STAFF REGULATIONS AND RULES
Third edition

Revised in November 2018

INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATION

Adopted by the International Tropical Timber Council through Decision 3(LII)TABLE OF CONTENTS
Title

Regulations

Rules

Scope and Purpose
1.

Duties and Responsibilities
Hours of Work
Official Holidays
Outside Activities and Conflict of Interests
Membership in Political Parties and Political Activities
Use of email and social media

2.

Classification of Staff, Salaries and Related Allowances
Definition of Dependency
Salary Increments
Salary Policy in Promotions
Overtime and Compensatory Time Off
Allowance for Non-Residents
Language Allowance
Deductions and Contributions
Education Grant
Assignment Allowance3.

Recruitment and Appointment1
1.1 – 1.12

2.1 – 2.11

3.1 – 3.8

Local Recruitment
International Recruitment
Letters of Appointment
Effective Date of Appointment
Notification by Staff Members and Obligation to Supply Information
Nationality
Family Relationships
Relations with Members of the Council and its Committees
4.

Annual, Home and Special Leave
Annual Leave
Special Leave
Home Leave

5.

Social Security
Provident Fund
Sick Leave
Maternity Leave
Accident and Health Insurance
Compensation for Loss or Damage to
Personal Effects Attributable to Service

6.

Travel and Removal Expenses
Official Travel of Staff Members
Official Travel of Dependents
Loss of Entitlement to Return Transportation
Eligible Dependent
Authority for Travel
Travel Expenses
Route, Mode and Standard of Transportation
Standard of Travel Accommodation
Purchase of Tickets

Page

4.1 – 4.2

5.1 – 5.3

6.1 – 6.2

1
101
102
103
104
105

2
3
3
3
3
5

201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209

6
6
7
7
7
8
8
9
10
11

301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308

12
12
12
12
13
13
13
14
15

401
402
403

15
15
15
17

501
502
503
504

17
18
18
19

505

19
20

601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609

20
20
21
21
21
22
22
22
23

Terminal Expenses
Expenses while in Transit
Travel Subsistence Allowance
Computation of Travel Subsistence Allowance
Miscellaneous Travel Expenses
Installation Grant
Excess Baggage and Unaccompanied Shipments
Travel Advances
Illness or Accident during Travel
Removal Costs
Loss of Entitlement to Removal Expenses
7.

Separation from Service
Definition of Termination
Notice of Termination
Resignations
Computation of Earned Annual Leave
Last Day for Pay Purposes
Transportation of Decedents
Repatriation Grant
Termination Indemnity
Extension of Employment beyond Retirement Age
Retirement
Certificate of Service
Acquired Right to Normal Retirement Age

8.

Disciplinary Measures
Joint Disciplinary Committee
Disciplinary Measures
Suspension Pending Investigation
Joint Disciplinary Committee Procedure
Appeals

9.

General Provisions
Amendments of, and Exceptions to, the Staff Rules
Financial Responsibility
Beneficiaries of Staff Members
Proprietary Rights
Liability Insurance
Performance Evaluation
Reporting Misconduct and Protection from Retaliation

Annex 1: ITTO Whistleblower Policy

610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
7.1– 7.6

8.1– 8.2

9.1 – 9.2

23
23
23
24
24
25
25
26
26
26
27
29

701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712

30
30
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30
31
31
31
32
33
33
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34

