Union Syndicale Bruxelles

2010 Reclassification

The new evaluation and reclassification system for Contract Agents (Art. 3a)

 

 

La version en Français a été envoyée le 7 décembre.

Brussels, 15 December 2010

Dear Colleagues,

 

 

 

This message is aimed principally at our Contract Agent (Art. 3a) colleagues and their reporting officers

Imposed averages

How then can we achieve fixed thresholds?

Will the thresholds go up next year

What progression expectations do contract agents (Art. 3a) have?

What can I take to be the reference guide for my career development?

 

The career progression system for contract agents has taken a step forward with the launch of the administrative procedure which has made possible the 2008 and 2009 evaluation and the 2010 reclassification of 282 contract agents (Art. 3a).

Nevertheless, the system has shown its limitations and Union Syndicale is not satisfied with the evaluation exercise and the arbitrary methods used by certain Commission departments in the awarding of points.

It is also important to remember that the evaluation objectives and criteria, along with the common evaluation standards, are not tools that allow for equity and objectivity of evaluation. Changing the system year after year also leads to inconsistencies from one reclassification exercise to the next.

Furthermore, this year, colleagues’ assessments have been carried out without them or their superiors knowing what the pre-established thresholds are. For reporting officers this represents an aspect of career management neglected, but for colleagues it means being deprived of a means of defence.

If we add to this the compulsory averages imposed for each performance group, we get a system that offers colleagues little peace of mind.

Indeed, as is the case with officials, certain colleagues have found themselves awarded scores below the general average.  The reporting of performance and results did not always objectively allow a genuine follow-up for colleagues who deserved higher scores than those awarded in merit group 2 (3 and 4 points).

Imposed averages?

25% of ACs have between 5 and 6 points with an average of 5.5 points and, at most,

75% of ACs have between 3 and 4 points with an average of 3.5 points.

If the points do not change year on year, under this system we shall have the following structure:

-25% fast careers (5 and 6 points).

-37.5% normal careers (4 points).

-37.5% slow careers (3 points and lower).

How then can we achieve fixed thresholds?

Considering the values relating to the imposed averages (5.5 points for performance level 1 and 3.5 points for performance level 2), the average number of points that will ensure an average career is 4 points out of the 6 that the system allows. This is why the thresholds have been fixed by multiplying the average number of years to be spent in the grade by an average of 4 points per year.

If the system remains constant, the thresholds are fixed and consequently the reclassification levels will also become so, but only in the long run.

Because of its structural failings, the system needs to be improved if evaluation is to be made a central element of career progression via reclassification.

Union Syndicale has followed all stages of the process and is contributing actively to the first stock-taking of this exercise. We shall put forward proposals for improving the system.

Notwithstanding, reclassification levels have been fixed.  Although the evaluation system requires in-depth study, we have been able to set out average progression rates for contract agents. This constitutes a future reference point for the monitoring of contract agents’ careers.

It is now up to the departments to anticipate the necessary budgets required for the reclassifications so as to guarantee their contract agents the levels provided for in the regulations. However, it is the responsibility of staff representatives to put forward proposals for improvements and to respond to the expectations of contract agents.

Will the thresholds go up next year?

No, the thresholds published are the system’s definitive thresholds and the threshold value to be reached, already applied in 2010, is the maximum value that the system provides for the years to come.

In order to obtain the reclassification levels set out this year, lower thresholds in certain grades have been requested as a transitional measure for the 2010 exercise. And rightly so, as we noted unequal treatment between the different grades in the transition from the preceding system to this one.

Nevertheless, the Administration prefers an accounts-based approach to the logical implementation of a coherent system and has decided to lower only the grade 5 threshold from 24 to 22.

Consequently, colleagues in certain grades who received excellent evaluations in the past and the best scores during the exercise covering 2008 and 2009 were not given a reclassification … even though they came within the average for a normal progression.

In certain grades, the reclassification levels are lower than anticipated and Union Syndicale finds unacceptable a situation in which colleagues who perform well are not reclassified because of the inconsistencies identified between the different systems.

What progression expectations do contract agents (Art. 3a) have ?

Advancement to a higher step

From the date of their recruitment, contract agents enjoy a one-step promotion in their grade automatically every 2 years independently of their quantitative evaluation.

 

Reclassification to a higher grade

When a contract agent has reached the threshold fixed for his grade, he is reclassified to step 1 of the grade above. This takes effect on 1 January of the year of the reclassification exercise.

