After the progress made in the framework of the teleworking dossier, following administrative and technical consultations with DG HR, we also made real advances  in the the part-time working file.

Hereafter, the main changes as far as part-time work concerned:

The decision on part-time work forms an essential part of the Fit@Work programme and of the balance between work and family life. The switch to 40 hours has had important consequences in the organisation of working time of colleagues. Thus, part-time at 95 % will be granted more easily, even to those colleagues that do not belong to categories of staff that, by  can obtain part-time working under the Staff Regulations.

Remember that it is always possible to request part-time work at 50%, 60%, 62.5%, 75%, 80% or 95 %. The option chosen can be the “normal” formula,on a weekly basis, or the “special” one in the form of time credits, which is simplified in the new decision.

We have requested the implementation of the Commission communication of 2005 on the replacement mechanism for absent staff so as not to penalise services. The increased workload for other members of a unit or a directorate should not be an argument for refusing to grant part-time working as the person making use of it receives a lower salary. The resulting savings should allow the recourse to replacement workers. DG HR committed itself to updating this communication.

The workload of the part-time worker should be adapted and special monitoring by DG HR will be set up to prevent unequal treatment in career progression.

Knowing that, all too often, some tacit pressures exist when it is applying tor working time arrangements and that the request can be criticised within a unit or a directorate, we have called for a real evaluation of the situation to be carried out. Thus, there will be a topic in the Staff Survey on whether you have faced difficulties in obtaining such working time arrangements.

All questions relating to the application of the new decision will be submitted for the approval of a joint committee specially dedicated to working time arrangements. It will be important to monitor the work of this committee. To this end, R&D asks you to inform us about any problematic situation.

* For teleworking, see flyer on this point