801
802
803
804
805

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901
902
903
904
905
906
907

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STAFF REGULATIONS AND RULES OF THE
INTERNATIONAL TROPICAL TIMBER ORGANIZATIONSCOPE AND PURPOSEThe Staff Regulations embody the fundamental conditions of service and the basic rights,
duties and obligations of the staff of the International Tropical Timber Organization. They represent
the broad principles of personnel policy for the staffing and administration of the Organization as
approved by the Council. The Executive Director, as the Chief Administrative Officer, shall provide
and enforce such Staff Rules consistent with these principles as he considers necessary.
The Staff Regulations do not apply to temporary engaged experts, consultants and auxiliary
personnel.
1. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIESRegulation 1.1
Staff members are international civil servants. Their responsibilities are not national but
exclusively international. By accepting appointment, they pledge themselves to discharge theirfunctions and to regulate their conduct with the interest of the Organization only in view.
Regulation 1.2
In the performance of their duties staff members shall neither seek nor accept instructions
from any government or from any other authority external to the Organization.
Regulation 1.3
Staff members shall exercise the utmost discretion in regard to all matters of official business.
They shall not communicate to any person any information known to them by reason of their official
position which has not been made public, except in the course of their duties or by authorization of the
Executive Director. Nor shall they at any time use such information to private advantage. Theseobligations do not cease upon separation from the Organization.
Regulation 1.4
Staff members are subject to the authority of the Executive Director and to assignment by him
to any of the activities or offices of the Organization. They are responsible to him in the exercise of
their functions. The whole time of staff members shall be at the disposal of the Executive Director.
The Executive Director shall establish a normal working week.
Regulation 1.5
Staff members shall conduct themselves at all times in a manner befitting their status asinternational civil servants. They shall not engage in any activity that is incompatible with the proper
discharge of their duties with the Organization. They shall avoid any action, and in particular any kindof public pronouncement, which may adversely reflect on their status, or on the integrity,
independence and impartiality which are required by that status.
Regulation 1.6
The status, privileges and immunities attached to the Organization by virtue of its Headquarters
Agreement with the Government of Japan are conferred to enable the Organization fully and1efficiently to discharge its responsibilities and fulfill its purpose and functions. The privileges andimmunities that international civil servants enjoy are conferred upon them solely in the interests of theOrganization. They do not exempt international civil servants from observing local laws, nor do they
provide an excuse for ignoring private legal or financial obligations. In any case where questions ofprivileges and immunities arise, the staff member shall immediately report to the Executive Director,
who alone shall decide whether they shall be waived.
The Council shall decide whether the privileges and immunities shall be waived in the case of
the Executive Director.
Regulation 1.7
Staff members shall give neither advice nor assistance to any government or person or
authority in relation to tropical timber or other commodities except as is necessary for the proper
discharge of their duties.
Regulation 1.8
Staff members shall not have any financial interest in the tropical timber industry trade,transportation, publicity or associated commercial activities, including dealings related to tropicaltimber or other commodities. While employed by the Organization, the staff member shall not acquireor hold any such interest. Staff members shall not engage in any occupation or activity, including
political activities, or hold any office or position which is incompatible with the proper discharge of theirduties with the Organization, or which might prove a source of embarrassment to the Organization.
Regulation 1.9
No staff member shall accept any honour, decoration, favour, gift or remuneration from any
source external to the Organization, in connection with his/her duties in the Organization, without firstobtaining the approval of the Executive Director.Approval shall be granted only in exceptional cases
and where such acceptance is not incompatible with the terms of Regulation 1.4 of the Staff
Regulations and with the individual’s status as an international civil servant.
Regulation 1.10
Staff members may exercise the right to vote but shall not engage in any political activity
which is inconsistent with, or might reflect upon, the independence and impartiality required by theirstatus as international civil servants or which prove a source of embarrassment to the Organization.
Regulation 1.11
Upon appointment, each staff member shall subscribe in writing to the following affirmation:“I solemnly affirm that, to the best of my ability, I will carry out my responsibilities in a manner that willfurther the purpose of the International Tropical Timber Organization; that I will refrain from
communicating confidential information to persons outside the Organization; that I will not use to
private advantage information known to me by reason of my official position; and that I will not seek orreceive instructions from any member or from any other authority external to the Organization inregard to the performance of my duties.”
Regulation 1.12
Harassment in any shape or form is an affront to human dignity, and it will not be tolerated. Staff
members should not engage in any form of harassment and must be above any suspicion of it.
Rule 101
Hours of Work(a)

Normal working hours shall be from 9.30 a.m. to 5.45 p.m. Monday through Friday, with2

an interval of one hour for lunch. Such times, or the work week, may be altered by the Executive
Director as the needs of the service may require, provided that the total number of normal working
hours a week is not thereby changed.
(b) The scheduled work week assigned to a staff member may be subject to alteration if theexigencies of the service so require.
(c) A staff member may be required to work beyond the normal working hours if theexigencies of the service so require.
Rule 102
Official Holidays
Official holidays shall be those observed in Japan, 25December, Eid-al-Fitr and Eid-al-Adha.
Rule 103
Outside Activities and Conflict of Interests(a) Staff members shall not engage in any outside occupation or employment without theprior approval of the Executive Director.
(b)
No staff member may be associated with the management of, or hold a financial interestin, any business concern if it were possible for the staff member to benefit from such association or
financial interest by reason of his or her official position with the Organization.
(c) A staff member who has occasion to deal in his or her official capacity with any matter inwhich he or she holds a financial interest, including private investments, shall disclose that potential
conflict of interest to the Executive Director.
(d) The mere holding of shares in a company shall not constitute a financial interest within
the meaning of paragraph (b) of this rule unless such holding constitutes a substantial control.
(e) Staff members shall not, except in the normal course of official duties or with the priorapproval of the Executive Director, perform any one of the following acts, if such an act relates to the
purpose, activities, or interests of the Organization(i)

