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​​Contract extension workflow


The following sets out, in a simplified manner, the process and responsibilities for extending the contract of internationally-recruited staff members on Fixed Term or Temporary Appointments.  The extension process is two-fold: 

  • extension of the position​
  • extension of the contract of staff member

(Note: only personnel action forms verified/finalized by GSSU Benefits and Entitlements Services may be shared with the staff member)

The workflow below describes the role and interaction of/between country offices, the Global Shared Services Centre Position Management team, the OHR Business Partnering team, the GSSU Benefits and Entitlements Services teams and, finally, the individual staff member. The GSSU Benefits and Entitlements Services team will be involved only upon receipt of the formal request for personnel action.


COUNTRY OFFICE
  • HR monitors the expiry of contracts, using the PartnerList, to ensure timely initiation of process for decision on extension versus separation.
  • Decides on the extension of positions.
  • Ensures availability of funding and requests (see attached instructions), to extend position, as required, using the Position Management Request Form, attaching any necessary documentation and endorsement by budget focal person.

Check availability of funds in Atlas.

 

Note:  For senior and select positions in country offices these steps are facilitated by OHR business partnering team.

​GSSU POSITION MANAGEMENT
  • Receives Position Management Request Form, with necessary documentation.
  • Processes position extension.
  • Informs country office that action has been taken.

COUNTRY OFFICE

Fixed Term Appointment

  • Requests OHR Business Partnering team to raise RPA for extension, attaching relevant communications.

 

Temporary Appointment below 364 days:

  • Raises RPA for extension through the Workbench, directly to Benefits and Entitlements Services attaching relevant communications.

 

Temporary Appointment beyond 364 days: Requests exception for extension beyond 364 days as applicable to OHR Business Partnering team, up to a maximum of one year and 364 days (see Temporary Appointment guidelines).

For exception request workflow, please consult OHR Business Partnering team.

OHR BUSINESS PARTNERING TEAM

Fixed term

  • Raises request for personnel action for extension in the Workbench, including exception for extension beyond retirement, as applicable.
GSSU BENEFITS AND ENTITLEMENTS

  • Receives request for personnel action.
  • Processes in Atlas the extension of the contract of the staff member, verifies step increase, dependency and other aspects of staff file, as applicable.
  • Sends the finalized/verified extension Personnel action form to the staff member, with a copy to country office HR focal point(s).
​​STAFF MEMBER
  • Receives Personnel action form, reviews and takes note of new expiry date.
  • Shares copy of Personnel action form with office an​d others, as appropriate.

 

Useful links to resources

​

Global Shared Services Centre Position Management


Instructions from Global Shared Services Centre Position Management

Position management requests (for all bureaus) will be received and processed by Global Shared Services Centre as per described in the below matrix.  The matrix guides you as to how the requests should be sent to Global Shared Services Centre or/and handled locally, depending on the category of positions and the funding source involved.

Signed Position Management requests, along with necessary documentation, should be sent to:  gssu.positionmgt@undp.org.  Additional documentation is required only for P6 and extension beyond 364 days for Temporary Appointments.

Requests related to all D1/P6 levels positions (irrespective of funding source) and other complex requests (which require specific approval of the Chief of Accounts) should also be sent to gssu.positionmgt@undp.org; Global Shared Services Centre will then coordinate with HQ for further processing of such requests. Requests involving controlled funds like XXXX (described as type 2 in the below matrix) should also be sent to Global Shared Services Centre, who will coordinate with Office of Financial Resources Management for approvals.

Further:

  1. The endorsements/ approvals from Budget focal persons of RB/RH, where required, can be provided by an email (No need to prepare a separate approval memo).
  2. The procedures should be followed for all position management change requests that have a budgetary impact (e.g.: including position extensions with same Charter of Accounts)

The Position Management Request form is needed to be submitted each time a request is made. In filling in and sending the form, please ensure the following:

  1. One form is submitted per request, as quite often, the budget owner/fund manager is different for positions.
  2. Forms are signed by both the fund manager (for Level 1 budget) and Budget owner (for Level 2 budget) at the respective places provided, even if the signatory is same for both the levels of budgets (as quite often these authority levels are different for positions).
  3. Please ensure that the effective dates and durations, as they relate to the requested action, are clearly mentioned.
  4. Please plan sending your requests ahead of time as it is not possible to change effective dates retrospectively. In cases where the payroll costs are already posted, the responsibility to make correcting journals belong to the requesting units. While making such correcting GLJEs, amounts should not be lumped in one expense account (as these will create negative expenses/ balances in accounts codes).

​Note:  Any questions about the extension of positions and this workflow, please contact Global Shared Services Centre Position Management directly, gssu.positionmgt@undp.org.


How to use the HR Workbench


The following steps would be taken to raise the RPA with instructions for the extension of international Temporary Appointments:

  1.  Access the HR Workbench to raise the instructions for an extension of a temporary appointment staff member - http://sas.undp.org/internal/HR/
  2. Select "Request for Personnel Action (TA – IP…)"
  3. Click "Extension"
  4. Enter staff members UN index number and click "Import", which will populate fields with staff member's name, current expiration date of contract, position number and department.  Check to see that the information is accurate.
  5. Select "Extend assignment for" by choosing "3 month", "6 month" or "Other" (in which case you enter the new end of contract date, COB).
  6. Click the box for "I certify that the positon is approved" to confirm that you have made arrangements for the extension of the position itself with Global Shared Services Centre Position Management, gssu.positionmgt@undp.org.
  7. If the extension of the TA is beyond a combined period of 364 days click the "I understand…" box and attach the document showing OHR approval under "Supporting documents".
  8. Add any remarks as appropriate.
  9. Click "Submit request (TA)" to submit