the organization will change. The manner in which each staff member will be affected will vary based on their role and position. The most important thing to keep in mind is that Umoja will reduce the amount of time staff members spend on paperwork and manual administration. Umoja will enable us to work together more effectively on behalf of our constituents and beneficiaries.

Organizational alignment activities are underway to examine detailed change impacts including changes to roles. We will provide you with detailed information as the new roles and processes are finalized.

One of the most transformative benefits which Umoja will provide to the UN is the ability to conduct complex and real-time analyses of critical data, a practice known as Business Intelligence. The Umoja Business Intelligence module is a robust reporting and data visualization platform which allows UN Staff and Managers to search, view and analyze a variety of metrics, reports, and key performance indicators, enabling them to improve the efficiency and results of their work, as well as to support strategic planning and decision-making. By aggregating key operational data for automated reporting across functional areas within the organization, Umoja frees up time for these higher value-added activities that would have been otherwise spent on paper-based clerical tasks.

For more information on Umoja Business Intelligence, read this blog post and visit our Business Intelligence subcommunity on Unite Connections HERE.

For an example of how Umoja will change the way the UN works, view the Umoja Journey of Goods and review the talking points.

Umoja will change the way we do a wide variety of activities, from ordering materials and tracking inventory to performing all of our financial activities and managing projects. It will also impact the way we manage our assets, our people-related activities and various other processes.

The user will not be able to find a Shopping Cart in the work overview and Advanced Search if he is logged into Umoja as buyer. Buyer will be able to see shopping cart line items once the Shopping Cart is approved in the Sourcing Cockpit.

The Umoja Team is currently implementing a full-scale Communications and Engagement campaign to prepare staff for the changes being brought by Umoja. Updates and important documents and resources are being shared with staff via the Umoja Website, social media such as Facebook and Twitter. If you haven’t already, you can access key documents at the following links:

• The Umoja Journey of Goods

• Top Ten Improvements

• Umoja User Quick Guide

• Umoja Deployment Timeline 

Additionally, the Communications team creates a monthly newsletter (available on the Umoja Newsroom blog) in addition to topical iSeek articles to keep Umoja stakeholders updated with the latest information and project news. 

Finally, if you have been identified as an Umoja end user, you will begin to receive communications, staff messaging, and targeted communications around training and deployment during the 2 months before implementation.

Umoja training delivery is aligned with the deployment of Umoja and uses the Train-the-Trainer approach in order to build local capacity for Umoja ongoing training and support.

• Designated process experts will be trained by the Umoja Project Team and, in turn, these process experts/trainers will train end users and will be the ‘go-to’ persons in their respective business areas. 

• On-site end user training will be scheduled six weeks prior to each Go-Live date. 

• A key element of Umoja end user training is that it is role-based. Each role has a specific curriculum to follow and end users will participate in courses based on their Enterprise Role

All Staff

All UN Staff can review general Umoja training materials in the Training section of this website.

End Users

Training of Staff identified as Umoja end users will take place approximately 4-6 weeks before deployment at each location. End users (Staff Members who have been mapped to an official Enterprise Role in Umoja) will receive information on their roles, course requirements and course schedule ahead of time.

As with all staff, Umoja end users can view general Umoja training materials in the Training section of this website. However, in order to be certified in Umoja, Staff who have been identified as end users will need to attend training through inspira and through Instructor Led Training on-site.

Staff Members with specific Enterprise Roles in Umoja will need to complete all required courses in order to become certified users of Umoja.

A ‘blended learning’ approach is used to deliver training. To accommodate different learning requirements and facilitate knowledge transfer, the Umoja training programme integrates:

1. Computer-Based Training (All UN Staff)

2. Instructor-Led Courses (Umoja end users only)

3. Simulation Learning (Umoja end users only)

4. Job Aids (Umoja end users only)

5. Hands-on Practice Sessions (Umoja end users only)

For Umoja Foundation, Computer Based Training consists of Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3 courses:

• Level 1 courses are introduction/overviews of how different functional areas work in Umoja.

• Level 2 courses are navigation courses that guide users through the fundamentals of getting around the Umoja system.

• Level 3 courses are advanced, transactional-level and intended to be studied in an instructor-led environment. The courses also contain links to simulations which can only be viewed while browsing on the UN network.

Level 1 and 2 courses are prerequisites for the advanced Level 3 courses. All UN Staff can view Level 1 and Level 2 courses (for Foundation only) in the Training section of this website. However, Umoja end users must complete course assessments for Level 1 and 2 courses via inspira in order to be certified and complete their prerequisite requirements for Level 3 courses.

