Articles: Archives

Return to generalized teleworking at HQ (December 2021)

Following the decisions of the Swiss Federal Council to strengthen COVID-19 related measures announced on 3 December 2021, the Director-General has decided that staff at ILO headquarters should return to generalized teleworking, with the exceptions set out below.

This decision applies from Monday 6 December 2021 until at least 24 January 2022, when the Swiss authorities will further review their measures.

This decision has been taken as a precautionary measure in light of the rapid evolution of the pandemic and the priority that the Office continues to give to ensuring the safety and health of staff.

Exceptions to this requirement to telework shall be colleagues required to:

• service the ILC, Committee of Experts and other scheduled constituent meetings, or
• perform on-site essential services as designated by department heads.

These staff will be informed of the requirement for their presence in the building as soon as possible.

Requests by other staff for exceptional access to the HQ building during this period should be submitted to their department director in accordance with the current procedures.

The arrangements and timing of the return of ILO staff to the office will be subject to the evolution of the pandemic and any further decisions by the local authorities.

In implementing these arrangements it is essential that business continuity and effective functioning of the Office is maintained. Therefore the Director-General will convene a meeting of all heads of department on Monday morning 6 December with a view to determining appropriate managerial arrangements. Further information will be provided to staff following that meeting.

In this context, all staff are expected to continue to work from the duty station unless on leave.

Colleagues who need to come into the building to collect work or personal items are requested to do so early next week, and to only remain in the building for the time necessary to do so.

We urge you all to continue to take care of your own health and that of others around you at all times, and particularly when participating in any end-of-year gatherings.

It follows from the above that no end-of-year gatherings will be permitted to take place in the building, and we urge staff to exercise judgement and respect all appropriate health measures outside the building.

We will update with further information on the situation as soon as it is available.

Greg Vines
DDG/MR

Communication of the Staff Union Committee – October 2021

Download the Staff Union note – 29-09-2021

Activities Report 2021

Download the Activities Report 2021

Update of the return to the office (Geneva ILO headquarters) – 6 July 2021

This communication provides an update on the plans for a progressive and safe return to the office of staff at ILO headquarters, which, as previously announced, will start on 2 August 2021.

The positive evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic in the region, with reduced levels of contamination and broad access to vaccinations, has allowed further lifting of restrictions in Switzerland and neighbouring France.

I am pleased to say that this situation creates the conditions for welcoming a progressive return of all staff to office, in order to continue our full services under normal conditions of work, while ensuring a safe environment for all staff and visitors present in the building.

Organization of the return to office

All staff who have received medical clearance will return to office as of 2 August 2021, based on the following conditions.

• The total number of people simultaneously present in the building at any given time will be limited to the maximum safe capacity that respects the requirements of the local health authorities.
• All directors (D1 and above) will return to the office on a 100% basis.
• All staff who need to be in the office to perform functions that cannot be done remotely, based on exigencies of the work, nature of the role and responsibilities, will also return to the office on a 100% basis.
• Managers will need to apply transparency, fairness and equity in distribution of work among staff members performing the same functions and required to be present on site. Work schedules will be developed in consultation with the staff, taking into account the needs of the department or unit and periods of staff leave.
• Additional staff in departments providing essential services and client support services on premises may be required to be present in the office on a full-time basis to support increased staff presence and activities in the building, to respond to emergencies and to work on projects requiring their presence. These colleagues will be contacted by their managers.
• All other staff will return to office on a rotational basis, alternating 50% presence at the office and 50% teleworking, regardless of their role or grade. This includes staff in individual offices and staff in shared offices. Exceptionally, some staff in open space offices may be required to telework for more than 50% of the time.
• Staff members who consider that they cannot work from home for personal reasons can request a return to the office on a 100% basis through HRD (hrd-covid-19@ilo.org).
• Staff currently authorized to telework out of the Geneva duty station will be required to return to it as soon as possible and no later than 13 September 2021.
• Following the return to office on 2 August, the regular teleworking procedures as set out in IGDS 141 will apply to all staff at headquarters, taking into account the mandatory 50% teleworking where applicable. Any future adjustments to flexible working time are being negotiated through the established procedures with staff representatives.
• Individual arrangements for staff presence and rotation, including the frequency of rotation, will be coordinated by department directors in consultation with staff. Further information and guidance to assist in this task will be provided to directors.

Medical clearance

• Only staff who have received medical clearance will be authorized to return to office.
• Staff who have not been cleared previously will receive a notification from MEDSERV asking them to inform MEDSERV confidentially about their status, using the online medical declaration portal. MEDSERV will review this information to determine if clearance to return to office can now be granted.
• Staff who have been medically cleared but whose circumstances have changed should contact MEDSERV (infirmary@ilo.org) for advice.
• All medical matters will be dealt with by MEDSERV on a strictly confidential basis.

