Fixed-term and temporary UN appointments: what changes in practice

Two vacancies can carry the same job title and grade while offering different appointment types. At the UN Secretariat, the distinction between a temporary appointment and a fixed-term appointment affects much more than the date printed on the offer.

The rules in this guide are Secretariat rules. Other UN common-system organizations may administer appointments and benefits differently, so applicants should also read the policy of the organization advertising the post.

Duration and purpose

The UN Secretariat appointment rules define a temporary appointment as an appointment for less than one year. It is used for seasonal or peak workloads, specific short-term requirements and other needs with a clearly limited duration.

An exceptional extension of up to one additional year may be possible for surge requirements, field operations or special projects with finite mandates. That exception does not turn the appointment into a fixed-term appointment. The rules expressly say that a temporary appointment cannot be converted to another appointment type.

A fixed-term appointment lasts for a specified period of one to five years. It may be renewed for further periods of up to five years at a time. Renewal requires a decision by the organization and normally depends on continued need, funding and satisfactory service.

Both appointments expire automatically on the date stated in the letter of appointment. Neither carries a legal expectation of renewal. Years of satisfactory work do not, by themselves, create a right to another appointment.

Grade and salary

Appointment type is separate from grade. A temporary and a fixed-term vacancy can both be advertised at P-3, G-6 or another recognized staff grade. Salary is based on the applicable salary scale, grade and step, with allowances determined under the relevant rules.

That means temporary does not necessarily describe a junior post. It describes the duration and terms of the appointment.

Annual leave and home leave

The differences become clearer in the Secretariat’s leave rules.

A staff member on a temporary appointment accrues annual leave at 1.5 working days for each completed month of service and may normally carry forward no more than 18 working days. A staff member on a fixed-term appointment accrues 2.5 working days per month and may carry forward up to 60 working days.

Home leave is generally available to eligible internationally recruited staff holding fixed-term or continuing appointments and to eligible family members. Temporary appointees have much narrower eligibility. Under the Secretariat rules, it can apply to the staff member serving at certain D or E duty stations outside the rest and recuperation framework, without family travel entitlement.

Special leave provisions are also broader for fixed-term staff. Temporary staff may receive special leave in exceptional cases for compelling reasons, subject to the applicable conditions.

Sick leave, pension and education grant

Under the Secretariat social security rules, temporary appointees normally receive two working days of sick leave on full salary for each month of service.

A fixed-term staff member with less than three years of continuous service may receive up to 65 working days on full salary and 65 on half salary within a 12-month period. Longer-serving fixed-term staff have higher limits under the rules.

Appointment type alone does not settle pension participation. Under the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund rules, participation generally begins when an appointment is for six months or more, or after six months of continuous service with interruptions of no more than 30 days, unless the appointment is expressly excluded. Participation is mandatory once the conditions apply.

The education grant is generally tied to internationally recruited staff holding fixed-term or continuing appointments and serving outside their home country. It is not normally available under a temporary appointment. Eligibility still depends on the detailed salary and allowance rules, the child’s circumstances and the duty station.

Travel and relocation

A post described as internationally recruited does not automatically produce the same relocation package under every appointment. The Secretariat travel and relocation rules contain separate provisions for appointment travel, shipment and removal costs. Temporary appointees have more limited shipment entitlements than eligible fixed-term staff.

Read the vacancy and offer for the designated duty station, recruitment status and expected place of work. A remote working arrangement, a temporary duty assignment and an appointment to a duty station are different situations.

How to assess an offer

For a temporary appointment, plan on the stated end date. An extension may occur, but it should not be part of your financial assumptions until it is approved in writing.

For a fixed-term appointment, check the initial term rather than relying on the maximum period allowed by the rules. A vacancy may offer one year even though fixed-term appointments can run longer.

Applicants comparing offers should look at annual leave, medical insurance, pension participation, relocation, family-related benefits and the consequences of separation. The job title and grade are only part of the package. The appointment letter and the organization’s current rules govern the rest.