What is Common System? The common system represents common standards, methods and arrangements being applied to salaries, allowances and benefits for the staff of the United Nations, those specialized agencies which have entered into a relationship with the United Nations, the International Atomic Agency and a number of other international organizations. The common system is designed to avoid serious discrepancies in terms and conditions of employment, to avoid competition in recruitment of personnel and to facilitate the interchange of personnel. It applies to over 52,000 staff members serving at over 600 duty stations. Role of the United Nations Secretariat Under the Human Resources and Policy Service of the Office of Human Resources Management, The Conditions of Services Section is accountable for administration of the common system through carrying out the following functions.
Role of International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) ICSC was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1974 to regulate and coordinate the conditions of service of the United Nations common system. The Commission is composed of 15 members appointed by the General Assembly in their personal capacity. The Commission's mandate covers all facets of staff employment conditions, but the type of action it is empowered to take in a specific area is regulated under its statue. The Commission itself may take decisions on matters such as establishment of daily subsistence allowance; schedules of post adjustment (cost-of-living element, hardship entitlements). On the other hand, in areas including Professional salary scales, the level of dependency allowances and education grant, it only makes recommendations to the General Assembly which then acts as the legislator for the rest of the common system. ICSC Home Page The United Nations, along with a number of UN organizations, has been given operational responsibility for conducting and coordinating salary surveys at non-Headquarters duty stations, and for recommending revised salary scales and allowances to the responsible agency. For further information on the United Nations Organizations, please go to http://www.unsystem.org/ (Official Web Site Locator for the United Nations System of Organizations).
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