Paternity Leave

59th GA approved recommendations of the ICSC

Suzanne Thompson, UN

The Staff Coordinating Council, whose representatives actively participated in discussions on the subject of paternity leave at the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC), has recently received confirmation of its imminent implementation throughout the common system. Based on resolution 59/268 adopted by the General Assembly on 23 December 2004, the ICSC recommended implementation of entitlement to paternity leave, within certain parameters, as indicated in the Report of the International Civil Service Commission for 2004 (A/59/30 (Vol. I), paragraph 211.
Paternity leave was recommended by the ICSC for up to four weeks or, in the case of staff at non-family duty stations or in exceptional circumstances, for up to eight weeks. The ICSC further recommended that the provisions for paternity leave should supersede existing arrangements, that adoption leave should not be subsumed under paternity leave and that further administrative details relating to the management of paternity leave should be determined by the organizations.
Formerly, paternity leave was accorded only when both parents were employed by the United Nations, since a portion of the maternity leave had to be used for the paternity leave, or as family leave under the uncertified sick leave entitlement. Now, all male staff members whose spouses are expecting a child, regardless of whether the spouse is a UN staff member or not, may apply for paternity leave that may be taken either continuously or in separate periods at any time during the year following the birth of the child, provided it is completed during that year.
The Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM) is currently preparing the required amendments to the Staff Rules and administrative issuances to introduce and implement the new entitlement to paternity leave. Until the process is finalized, OHRM has advised that staff members may request up to four weeks of annual leave for paternity leave purposes. Once the appropriate administrative issuances enter into force, the annual leave would be retroactively credited as paternity leave.
Staff representatives are proud to have been a part of the discussions leading to the introduction of this progressive entitlement and pleased that staff will now be able to benefit from improved family entitlements. Staff representatives also commend the administration for their supportive stand on this question.

The author is Deputy Executive Secretary
of UNOG Coordinating Council.