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inclusion: Accommodating spouses/partners
:
Tips and Tools
Direct Appointments
Definition
1 In this section we use the term “direct appointment” to
describe the selection of spouses/partners to fill an ongoing position,
without competition.
Understanding direct appointments
2 Direct
appointments can be for a period of months or years, whatever
is the normal basis for the relevant staff category (i.e. internationally,
regionally or nationally recruited) at the Center. Because of their
ongoing nature, direct appointments are distinct from consultancies.
They can be made on a full-time or part-time basis, or they can be
made on a job-sharing
basis if the Center has provision for such appointments.
3 Direct appointments do not require competitive selection. As suggested in the model policy for diversity-positive recruitment, Centers should reserve the flexibility to consider spouses/partners for filling vacancies before proceeding to external recruitment.
Requirements for direct appointment
4 Direct appointments typically can be offered
if:
- there is an authorized position vacant;
- the spouse/partner fully meets the position requirements in terms of her/his competencies;
- the spouse/partner meets the Center’s normal standards of professional excellence;
- the position would not represent a conflict of interest for the spouse/partner, either real or potential; and
- the spouse/partner will not have access to confidential or sensitive information about the other spouse/partner.
In some cases, the Center may require that the spouse/partner not be supervised directly by, or report directly to, her/his spouse/partner. This issue is discussed in “Spouse/Partner Working Relationships”.
JOB Classification of the vacancy
5 The job classification of the vacancy should
be determined according to the Center’s normal practices. It could
be senior scientist/researcher; associate scientist; program specialist
grade X, senior technician grade Y, administrator grade Z or any other
functional group/job family and grade.
Categorizing the vacancy (i.e. IRS, RRS or NRS)
6 Having established the classification of the vacancy, the next step
is to determine whether it should attract international, regional or
national status and, consequently, salary and benefits appropriate
to that status. Usually this flexibility is restricted to scientist/researcher
positions.
7 How is this status determined? In some Centers, there is a requirement for “international experience” for appointment to an internationally recruited position. However “international experience” is a vague term that is usually code for unspecified competencies. After all, international experience is something that is easily acquired on continents with several countries in fairly close proximity, such as Europe and Africa, but more difficult to acquire in continents such as North America and Australia.
Criteria for determining IRS/RRS/NRS
8 A more helpful set of criteria has been developed by IWMI whose researchers
may be employed under international, regional or national salaries
and conditions, depending on the competencies they bring to their work.
GOOD PRACTICE
Classification of researchers in IWMI
All researchers
are expected to demonstrate “generic” research
capabilities, in terms of:
• personal qualities (originality, creativity, innovation, initiative,
judgment, adaptability/flexibility and tenacity) and
• skills and abilities (interaction with partners/clients, interpersonal
skills, leadership, management, teamwork, communication skills and analytical
skills)
Within this competency framework, IWMI has identified:
• the difference in competency level appropriate to each grade (i.e.
researcher, senior researcher and principal researcher); and
• specific criteria where it is possible to differentiate between the
nature of competencies possessed by internationally recruited, regionally
recruited and nationally recruited researchers respectively.
For example, on the “breadth of knowledge” criterion:
• internationally recruited researchers are required to possess knowledge
of: relevant scientific research and implementation practices spanning
a number of countries and continents, desirably including Africa and
Asia; relevant scientific research spanning a number of disciplines;
national and international networks of scientists and science-users
in a number of continents, desirably including Africa and Asia; and
scientific information spanning a number of countries of specific interest
to IWMI; whereas
• nationally recruited researchers are required to possess knowledge
of: relevant scientific research and implementation practices in their
own country; relevant scientific research, possibly spanning a number
of disciplines; national networks of scientists and science-users in
their own country, and scientific information relevant to their own
country.
9 The consequences of applying a competency-based approach are that:
- an expatriate spouse of an internationally recruited staff member would not necessarily attract an international salary, even if the vacancy were in a classification that had international, regional and national salaries (e.g. scientist/researcher); and
- a national spouse of a nationally recruited staff member could possibly attract an international salary, provided that the vacancy was in a classification that had international, regional and national salaries.
In both cases, the decision about the salary range would rest on both the level and scope of competencies that the appointee would bring to the job.
Salary
10 Having established whether the direct
appointee should receive international, regional or national salary and
benefits, the next step is to determine a salary level. This is a much
more discretionary decision for Centers. In the Diversity-Positive
Recruitment section of this Inclusive
Workplace e-Resource Center we suggested an approach to setting
salaries equitably,
particularly in terms of the appointee’s qualifications and experience.
11 However this approach would not necessarily apply to direct appointments of spouses/partners, because the appointee has not had to compete for the position. The only guidance we would offer is that:
- if the position is classified, for example, as a Technician Grade 2, then
- the appointee should be paid not less than the minimum salary of a Technician Grade 2.
Benefits
12 Centers need to give careful consideration
to the spouse/partner’s
benefits in these appointments. As a general principle, the spouse/partner
is treated:
- as an individual in terms of personal benefits (salary, retirement contribution and life insurance, etc., coverage), but
- as a member of a family unit in terms of medical coverage, housing allowance, dependents’ benefits, etc.
This approach avoids “doubling-up” on
family-unit benefits.
GOOD PRACTICE
Sample policy statement on salary and
benefits
(internationally recruited staff)
When a staff member’s spouse/partner is employed by <Center>,
and if the staff member and spouse/partner reside in the same household
at their assigned duty station, the salary, benefits, allowances, etc.
are provided as follows:
• full base salary and any cost-of-living allowances to each, depending
on position to which appointed;
• full retirement contribution to each, based on each individual's age
and salary;
• full coverage for life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment
and long-term disability to each;
• if applicable, an assigned vehicle to each;
• shared family medical coverage;
• shared housing allowance;
• shared home leave benefit;
• shared benefits for dependents’ education;
• shared relocation benefit.
Part-time appointments
13 Salary and benefits may need to be treated on a pro-rata basis for
part-time appointments.
© CGIAR Gender & Diversity
Program 2006