Level 3 courses are available to Staff identified as Umoja end users. Staff Members with specific Enterprise Roles in Umoja will receive instructions on course requirements and their Instructor Led Training schedule approximately 4-6 weeks prior to deployment in their location.

If you have been identified as an Umoja user, you must access Computer Based Training and/or course assessments via inspira in order to be certified.

You can access Level 1 (Overview) and Level 2 (Navigation) Computer Based Training courses for Umoja Foundation in the Training section of this website.

A triaged support structure will be set up as part of the Umoja deployment. The support structure will include local office support, process experts in each functional area (Finance, Procurement, Supply Chain/Logistics, HR, Project Management, Sales, and Real Estate) and technical support.

As time goes on, on-going training support and end-user training will be provided as and when required. Training content and learning materials will continue to be enhanced and developed, and the training approach and delivery will be enhanced on an ongoing basis, aided by feedback and evaluations. 

 View the User Quick Guide on the Umoja website for step by step instructions on logging in to Umoja via the Umoja Dashboard. Logging on to the Umoja Dashboard requires Unite Identity activation.

Unite Identity is a unique ID number that allows OICT to map users to Umoja. It is more unique, sophisticated and secure than your staff index number or email address. Receiving your Unite Identity credentials and activating them to log in to the Umoja Dashboard is the first step to accessing Umoja Production Systems.

If you have been identified as an Umoja end-user, you should have received an activation email from unite-identity@un.org providing their Unite Identity ID and a temporary password. 

To activate your Unite Identity account, visit https://eidmsidf.un.org/SelfRegistration/trueAction or email esc@un.org to inquire about your Unite Identity status.

Your Unite Identity temporary password must be changed and security questions set up in case of forgotten password at https://eidms.un.org.

For step-by-step instructions on activating Unite Identity, please see the Umoja User Quick Guide.

Please note: You cannot request Unite Identity activation for yourself by emailing unite-identity@un.org. Please see below on what to do if you have not received an Unite Identity activation email.

Your Unite Identity credentials allow you to log in to the Umoja Dashboard at https//login.umoja.un.org

From the Umoja Dashboard, you can access Training Practice Systems as well as Umoja Production Systems using separate credentials as outlined below:If you are an Umoja end-user assigned to classroom training, you have received a generic User ID and password to access Training Practice Systems from the Umoja Dashboard.A separate User ID and temporary password, different than your Unite Identity credentials, will be provided to you to log in to Umoja Production Systems from the Umoja Dashboard.

If you are still unable to find an answer or resolution to your issue, please open a service ticket with your local Help Desk. View the User Quick Guide for helpdesk procedures and contact information.

If you are still unable to find an answer or resolution to your issue, please open a service ticket with your local Help Desk. View the User Quick Guide for helpdesk procedures and contact information.

Umoja will most directly affect staff working in Finance, Procurement, HR, Logistics and other support services.

A. Umoja will free staff members from many routine clerical and administrative processes, enabling them to focus their time on strategic and substantive activities that will enable the Organization to better deliver on its mandates in the long-term. 

• Technology management: consolidating major bespoke systems that are costly to maintain and cannot easily interact to a global solution which uses industry-leading technology to improve decision-making (legacy systems to be replaced over time include IMIS, SUN, Mercury, Procure+ and eventually Galileo)

• Given that administrative processes will be standardized across Secretariat locations, staff who transfer to new duty stations will require less time to learn the local way of doing business

• Umoja will provide opportunities for UN staff to improve their skillsets by preparing them to be proficient in the latest technologies.

• Business processes: moving away from working practices which vary by location to a single way of delivering administrative services using a single source of data, with improvements gained in speed and efficiency.

• Faster, simpler processing of administrative transactions with more employee self-service features.

• Staff satisfaction: moving towards more coherence and increased consistency across the Organization, and away from time spent on routine administrative tasks.

• Compliance with the International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS), a modern standard of accounting.

• Automation of financial processes with better controls: the system automatically checks for sufficiency of funds before a requisition can be made, payment process is initiated when a good is received in the system, payment of invoices requires entry of receipt and automated “3-way matching” of Goods Receipt, Invoice and Purchase Order Bank accounts, funds, assets, and other key data centrally stored and shared across the entire Organization Managers will have direct access to real-time financial information and other programme/project data and reports.

• The UN will have one set of data for vendors, materials, and services centrally stored and shared across the Organization.

•  Better integration with Finance. 

• Automated requisitioning and procurement procedures: Requisitioners can search from a central catalogue that lists all goods and services available to them from current contracts, purchase orders are automatically created using information from the requisition (for catalogue requisitions), tracking of the end-to-end Procurement process in the system.

• One Procurement system enables advanced reporting from a single source.

• Low Value Acquisition (LVA) process will no longer be paper-based.

