COSTS AND FUNDING
"I am extremely pleased with OSLA […] All my questions and concerns were answered in a timely manner and I was briefed on each and every step throughout the process. We, as UN staff, are privileged to have OSLA. I encourage all colleagues to approach OSLA and if you are not voluntary contributing, please consider doing so."
Staff Member, Vienna, Austria, 2017
OSLA’S SERVICES ARE FREE
You will never be charged any fee for consultation, advice, or representation by OSLA at any time.HOW OSLA IS FUNDED
Some staff nonetheless choose to contribute to OSLA to support and enhance this essential service for staff, through the Voluntary Supplemental Funding Mechanism or the Trust Fund for OSLA. Whether you do this or not, OSLA will consider your Request for Assistance impartially, and with your best interests always in mind.VOLUNTARY SUPPLEMENTAL FUNDING MECHANISM
OSLA was established as part of the new United Nations internal justice system, by General Assembly Resolution 63/253 of 24 December 2008, to provide legal advice and representation to around 75,000 staff (and former staff) worldwide. OSLA's regular budget staffing consists of seven lawyers and three legal assistants, with one lawyer working in each of Addis Ababa, Beirut, Geneva and Nairobi and a small team in New York. As the system has become more established and better known, more and more staff have come to OSLA for legal assistance. In 2011 the team was augmented by the addition of another lawyers funded from the Peacekeeping Support Account, which shored up the very busy Nairobi office.In 2013, the General Assembly established, on an experimental basis, the Voluntary Supplemental Funding Mechanism through which staff members could contribute to the additional resources OSLA requires, through a small monthly payroll deduction, amounting to 0.05% of net base salary (excluding post adjustment and other allowances). This Mechanism has allowed OSLA to add more lawyers and a legal assistant in order to enhance its service to staff.
If you opted out of the Mechanism but now wish to opt in (which is strongly encouraged), and you are a UN Secretariat Staff Member you can complete this form and give it to your Executive Office or local human resources office. Staff of other UN entities should contact their HR office for advice on how to opt back into the scheme.
All staff members are urged to contribute to the Mechanism, which provides the additional funding OSLA needs to be able to help the largest possible group of staff members in need of advice and assistance.
TRUST FUND FOR OSLA
The Office of Staff Legal Assistance additionally has a Trust Fund, to which one-off donations can be made. (See the terms of reference for the fund.) If you would like to donate to this fund, please complete this Contribution Form.
"The contribution of staff to the fund is highly appreciated. OSLA provides advice to staff whether they contribute to the Voluntary Mechanism or not and staff will not be asked whether they do. We do, however, implore staff who are not already contributing to consider doing so. The voluntary contribution is a valuable resource for OSLA and has become vital to ensuring OSLA can effectively advise and represent UN staff."
Michael Adenuga, Chief of OSLA
