Rising From Injury A Brief Guide for Injured UN Staff Members

RISING FROM INJURY

A BRIEF GUIDE FOR INJURED UN STAFF MEMBERS

Dear Colleague,

Your sacrifices and devotion to the noblest causes of peace, justice, human rights, and social progress will always be remembered by your United Nations family with enduring gratitude.

We, as an Organization, are here to support you as much as possible during this difficult time. If you are ailing physically, emotionally, or financially following your injury, please reach out so that we may assist you in getting the help you need. If you are confused about how to receive support from the United Nations, please know that information and resources are available. The Emergency Preparedness and Support Team (EPST) is a team that is dedicated to support ing you in accessing such information and resources.

EPST can help you to obtain the support, benefits, and/or entitlements that you need following a crisis. In collaboration with other o f fices , we a im to ca r r y ou t the Organization's duty of care to you.

We are here to serve as a resource to you, to help you identify the offices or persons who can help you, and to assist you in navigating the sometimes complicated process of obtaining your benefits and entitl You can think of us as your “go-to person” or information centre should you run into any difficulties. While we may not be able to solve all problems, we will point you in the right direction or help you in moving forward.

Please do not hesitate to contact us. Our website, www.un-epst.org, contains more information that may be helpful to you at this time.

The People Who Can Help You

While you may not feel that way, remember that you are not alone in traversing this difficult road. There are many resources available to help you, such as your Family Focal Point, your Human Resource Specialist, and the Staff Counsellor.

Staff Counsellor

Staff Counsellors are available to provide counseling and psychological support to you if needed. A Staff Counsellor can help by meeting with you and discussing how you can best take care of yourself and your family. The Staff Counsellor's office works

closely with other offices within the United Nat ions System that a lso prov ide counseling and psychological support. EPST or your Family Focal Point will be able to give you the coordinates of the nearest available Staff Counsellor.

Family Focal Point (FFP)

A Family Focal Point may be assigned to you to support you in navigating the sometimes challenging tasks immediately following your injury. FFPs are there to assist with some logistical arrangements and to help with as much of the paperwork related to the United Nations as possible. FFPs also provide basic navigational guidance through the benefits and claims processes. Feel free to reach out to your FFP if you need support, guidance, or help in facilitating communication. If you are not assigned a FFP, please reach out to your Human Resource Specialist.

Human Resource Specialist

The role of the HR Specialist is to provide you specific guidance in getting all the benefits and entitlements for which you are eligible. He/she serves as a resource for you in, among other things, identifying these benefits and entitlements, filling out f o r m s , a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g w h a t supplementary documentation you need.. Your HR Specialist is usually located within your identified Lead (or Administrating) Department.

The topics in the brochure include:

‣ The People Who Can Help You

‣ What to Expect in a Crisis

‣ Introduction to Your Benefits and Entitlements

UN Photo/Ian Steele UN Photo/Mark Garten

What to Expect Following Your Injury

There are many processes and players involved when you are injured in the line of duty. We briefly outline what to typically expect below; however, please bear in mind that these events are of great variance and what you may experience may be far from what is presented below.

Emergency Medical Intervention & Hospitalization

The UN Safety and Security Office (UNSSS) will immediately dispatch a Team to the scene of the crisis. At the same time, a medical emergency team, such as the United Nat ions Medical Emergency Response Team (UNMERT), coordinated by the Medical Services Division (MSD), will also be sent to the crisis location. Injured staff is immediately transported to the nearest full-service hospital and the Safety and Security Team will make an official report.

Evacuation

Depending on the nature of your injuries and residual security risks, you may be medically evacuated to a safer location. The local office/mission administration in conjunction with Medical Services Division will coordinate all arrangements for the evacuation and will provide specific

information to you, and/or your family, if applicable. As soon as possible, you should make contact with your Lead Department and so that they know of your and your family’s whereabouts. If medical assistance is recommended for you while traveling, UNMERT/MSD will authorize a doctor or nurse to travel with you. In some cases, a family member may be authorized to accompany you or a member of your family.