• UN staff data will be stored centrally and shared across the organization.

• Transfer of staff across duty stations will be seamless.

• Managers will have access to up-to-date staffing information and organizational structures

The Employee Self-Service (ESS) portal will allow staff to:

• View and update to their HR profile.

• Initiate and track requests for benefits & entitlements.

• Make travel requests directly and submit claims electronically

Facilities Management:

• Real estate, assets, and other Master Data will be centrally stored and shared across the entire Organization.

• Maintenance of leases will now occur in the system.

• Robust, organization-wide automated reporting will enable forecasting and space planning

Services to the Public and Staff:

• Vendors and customers will receive detailed and consolidated billing statements (as opposed to multiple).

• Third-party procurement will be done within Umoja.

• Grants and Trust Fund management directly integrated with billing process so invoices related to the grant are automatically generated.

Commitment is needed. Additionally there is a User Aid/Cheat Sheet on iSeek for FM Documents showing that for travel, no Pre-Commitment is needed. T-Code FMZ1 is used to create the Commitment and the Doc Type is 45.

There is no need to create a Pre-Commitment. Travel funds may be committed directly with FMZ1 (doc type 45).

Umoja Foundation includes financial reporting functionality such as a Trial Balance and various flexible and detailed reports for Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and General Ledger analysis.

Please direct inquiries about budget reporting to the Finance LPEs (Local Process Experts) who will address the request.

The same cost centers are used as they were in SUN, except that the Umoja Coding Block is now used.

The Umoja Funds Commitment is certified by the Travel Unit's Certifying Officer, then it is approved by a Finance Approving Officer

Yes. When the nature of the expense is Official Travel, then there is no choice besides making the budget available to the Official Travel class. Please note that there is a User Aid on iSeek for FMBB.

In Umoja, we have equipment masters to track tangible items whether or not they are capitalised as assets or inventory or already expensed. Equipment masters is functionality provided by the Plant Maintenance module. As the name indicates, this module is used for operations purposes as opposed to accounting purposes. There is no value or $ amount on an equipment master. Equipment masters typically store information about maintenance schedule, exact location of the item (e.g. room 4245), the custodian name, condition (in use, idle, damaged, etc).

For those items that have serial numbers, the serial number is attached to the equipment master. When the item is capitalised as Asset, we will have a link between the equipment master and the asset master. The value is only maintained on the asset master though.

With the equipment master, Umoja will track all items that we need to track irrespective of the $ value. We will follow the UN IPSAS policy which currently states that items over $5,000 will be capitalised for volumes other than Vol I & II. In Umoja, tracking an item does not mean recording it on the balance sheet.

These items won't be capitalized; however they can be tracked in plant maintenance.

Yes.

These would be IOVs, not Sales Orders.

Finance/Procurement.

Yes; the customer would be whomever the property is sold to/wins the auction. 

Water lots will be recorded as part of real estate data whether they are owned or leased by the Organization. If leased, they are considered to be lease-ins (UN as tenant) regardless of whether they are leased commercially, nominally or are under a right to use agreement. Wharf improvements are treated as leasehold improvements. However, capitalization of such improvements is determined by IPSAS parameters.

 Yes, but the financial portion of the transactions will be recorded in Umoja.

Master Data Maintenance does not require forms to be manually signed as part of the Approval process. Simply typing the name in the field will suffice. The form was designed with the option for manual signatures in case of blackout periods.

In your Workflow Overview screen, click on the paper icon to the right of the refresh button. This will bring up a menu where you can select "Manage Substitution Rules." These rules will allow you to delegate your tasks while you are on leave, for a specific timeframe or indefinitely.

In your Workflow Overview screen, click on the paper icon to the right of the refresh button. This will bring up a menu where you can select "Manage Substitution Rules." These rules will allow you to delegate your tasks while you are on leave, for a specific timeframe or indefinitely. 

The user will not be able to find a Shopping Cart in the work overview nor through Advanced Search if he is logged into Umoja as buyer. Buyers will be able to see shopping cart line items once the Shopping Cart is approved in the Sourcing Cockpit.

In this case, the Shopping Cart has two levels of approvals. Go to the Shopping Cart, tab approval and you will notice that another level of approval is required.

Ensure that the "Show my team carts" checkbox is checked, then click "Apply" and "Refresh."

Click on the "Team Carts" query, and then click "Refresh."

Supplier Text is printed on the Shopping Cart and PO printouts as an item long description. Internal note is not printed on any of the forms, but is still visible to Procurement and is still passed on to the follow-on document (PO, RFx, etc.).