Vaccination status 

• The Office strongly encourages all eligible staff to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccination will not be a condition for the return to office.
• All staff will be invited to report their vaccination status confidentially to MEDSERV, using the online medical declaration portal. This reporting is not mandatory, but staff are encouraged to do so. The aggregated data will help inform safety measures as we go forward. A separate communication will be issued with further information.

Safety and health measures

• The highest priority will continue to be given to the safety, health and well-being of staff. As has been the case throughout the pandemic, comprehensive safety and health measures will continue to apply at the headquarters building, and staff are expected to follow the indications on the signage on offices and meeting rooms carefully.
• Please remember that you should continue to follow physical distancing and hygiene guidance, wear a mask in all common and shared areas, and that you should stay at home if you feel unwell. These measures will continue to apply even if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
• Further updated details on the safety measures in the building, including special arrangements for the meeting rooms, cafeteria and car parks, will be available on the intranet.

The Office will continue to monitor the situation carefully, in consultation with the WHO and the other Geneva-based UN agencies.

We thank all staff for your continued commitment and will keep you fully informed of progress as we enter this new and welcome phase.

Greg Vines

DDG/MR

Broadcast ILO 1 June 2021

This communication provides an update on plans for the return to office of staff at headquarters.

As previously announced, the Office continues to prepare for the return of all Geneva-based staff to office as soon as conditions allow.

COVID-19 policy measures, including the widespread access to vaccination, have brought significant improvements to the situation, but the pandemic remains present. 

The ILO senior management continues to monitor the COVID-19 situation carefully and to make decisions based on the local epidemiological situation and recommendations of the WHO, the host country and in consultation with other UN agencies. As always, the Office gives highest priority to ensuring the safety and health of staff.  

The latest decisions by the Swiss authorities confirm the progressive reopening of social and economic activity in the country. However, teleworking continues to be recommended, and an increased return to office is only possible with specific strict conditions, including the weekly COVID testing of all staff present, reflecting the ongoing risks associated with the pandemic.

Taking all factors into account, the Director-General has decided that mandatory teleworking will continue to apply to all staff at ILO headquarters until 2 August 2021.

During the interim period, updated policies and plans guiding the return to office will be finalized and communicated to all staff. 

The ILO senior management will review the situation again in late June or when new information becomes available. 

Regardless of the teleworking status at headquarters, managers are requested to encourage staff to finalize plans for summer leave in a coordinated manner to ensure business continuity.

On behalf of the Director-General, I would like to thank all staff for their flexibility and understanding as we adapt together to an evolving situation and prepare for this new phase in our response to the pandemic.

Greg Vines

DDG/MR

Covid-19: border workers and residents will have to present a certificate at the French border

Les travailleurs et résidents frontaliers seront tenus de présenter une attestation de domicile, mais pas de test PCR négatif à la frontière franco-suisse. Le gouvernement français a annoncé vendredi la fermeture des frontières hors-UE, sauf motif impérieux.

Voilà la situation clarifiée après un temps d’incertitude. Les autorités françaises ont annoncé dimanche 31 janvier que les travailleurs et résidents frontaliers ne seront pas concernés par les tests PCR obligatoires pour traverser la frontière franco-suisse.

Vendredi, le Premier ministre Jean Castex avait annoncé de nouvelles mesures pour lutter contre la pandémie de Covid-19, en particulier la fermeture des frontières françaises aux personnes venant de pays extérieurs à l’UE ou à l’Espace Schengen. Et d’ajouter qu’un test PCR négatif serait demandé pour toute entrée en France en provenance d’un pays de l’UE, “à l’exception des travailleurs transfrontaliers”.

Le doute planait donc sur la situation des étudiants et résidents frontaliers, nombreux à traverser la frontière chaque jour, notamment entre la Haute-Savoie et la Suisse. Mais la préfecture de la Haute-Savoie vient de préciser dans un communiqué que les transporteurs routiers, travailleurs frontaliers et “résidents des bassins de vie frontaliers dans un rayon de 30 km autour de leur domicile” sont exemptés de l’obligation de présenter un test négatif.

En cas de contrôle, ces derniers devront toutefois se munir de leur pièce d’identité, d’une attestation employeur pour les travailleurs frontaliers et d’une attestation justifiant de leur domicile, ajoutent les autorités françaises. Pour les autres voyageurs, les documents et attestations nécessaires sont à retrouver sur le site du ministère de l’Intérieur.