Personal Effects

To the extent possible, all your belongings will be returned to you should you have been separated from them during a crisis. This process may take some time as all items found at the site of the crisis will have to be inventoried, packed, and shipped. In some situations, you may be asked to identify your possessions based on a catalogue of things found near you. Your Family Focal Point, Human Resource Specialist, or Lead Department will keep you informed of the expected time line for the return of personal effects

Introduction to Your Benefits & Entitlements

There are several benefits and entitlements that may be available to you as an injured staff member. This section will give you a broad sense of what may be available to you. We strongly encourage you to contact your Family Focal Point or Human Resource

Specialist to discuss the specifics and embark on the claims process.

Medical & Hospital Costs

D e p e n d i n g o n t h e t y p e o f y o u r appointment, you will be covered by insurance for hospitalization and a portion of the costs for your medical treatment. It is advisable that you maintain all records of your treatment and costs. You may want to designate a member of your family or a colleague or friend to handle such matters. Contact your Human Resource Specialist for more information about medical coverage and arrangements for your particular situation.

Leave

You are obligated, as far as possible, to immediately report to your supervisor all absences from work, including sick leave that has been recommended by a medical doctor. There are various kinds of leave from work available to you if you are injured while working for the United Nations. These include certified sick leave, uncertified sick leave (can be with full pay or with half pay). In specific circumstances of extended sick leave, annual leave and/or special leave (with full pay or without pay) may need to be used. These will apply in a certain predetermined sequence and will need to be approved by MSD and OHRM. The kinds of leave available to you and the plan for your return to work will depend on the conditions of your contract.

UN Photo/Rick Borjamas UN Photo/Oliver Chassot

Following an injury:

‣ You may be hospitalized

‣ You may be evacuated

‣ Your personal effects will be

taken care of and returned to you

To determine what kind of leave you are eligible for, the sequence in which it will occur, and to file the documentation appropr iately, contact your Human Resource Specialist. You will continue to accrue annual leave while you are away on sick leave, and it is important for you to carefully document the number of days you have not worked. Make sure to also keep careful records of your certification of leave from a medical officer.

Compensation for Injury-in-Service (Appendix D)

I f your injury is attributable to the performance of official services on behalf of the United Nations, you may be entitled to compensation which is regulated by Appendix D of the United Nations Staff Rules. This compensation scheme is built o n t h e c o n c e p t o f “ w o r k e r s ' compensation.” Payment amounts are based on diagnosed permanent loss of function or permanent disfigurement and are subject to the established schedule of payments in Appendix D. Payments are made both as a lump sum and in monthly instalments, and are subject to payment maximums governed by the United Nations Joint Pension Fund.

In addition, Appendix D may also cover loss of income attributable to the injury or disability. If your injury leads to disability that resu l ts in the terminat ion of your appointment on the grounds that you are incapacitated for further service, you may

be eligible for payments as well. You should ask the Human Resource Specialist if Appendix D may be relevant in the circumstances. The claim for compensation should be made within four months from the date of the incident and should be submitted through your Human Resources Specialist to the Office for the Advisory Board on Compensation Claims.

Malicious Act Insurance Policy (MAIP)

Coverage under the MAIP is automatic for any staff member who is security cleared by DSS and authorized to travel to the duty station location where the incident/crisis took place. If your injury is attributable to a malicious act at the duty station, there may be additional compensation paid to you. If the event is classified as a malicious act, the application process for the benefit will be initiated by the Human Resource Specialist. You may contact him/her with any questions. Among the supporting documentation required for the application is an official police report or report by UN security official.

Work Site Modification or Work Hour Accommodations

When you return to work after being medically cleared, your supervisor may opt for a flexible working arrangement with you on a voluntary basis. There are several options outlined in the Human Resources Handbook under F lex ib le Work ing Arrangements. First contact your supervisor

and/or Human Resource Specialist for guidance on the options available. If you need additional assistance on negotiating this arrangement with your supervisor, you can contact the nearest Ombudsman’s Office.

Final Payment

If you separate from the Organization following your injury or disability, you may be paid a final settlement payment. This is the amount of money the Organization owes a staff member at the time of separation, calculated from his or her salary, commutation of accrued annual leave days, and other allowances as applicable. Any amounts due to the Organization by the staff member will be subtracted from this amount. Contact your Human Resource Specialist for more information.