When creating the shopping cart, you will not see the specific buyer, but the group of buyers assigned to the purchasing group. You can view this group from the 'Item Data' tab under the SC item details: 

- Under 'Organization' (you will see a defaulted purchasing group)

- Clicking on the link 'Show Members' will show the list of Buyers associated with this purchasing group

When calling off a contract in the catalog created in a non-USD currency, the currency of the contract will default to the SC. If you want to view the overall USD equivalent of the SC, you can view this at the bottom right hand corner (below the line items - you may need to scroll to the right).

(1) If alternative item/substitute item/supplement line added to bid response, the system will adopt the account assignment information from the original line item. 

(2) If a new line item is added independently to a bid response, the funding needs to be entered by the Buyer at time of PO creation. This would also apply to scenarios in which the Buyer adds items to an RFx (when creating it). 

In both of the cases there is no workflow back to the SC approver - this needs to be managed through ad hoc approval as per business requirements.

Advance annual leave may be granted in exceptional circumstances when a staff member does not have enough annual leave balance to cover the days requested. The maximum advance annual leave granted is 10 working days. The duration of your contract must be long enough going forward so that you will accrue the number of days that are advanced to you. An exception to advance annual leave is approved by the HR office.

Annual leave may be requested as needed. When you wish to use annual leave days, talk with your supervisor to get pre-approval of the dates. Taking into account the balance of days available to you, supervisors will approve annual leave depending on the needs of the unit and the availability of back-up arrangements for your absence.

Staff members who have been authorized to proceed on travel involving relocation on initial appointment, assignment or transfer may receive an assignment grant. The amount depending on the type and length of appointment. The grant is not payable if you are recruited from the area within commuting distance of the duty station unless you can demonstrate that it was necessary for you to change accommodation as a direct consequence of the appointment with the Secretariat. Commuting distance is determined specifically for each duty station. For example, at UN Headquarters in New York, the area within a 50 mile radius from Columbus Circle is considered commuting distance.

Since you are not changing duty stations, you will not receive the assignment grant at the time of the appointment.

Yes, if they have been authorized to proceed on travel involving relocation on initial appointment, assignment or transfer they may receive an assignment grant with the amount of the grant differing depending on the type of appointment held and the length of appointment. For temporary assignments of less than one year they will receive 30 days of DSA for themselves only. There is no lump sum payment. > Open the Assignment Grant HR Factsheet > Open the Temporary Movement Between Duty Stations HR Factsheet

For internationally recruited staff members holding an appointment other than a temporary appointment : “If an assignment of less than three years’ duration is subsequently extended to three years or more, a second one-month lump-sum is payable at the beginning of the third year”.

There is no limitation to the number of times a fixed-term appointment may be renewed. Each new fixed-term appointment can be granted for a period of up to five years.

An initial temporary appointment is granted for up to 364 days. It may, however, be extended for up to 729 days, if warranted by operational needs related to field operations and/or special projects. A temporary appointment shall not be converted to any other type of appointment.

Determination to renew or extend a contract is made by the manager based on the operational needs of the Organization and performance of the staff member. In exceptional circumstances, contracts may be extended solely for administrative reasons, i.e. to allow staff member fully utilize an entitlement, or complete an administrative procedure. Exceptions in such circumstances are reviewed and approved by the HR office.

The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) is responsible for authorizing which duty stations hazard pay applies to. The authorization is normally for a period of up to three months at a time and subject to ongoing review. It is lifted when hazardous conditions are deemed to have abated. > Open the list of duty stations where danger pay is currently in effect.

The International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) decided to discontinue what was known as hazard pay and institute danger pay. The purpose remains the same—to compensate staff members for working under extremely difficult and dangerous conditions.

For internationally-recruited staff, the danger pay allowance is currently US$1,600 per month. For locally recruited staff, the allowance is 30 per cent of the net midpoint of theapplicable local General Service salary scale (excluding long-service and longevity steps, if any).

The amount of the grant to be paid will be prorated. The modalities for prorating the amount of the education grant are described in the relevant administrative instructions listed on the Education Grant HR Factsheet and found in the HR Handbook. You can submit a claim for expenses you have paid. If your child does not complete the school year, you must submit the claim within one month of the date your child’s full-time attendance ends.

In most cases, when the child is studying in the country of the duty station, no matter how far, boarding and travel expenses are not admissible under the education grant entitlements.

Boarding expenses can be admissible on exceptional basis when a child attends an educational institution beyond commuting distance from the area where the staff member is serving and in the opinion of the Secretary-General, no school in the area will be suitable for the child. Information on such exceptions can be obtained from the local HR Office.

The education grant follows the academic year. Open the Education Grant HR Factsheet for details about applying in advance of an academic year or making a claim at the end of an academic year.