Cette série de restrictions, annoncées par le Premier ministre lors d’une prise de parole inattendue à l’issue d’un Conseil de défense, est qualifiée de “dernière cartouche” par une source gouvernementale interrogée par l’AFP. Jean Castex a par ailleurs annoncé un renforcement des contrôles du couvre-feu de 18 heures, des fêtes clandestines et de “l’ouverture illégale” des restaurants, afin que “les dérives de quelques-uns ne (…) ruinent pas les efforts de tous”.

Source France 3 : Auvergne Rhône-Alpes (internet du 1 février 2021)

https://france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr/auvergne-rhone-alpes/haute-savoie/haute-savoie-les-travailleurs-frontaliers-devront-se-munir-d-attestations-pour-se-rendre-en-suisse-1933600.html

Covid-19 : Information

Statement of the ILO Workers’ Group on vaccine equity

Download the statement

Extension of teleworking for staff at HQ until at least 4 May 2021

The Director-General has decided to extend the current mandatory teleworking arrangements for staff at headquarters until at least 4 May 2021.

Following the decisions of the Swiss authorities to maintain COVID-19-related restrictions announced on 19 March 2021, the Director-General has decided that the current mandatory teleworking policy will remain in place for staff at ILO headquarters until at least 4 May 2021.

The arrangements and timing of the return of ILO staff to the office will be subject to the evolution of the pandemic and any further decisions by the Swiss and French authorities. Further announcements are expected to be made by the authorities in mid-April and we will update staff on return to office arrangements at that time.

As previously, those staff whose presence is required in the office for a specific purpose prior to 4 May will be informed by their manager.

Requests for exceptional access to the HQ building will continue to be considered in accordance with the current procedures.

We recognize that this extended period of teleworking and continued uncertainty are a source of anxiety for many staff. The Office continues to give the highest priority to the safety and well-being of staff, and we ask all colleagues to continue to take care of your own health and that of others around you at all times.

Covid 19: How do I get the vaccination in France? / Intranet ILO: update of 10 of March

Staff living in France

• ILO staff, dependents or retirees living in neighbouring France with a valid Swiss carte de legitimation may register for vaccination in Switzerland. The telephone hotline (0800 909 400) should be used until international insurance cards are recognized by the online system. The hotline takes into account specific requests for appointments, but only for people who meet the criteria for priority access to vaccination.​​
• Retirees or dependents of staff living in France without a legitimation card will not have access to Swiss vaccines and should be vaccinated through the French system. They are included in the planning of the French authorities and will benefit from the same measures as those planned for the population and in the same order of priority.
• As of 14 January, vaccination will be available for people aged over 75 and frontline/health care worker​s, and it will be progressively available for other parts of the population. ​​Reservation is possible by phone or via the website sante.fr.

Further information

• ​​French Government: Public health and vaccination website
• French Government: Coronavirus vaccination​What is the cost of vaccination?

In Switzerland and in France, vaccination will be provided free of charge to residents and staff of international organizations in Geneva. In other cases, SHIF will reimburse the cost of the vaccine at 100%.

Covid-19: border workers and residents will have to present a certificate at the French border

• Lire plus

Message from the ILO Director General of January 13, 2021

You can see the ILO Director-General’s speech to staff on January 13, 2021 here :

Information from the SHIF on the Covid-19 vaccine

• PDF format
• Word format

Campagne de vaccination France/Pays de Gex

December 2020 – Message from the Director General and word from the Executive Secretary

Download in PDF format:

• Message from the Director General
• Word from the Executive Secretary

Staff in Geneva to full-time teleworking from October 19, 2020

As of Monday, October 19, 2020 and for an initial period of four weeks, all staff in Geneva will return to full-time teleworking, with the exception of designated staff.

News from the return to offices at ILO headquarters – August 28, 2020

Extrait Intranet BIT 28 août 2020

Current status of return to office 

• The additional 310 staff cleared for this next stage will bring the total number of staff who have completed the medical and HRD clearance to return to the office to around 830 people, with a maximum of 700 (56% of the total ILO staff at HQ) permitted to be in the building at any one time. This limit has been determined after a thorough assessment of safety and health measures, and in particular the need to ensure 2 metre physical distancing in all places.
• Staff who have not been cleared for RTO will continue to telework, and staff on rotational arrangements will rotate between telework and presence at the office.
• UNICEF staff who will move to the ILO building will follow the same approach as the ILO.

HQ office arrival time tool 

• In order to coordinate arrival times and use of the HQ Cafeteria, all staff will be asked to indicate their preferred arrival and break times using a dedicated online arrival time tool.
• This tool is being introduced as an additional safety measure to optimise physical distancing arrangements during peak periods. The anonymous tool will help to limit the number of staff who arrive or have lunch at the same time.
• To facilitate the staggered arrival to and departure from office premises , core working hours have been suspended. However, all staff are expected to work a normal weekly schedule of 8 hours per day, or 40 hours per week, regardless of their arrival time.