 Table of average times in the grade and fixed thresholds under the current system

Function groups

Grades

Number of years on average

Thresholds

IV

18

-

 

 

17

6 to 10 years: average 8 years

32

 

16

5 to 7 years: average 6 years

24

 

15

4 to 6 years: average 5 years

20

 

14

3 to 5 years: average 4 years

16

 

13

3 to 5 years: average 4 years

16

III

12

-

 

 

11

6 to 10 years: average 8 years

32

 

10

5 to 7 years: average 6 years

24

 

9

4 to 6 years: average 5 years

20

 

8

3 to 5 years: average 4 years

16

II

7

-

 

 

6

6 to 10 years: average 8 years

32

 

5

5 to 7 years: average 6 years

24**

 

4

3 to 5 years: average 4 years

16

I

3

-

 

 

2

6 to 10 years: average 8 years

32

 

1

3 to 5 years: average 4 years

16

** In view of the contract agents' distance to the threshold, Union Syndicale has requested thresholds to be lowered for the 2010 period.

This threshold, which is still too high, has been set at 22, thus allowing a higher number of colleagues to be reclassified.

What can I take to be the reference guide for my career development?

Union Syndicale has always demanded continuous career development for all colleagues and a faster reclassification at the start of their career.

 General Principle

In each grade after recruitment, the first reclassification should take place on average after 4 years in that grade. Subsequently, the number of years on average spent in the higher grade prior to the next reclassification would be 4, 5, 6 or 8 years.

The salary grid for contract agents comprises 7 steps in each grade.

Therefore, in view of the reclassification levels provided for by the GIP (General Implementing Provisions) and in the absence of flagrant demerit, contract agents will not have to put up with an end-of-grade salary freeze and will therefore have continuous salary progression throughout their career.

The table below shows the average time spent in the grades and the average career development (4 points on average per year in the current system).

Function groups

Grades

Step

Step

Step

 

Step

Step

Step

Step

1

 

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

IV

18

5,722.65

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

6,474.86

 

17

5,057.83

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

16

4,470.24

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

15

3,950.91

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

 

 

 

14

3,491.92

2 years

4 years

6 years

 

 

 

 

13

3.086,25

2 years

4 years

6 years

 

 

 

III

12

3,950.85

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

4,470.14

 

11

3,491.89

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

10

3,086.24

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

9

2.727,71

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

 

 

 

8

2,410.84

2 years

4 years

6 years

 

 

 

II

7

2.727,65

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

3,086.25

 

6

2,410.72

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

5

2,130.61

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

 

 

 

4

1,883.05

2 years

4 years

6 years

 

 

 

I

3

2,319,77

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

2,624.05

 

2

1,883.05

2 years

4 years

6 years

8 years

10 years

 

 

1

1,812.98

2 years

4 years

6 years

 

 

 

Salary grid at 1/7/2009. The boxes in grey are the theoretical reclassification years for average careers.

Career development planning

A contract agent recruited at grade 1 of the Function Group I and enjoying an average career:

- Should be at grade 2 after 4 years in grade 1.

- Should be at grade 3 after 8 years in grade 2, and therefore after 12  years of service.

- Should be at grade 3 step 7 (last step in the grade) after 24 years of service.   

A contract agent recruited at grade 4 of Function Group II and enjoying an average career:

- Should be at grade 5 after 4 years in grade 4. 

- Should be at grade 6 after 6 years in at grade 5.       

- Should be at grade 7 after 8 years in grade 6, and therefore after 18 years of service.       

-  Should be at grade 7 step 7 (last step in the grade) after 30 years of service.       

A contract agent recruited at grade 8 of Function Group III enjoying an average career:

- Should be at grade 9 after 4 years in grade 8.        

- Should be at grade 10 after 5 years in grade 9.       

- Should be at grade 11 after 6 years in grade 10.        

-  Should be at grade 12 after 8 years in grade 6, and therefore after 23 years of service.       

-  Should be at grade 12 step 7 (last step in the grade) after 35 years of service.       

A contract agent recruited at grade 13 of Function Group IV enjoying an average career:

-  Should be at grade 14 after 4 years in grade 13.        

-  Should be at grade 15 after 4 years in grade 14.       

-  Should be at grade 16 after 5 years in grade 17.        

-  Should be at grade 17 after 6 years in grade 16.      

-  Should be at grade 18 after 8 years in grade 14, and therefore after 27 years of service.        

-  Should be at grade 18 step 7 (last step in the grade), after 38 years of service.       

The last step of Function Group IV-18 can only be reached by contract agents with a rapid career profile and who were recruited quite young.

Union Syndicale is committed to keeping staff objectively informed. It pursues a policy of accompaniment, support and defence of colleagues on all joint committees as well as in the day-to-day monitoring of their cases.

For this reason, Union Syndicale has put a great deal of effort into the appraisal and reclassification committees in order to ensure colleagues maximum fairness and adequate career development.

We continue to work to ensure that the results of negotiations with the trade unions are quickly implemented and that the GIP is finally adopted by the Commission.

We would be glad to hear from you with any suggestions or proposals for the improvement of the evaluation and reclassification system.

If you require any further information or a simulation of your career promotion prospects, please feel free to contact us.

 

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