If a child attends different schools during the same academic year, the amount of the grant will be prorated according to the time spent at each academic institution, not to exceed the total entitlement (for more information see the relevant administrative instructions listed on the Education Grant HR Factsheet and found in the HR Handbook). Education grant travel is payable for one round trip journey by the child each scholastic year between the educational institution and the duty station. Regardless of the change in schools, only one round trip journey during that academic year can be claimed.

Admissible expenses are tuition, textbooks, or tuition for the teaching of the mother tongue when the dependent child attends a local school in which the instruction is given in a language other than his or her own. All admissible and non-admissible expenses are explained in detail the relevant administrative instructions listed on the Education Grant HR Factsheet and found in the HR Handbook and may further be specified through periodic Information Circulars.When you submit a claim for admissible expenses you must also have the required documentation: a) You must have the P.41 form “Certificate of Attendance and Costs and Receipts for Payment” completed by the school. b) Substantiating documents—the invoices, receipts, cancelled checks and bank statements that document the education expenditures c) If you wish to claim for private tuition for education in the mother tongue, you must also have the teacher’s certification.

Yes. However, any retroactive claim of education grant must be made within one year of the date on which the staff member would have been entitled to receive the grant, in this case the end of the school year. You must submit the P.45 form and all required supporting documentation as indicated on the Education Grant HR Factsheet.

You can request the lump-sum option for education grant travel but only to cover the round-trip journey. Once the lump-sum is selected, it is not possible to request the travel be arranged by the Organization for the same trip. 

You may combine education grant travel with home leave travel for your child provided the child spends at least seven days at the duty station, as well as seven days at the place of home leave. 

The amount of the education grant will be based on the actual location of the educational institution the child is attending, taking into account the location of theduty station where you are installed. Staff members are able to claim reimbursement for boarding costs, or payment of the flat sum for board, for a child attending school outside the non-family duty station.

If your appointment expires before the end of the school year, you must submit the claim one month before the date of your separation from service. 

Life and work events are changes that affect your personal profile information and entitlements in two important areas: changes in your life (such as marriage, divorce or birth of a child) and changes in your employment (such as a temporary move or a transfer to a new duty station). Staff members are responsible for keeping information about changes in life and work events up-to-date and accurate so that affected allowances and benefits can be aligned with your profile.

You do not need to take any actions in Umoja when you change jobs within the same duty station. You will receive notifications about actions taken in Umoja by the offices involved. You receive a movement notification when your selection is finalized and the release date is determined. The notification is also sent to the Manager of the releasing office, and to the Receiving and Releasing HR Partners. If your change in job means moving to a different duty station, you will receive the notifications that tell you to take the necessary actions for shipment, travel, and the allowances related to the movement. Note: Starting 1 July 2014, Umoja will start to be deployed at various duty stations. If Umoja has not yet been deployed where you are located then you must follow the procedures currently in place.

The salary of staff members in all categories is calculated at either the single or dependency rate. A dependent is a UN-recognized family member for whom the staff member provides main and continuing support. The dependency rate applies when there is a dependent spouse or one child. The dependency allowance is payable to additional children who meet the requirements. Family status notification is used to request to receive or discontinue the dependency allowance for a dependent. Open the Maintain Family Status HR Factsheet for more information and the list of the relevant policy documents that can be found in the HR Handbook. 

When a staff member has had at least five year’s consecutive service, for staff serving at duty stations in categories A to E, the mobility allowance is payable from the second assignment of one year or longer; at duty stations in category H, the mobility allowance is payable from the fourth assignment and only if the staff member has had two or more assignments, each for a period of one year or longer, at duty stations in categories A to E.

When two staff members are married to each other and each is entitled to themobility allowances, each shall be paid at the single rate. If there are one or more dependent children, the allowance is paid at the dependency rate to the staff member for whom the child or children are recognized as dependants.

Staff members who are already in receipt of the mobility allowance will continue get it while in receipt of a DSA for official travel.

Locally-recruited General Service staff members, including those on a temporary grade to the Field Service category, are not entitled to the mobility allowance, as they revert to their GS status (with no international benefits) upon return to their parent duty station.

The clock counting five years for the purpose of mobility allowance will be stopped once you go on special leave without pay. The clock will resume once you return to active duty.

As long as you remain installed in your current duty station where you received yourmobility allowance, it will not change while you travel for duty on assignments of lessthan one year.Your mobility allowance will change on transfer or reassignment, onlywhen you are installed in a new duty station.

A transfer from one duty station to another normally happens when you are selectedfor a vacant position at a different duty station, or by a lateral move to a post inanother duty station but withinthe department/office. Since it is a permanent move,the staff member has no return rights to the position they left. If you move again atsome time in the future, the allowances are based on your individual profile and the assigned duty station. You are installed at the new duty station when you move there and are then paid allowances based on your individual profile and the assigned duty station.