Disability Payments: Pension Fund

If you separate from the Organization following your injury or disability, you may be entitled to disability payments through the United Nations Joint Staff Pension F u n d . C o n t a c t a P e n s i o n F u n d representative or your Human Resource Specialist for more information. It usually takes 4—6 weeks following receipt of the last required document for the first cheque to arrive.

Following an injury you may be eligible for:

‣ Medical & Hospital Costs

‣ Leave

‣ Compensation for Injury-in-Service (Appendix D)

‣ Malicious Act Insurance Policy (MAIP)

‣ Memorial & Recognition Fund

‣ Work Site Modification or Work Hour Accommodations

‣ Final Payment

‣ Disability Payments: Pension Fund

‣ Repatriation & Travel

‣ After-Service Health Insurance (ASHI)

UN Photo/ Ian Steele UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferre

Repatriation & Travel to Home Country for You & Your Family

If you separate from the Organization following your injury or disability and are entitled to repatriation travel and shipment of personal and household effects to your home country or place of recruitment, your Human Resources Specialist will make the necessary arrangements for you. If a medical escort is recommended, approval will be given by MSD and arrangements will be made by your Human Resources specialist.

After-Service Health Insurance (ASHI)

If you separate from the Organization following your injury or disability, you may be entitled to After-Service Health Insurance (ASHI). Your spouse and eligible dependent children may be eligible as well provided they were enrolled in the same contributory health insurance plan as you. Application for enrolment must be made within 31 days following the date of separation. To complete the application, contact the Health and Life Insurance Section and/or your Human Resource Specialist.

Other Entities to Consider:

Group Life Insurance

If you participated in the United Nations Group Life Insurance, you should contact the Health and Life Insurance Section to understand your benefits. If you participated in any other health or life insurances, you should contact the appropriate offices directly as well.

If you are injured and/or sick when you read this message, we wish you the very best in your recovery.

* While the information provided in this guide was prepared with utmost care, the Organization or EPST does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, timeliness or correct sequencing of the provided information. This guide serves as an orientation tool to staff members and provides not basis for legal claims of any kind.

Should you separate from the Organization, there may be some benefits and entitlements that will cease. These include:

‣ Education grant and education grant travel

‣ Home leave

‣ Immigrant visa/permit to live and work in your duty station

‣ Rental subsidy

‣ Other duty station specific entitlements (e.g. security allowance, duty free/commissary privileges, etc.)

UN Photo UN Photo/ Evan Schneider

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US: EPST@UN.ORG

The Emergency Preparedness and Support Team (EPST) was created in May 2010 to better fulfill the UN’s duty to care for its personnel and their family members given the risks that these personnel endure. EPST is housed in the Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), Department of Management in the Secretariat in New York.

Our mandate is to provide and coordinate essential support to staff survivors and the families of those who perish or are injured as a result of malicious acts, natural disasters, or other emergencies.

Our mission is to:

‣ Coordinate and improve existing HR mechanisms and policies for staff support

‣ Empower United Nations staff in preparing themselves for emergencies from an HR perspective

‣ Provide a ‘chapeau’ framework & support to existing broad network of internal and external resources for partner UN offices, and staff and families

‣ Serve as a communication/coordination centre on Human Resource matters related to staff and family support in emergencies

Our partners in coordinating services in the Secretariat are: Department of Management - Human Resources Services, Staff Counsellor's Office, Medical Service Division, Business Continuity Management Unit, Advisory Board on Compensation and Claims, Pension Unit – Department of Safety and Security: Critical Incident Management Unit (CISMU), Lead Department(s) such as Department of Field Support, etc.

We also collaborate with the UN's Agencies, Funds, and Programmes both at Headquarters and in the field, as well as best practice NGOs and commercial entities that offer similar family support programs.

For more information on EPST, please visit www.un-epst.org

Office of Human Resources Management (OHRM), 380 Madison Avenue, Room 09063A, New York, NY 10017Tel: 917.367.4203www.un-epst.org