A temporary movement between duty stations is moving to a different position for a limited period of time within the same Department or Office or in a different Department/Office. The temporary movement between duty stations can be either: a) temporary assignment, where you move to a new position and retain the lien to come back to the same position you left when the assignment ends; or b) temporary loan, where both you and your post are ‘loaned’ to a different organizational unit and supervisor for a definite period of time and at the end both you and your position return to the original organizational unit. Which option selected is a management decision between the two offices. For the staff member, each option has different implications regarding their conditions of service.

Shipping options depend on the type and duration of the assignment/movement, your personal profile, and the assigned duty station you are going to.

The removal entitlement is when the Organization takes care of all the arrangements and pays the cost of shipment of a large part of your belongings (within established weight or volume limits). Under the non-removal entitlement, the Organization will either pay a fixed lump-sum amount, (called a Relocation Grant), or alternatively, if the staff member’s chooses, arrange for unaccompanied shipment of a small part of their belongings and pay a monthly non-removal allowance for a duration of five years.

No. Travel of family members in connection with a staff member’s appointment or assignment can be made only to the family duty station that the staff member is assigned to, as the purpose of the travel for the family is to reside with the staff member at the duty station.

When you were initially installed at your duty station, you should have received a relocation grant for $10,000, which is the amount at single rate (considering that your family did not travel with you at that time). Now when at least one of your family members travels to join you in the duty station, you will be receiving additional $5,000, which is the difference between the family rate and the single rate. Please refer to the guidelines for the implementation of GA Resolution 65/248 on the harmonization of the conditions of service for internationally recruited staff currently appointed or assigned to a non-family location for one year or longer that will become a regular family duty station. It is stipulated that staff members are eligible for shipment of personal effects of the eligible family members under Staff Rules or payment of $5, 000 relocation grant in lieu of shipment of personal effects.

When you were initially installed at your duty station, you should have received a relocation grant for $10,000, which is the amount at single rate (considering that your family did not travel with you at that time). Now when at least one of your family members travels to join you in the duty station, you will be receiving additional $5,000, which is the difference between the family rate and the single rate. Please refer to the guidelines for the implementation of GA Resolution 65/248 on the harmonization of the conditions of service for internationally recruited staff currently appointed or assigned to a non-family location for one year or longer that will become a regular family duty station. It is stipulated that staff members are eligible for shipment of personal effects of the eligible family members under Staff Rules or payment of $5, 000 relocation grant in lieu of shipment of personal effects.

The non-removal allowance is a monthly amount paid to compensate for the nonremoval of personal effects and household goods when a staff member relocates to a new duty station. The amount of the allowance varies according to the staff member’s grade and family status (single or dependent) as well as the category of the duty station.

The allowance depends upon choosing either the unaccompanied shipment orrelocation grant for shipment and is paid monthly in an amount according to the staff member’s grade and family status (single or dependent) as well as the category of the duty station.

For temporary appointments and temporary movements of less than one year the non-removal allowance is not paid.

After a staff member moves and becomes eligible for the non-removal allowance, it is paid for five years of active service at the same duty station.

The non-removal allowance is paid for a five year period of active service as long as you remain installed at the same duty station.

Your relocation grant will be based on the allowance package coming with the twoyear fixed term appointment. Accordingly, you can then receive a lump sum for unaccompanied shipment in the amount of $15,000 USD at the family rate or $10,000 USD at the single rate.

The amount of the relocation grant depends on the length of the appointments and movement and on the staff members family composition.

If you have to delay your repatriation for compelling reasons, you can request for a deferral of your repatriation travel which will also defer your entitlement for relocation grant. Deferral is possible for up to two years and is subject to approval by the local HR official.

The maximum reasonable rent level by duty station is found in the Benefits at My Duty Station Calculator on the Pay and Benefits page of the HR Portal. The maximum rent levels are also published in Information Circulars of which you can find by searching the HR Handbook.

The threshold percentage is published by the International Civil Service Commission on its website. From the ICSC homepage map, click on the country, the information icon, and from the data that opens about that country, click post adjustment classification. Rental subsidy percentage for that country is also provided on the screen.

If you return to the same duty station the seven-year scheme starts anew only if you have spent six months or more outside of the duty station and if the return to the duty station required a change of residence.

Starting 1 July 2014, Umoja will start to be deployed at various duty stations. If Umoja has not yet been deployed where you are located then you must follow the procedures currently in place. With Umoja, you manage your rental subsidy application, changes, and annual declaration through the system. Forms are not used but certain documentation is required. 1) For a new rental subsidy application or a revised application when there is a change in the rent, dwelling or family situation, Submit a new application as soon as you sign the lease and have all of the documentation. Submit a revised application for a change in rent, dwelling, or family situation no later than 30 days after the change has occurred. 1) Log in to the Umoja Employee Self Service Portal (ESS) 2) Select Entitlements 3) Click on ‘Check Entitlements Eligibility’ Do you have an HR question? Email unstaff-servingasone@un.org 11 June 2014, version1 Disclaimer: This is an advance copy and all links and references listed are not yet available 4) Select Rental Subsidy – Apply online IMPORTANT: You must retain all original documents for a period of five years starting from the date of the submission of the claim. 2) Annual Declaration when there is no change and your lease is still valid. Certify the information on file to receive continued payment of the subsidy. 1) Log in to the Umoja Employee Self Service Portal (ESS) 2) Select Life and Work Events 3) Select Work Events>Annual Declaration, then Rental Subsidy

You can get an estimate by using the Benefits at My Duty Station Calculator on the Pay and Benefits page of the HR Portal. (Link not yet available)

In Europe and North America the rental subsidy period at a duty station is seven years from the date in which the person took up residency in the commuting area of the duty station, which is defined on a local basis. If you have lived in the commuting area of the duty station for more than seven years before being internationally recruited as a UN staff member, you do not receive a rental subsidy. If you have lived in the commuting area of the duty station for less than seven years, you may apply for the rental subsidy for the balance of the seven-year period.

Rental subsidy begins once you are settled with the DSA portion of the assignment grant covering the period when you first arrive. The subsidy is generally payable from the first day following the end of payment of the Daily Subsistence Allowance (DSA) portion of the Assignment Grant, or from the first day of your lease agreement, whichever date is later.

The rental subsidy calculation is a complex formula using several main contributing factors: your duty station and what is considered to be the highest reasonable rent level you should pay in that location (maximum rent level), the actual amount of rent you pay (lease), your family composition and your income (grade level and step). The "dependant rate" is used if a staff member's spouse and/or child has been recognized as an eligible dependant by the Organization and the salary is at the dependency rate. If no spouse or child is recognized as an eligible dependant, the salary is at single rate and the "single rate" is used in calculating the rental subsidy.

The rental subsidy calculation is a complex formula using several main contributing factors: your duty station and what is considered to be the highest reasonable rent level you should pay in that location (maximum rent level), the actual amount of rent you pay (lease), your family composition and your income (grade level and step). The "dependant rate" is used if a staff member's spouse and/or child has been recognized as an eligible dependant by the Organization and the salary is at the dependency rate. If no spouse or child is recognized as an eligible dependant, the salary is at single rate and the "single rate" is used in calculating the rental subsidy.

It is the portion of rent NOT subject to a subsidy by the UN at the duty station. The rental subsidy calculation is a complex formula using several main contributing factors: your duty station and what is considered to be the highest reasonable rent level you should pay in that location (maximum rent level), the actual amount of rent you pay (lease), your family composition and your income (grade level and step). The individual threshold is calculated as (monthly net salary + post adjustment) x threshold percentage rate. If your rent is less than your individual threshold, there is no rental subsidy. Your individual threshold can change with changes in base salary, post adjustment, or family situation.

Your dependents who are recognized by the Organization (spouse and children) must live reside with you at the duty station for the major part of the year to be considered in the determination of your reasonable maximum rent level. tion.

The rental subsidy stops at the beginning of the period of SLWOP and resumes on return to duty. The SLWOP period is not counted towards the normal maximum sevenyear period of the rental subsidy in Europe and North America. If the period of SLWOP is less than one full month you will not receive payment of rental subsidy for that month.

No. The repatriation grant is not paid to a staff member who is summarily dismissed or who abandons his or her post.

A staff member holding a temporary appointment who is considered internationally recruited, according to staff rule 4.5, shall be eligible for the payment of the repatriation grant at the single rate only, regardless of her/his family status in accordance with the data in annex IV to the Staff Regulations.

No, post adjustment is not included in the calculation of the repatriation grant paid to a staff member.

Do I have to travel back to my country in order to receive my repatriation grant?

It is possible to request a deferral of the repatriation grant to a later period. Such request should be submitted as soon as possible in advance of your separation from the Organization and will be reviewed and approved by the Office of Human Resources Management or the local HR Office as applicable. Deferral of this entitlement can be approved for a period of up to two years.

When the UN provides free transportation to the official R & R destination and the staff member decides to travel to an alternate destination, it will be at the staff member’s own expense. When free transportation is not provided, if you choose to travel to a location other than the official R & R destination, the Organization will pay the lower of either (a) the cost between the duty station and the official R & R destination or (b) the cost between the duty station and the place to where you have chosen to go for R & R.

Rest and recuperation must be taken within one month following the completion of the period of uninterrupted qualifying service. The period of qualifying service starts counting from your date of arrival at the duty station, or from the date of return from last rest and recuperation, or from the date of return from any leave that has interrupted the qualifying service. Any absence of more than three working days—on annual leave, sick leave, family leave, family visit travel, home leave, or official business travel combined with annual leave/special leave—interrupts the period of service.

Rest and recuperation is due only at duty stations designated for payment of rest and recuperation. The frequency of rest and recuperation depends on the duty station where you are serving: 1) Every 6 weeks in extremely dangerous locations and war/conflict areas 2) Every 8 weeks at all non-family and restricted duty stations 3) Every 12 weeks at duty stations with a high level of hardship (D or E).

All staff members are expected to separate on the mandatory date of their retirement. In very exceptional circumstances, retention in service of staff members beyond the mandatory age of separation may be approved by the SecretaryGeneral only when it is in the interest of the Organization.

No, the step- in-grade pay increment will not be paid when the staff member separates during the month in which the increment would otherwise have been due.

Retired staff members who are above their mandatory age of separation can be employed by the Organization on temporary appointment or as an individual contractor or as a consultant. Please consult the HR Handbook for details on the conditions that apply. When such employment is approved, it can begin only after at least three months has elapsed since the date of retirement.

 The amount of repatriation grant is determined by a number of factors and provides for payment of a certain number of weeks of gross salary less staff assessment on the basis of the number of years of completed qualifying service. Consult the HR Handbook for Annex IV to the Staff Regulations for the amounts that would be payable.

 If you have a spouse at the time of separation, your spouse need not be a dependent spouse; upon your separation with the Organization, the repatriation grant should be authorized at the dependency rate, provided your spouse is your household member who was installed with you at your duty station.

 Sick leave is authorized time off from work when a staff member is unable to perform his/her functions because of sickness or injury. There are two types of sick leave: • Uncertified sick leave – absences of up to seven working days during the annual leave cycle (April through March) for which you do not need to provide a doctor’s note, for sickness, injury, or for family-related emergencies. • Certified sick leave – absences in excess of seven working days during the annual leave cycle. You must submit a doctor’s note for approval. The first 20 days of certified sick leave during the annual cycle is approved by your (local) HR official or executive office. After the first 20 days, certified sick leave is approved by the Medical Service.

 Staff members have an obligation to inform their supervisors as soon as possible of any absences due to illness or injury, and promptly submit the medical certificate or report, if required, to certify their sick leave. If you were unable to obtain the necessary certification at the early stage of your absence on sick leave, you have up to 20 working days following the initial absence from duty to do so.

 A staff member on sick leave shall not leave the duty station without the prior approval of the UN medical officer who may in special circumstances, approve the request from a staff member when the competent medical facilities are not available in the duty station or when the staff member requires accompanying family care during the treatment.

 A staff member’s maximum entitlement to sick leave will be determined by the type and duration of his or her appointment. When the entitlement to sick leave has been exhausted, further certified sick leave shall be charged to annual leave. When this entitlement has been exhausted, the staff member will be placed on special leave without pay at which time a determination will be made if the staff member could be considered for a disability pension.

 Certified sick leave of more than seven days and up to 20 days during the annual cycle requires certification without diagnosis from a licensed medical practitioner. After 20 days during the annual cycle the medical certification must include the diagnosis and you submit the certification with the diagnosis to your Medical Service.

 Uncertified sick leave (maximum 7 days leave with pay) may also be used by staff to attend to family-related emergencies. Should a staff member utilize this option, they are required to make every effort to inform their supervisor in advance of the proposed leave and of its duration. However, if this is not possible, he or she shall provide the required information on the first day taken as emergency family leave. In cases of death or emergency of an immediate family member and additional time off is required, a staff member may apply for Special Leave (without pay) for a maximum duration of two weeks plus necessary travel time.

Yes .Sickness and emergencies are unpredictable. The Organization continues to pay your salary while you are recovering as long as it is within your maximum entitlement limits and proper medical documentation is submitted, when required.

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 more than five consecutive working days, the entire duration of absence is considered annual leave.

Uncertified sick leave is intended for use by staff members when they are unable to perform their duties due to illness or injury for short periods of time. Uncertified sick leave (maximum 7 days leave with pay) may also be used by staff to attend to family-related emergencies. Should a staff member utilize this option, they are required to make every effort to inform their supervisor in advance of the proposed leave and of its duration. However, if this is not possible, he or she shall provide the required information on the first day taken as emergency family leave. Leave taken for this purpose is not considered as “personal days”.