Issue statements to the press, radio or other agencies of public information;(ii)

Accept speaking engagements;(iii)

Take part in film, theatre, radio or television productions;(iv)

Submit articles, books or other material for publication.
Rule 104
Membership in Political Parties and Political Activities

Membership in a political party is permitted provided that such membership does not entail
action, or obligation to action, contrary to Staff Regulation 1.10.
Rule 105
Use of email and social media
Staff members shall use official channels, including ITTO’s official business-email services on ITTO
servers, to conduct official business of the Organization. All email accounts are the property of ITTO

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which has the right to read and keep a record of any email that staff members transmit using theOrganization’s email system. Employees shall not use personal email accounts to conduct official
business and shall adhere to the Information Technology (IT) policies of the Organization.

42. CLASSIFICATION OF STAFF, SALARIES AND RELATED ALLOWANCES
Regulation 2.1
In conformity with the requirements of the Organization, as approved by the Council, theExecutive Director shall make appropriate provision for the classification of posts and staff according
to the nature of the duties and responsibilities. Classification will be in accordance with the United
Nations categories of:(a)Professional and higher categories.

(b)

General Service category.

Regulation 2.2
In conformity with the requirements of the Organization, the salaries of staff members shall be
fixed by the Executive Director in accordance with the prevailing classification system and salaryscales of the United Nations.
Regulation 2.3
All salaries and allowances for staff in the professional and higher categories shall be quoted
and paid in US dollars. Salaries of members of the staff in the general service category shall bequoted and paid in Yen. Staff shall receive net salaries as calculated by deducting UN rates of staff
assessment from UN notional gross salaries.
Regulation 2.4
Subject to satisfactory service, salary increments within the levels set out in the prevailingsalary scales of the United Nations shall be awarded annually, except that any increment above step
IV of the Principal Officer level, as well as those at the high steps at each level as indicated in thesalary scales of the U.N., shall be preceded by two years at the previous step.
Regulation 2.5
The Executive Director shall determine, within the framework of the approved programmes ofwork and budget, the rates of salary to be paid to personnel specifically engaged for Council sessions,conferences and other short-term services, to consultants and to technical assistance experts.
Regulation 2.6
The Executive Director may grant a non-resident allowance to staff members in the generalservice category who have been recruited from outside Japan. This is envisaged only in exceptional
circumstances when staff cannot be recruited locally.
Regulation 2.7
In order to maintain standards of living, members of the staff in professional and higher
categories shall receive cost-of-living payments in conformity with the prevailing post adjustment
schedules of the United Nations.
Regulation 2.8
Staff members in professional and higher categories shall be entitled to receive dependency
allowances in conformity with the prevailing dependency allowances schedule and related provisionsof the United Nations. Such allowances are payable in respect of:(i)Each dependent child of a single, married, widowed or divorced staff member;

5

(ii)

Where there is no dependent spouse, a single annual allowance for either adependent parent, a dependent brother or a dependent sister.

Regulation 2.9
Claims for dependency allowances shall be submitted annually in writing and supported byevidence satisfactory to the Executive Director. Staff members shall be responsible for reporting
immediately to the Executive Director any change which affects the payment of the allowances during
the year.
Regulation 2.10
A staff member who is internationally recruited and who is outside his/her home country shallbe entitled to an education grant for his/her children and a staff member with disabled children shallbe entitled to a special education grant for such children. These grants shall be in accordance with theprevailing United Nations schedule for such grants.
Regulation 2.11
Where a staff member is subject to national income taxation in respect of the salaries andemoluments paid to him/her by the Organization, the Executive Director is authorized on receiving
proof of payment of such national taxation, to refund the amount of taxes paid and payable in respectof the ITTO income only. In making such refunds, the Executive Director will draw only on funds madeavailable by the member concerned for the specific purpose. The Executive Director is authorized toconclude arrangements with members to obtain such funds; such arrangements will be reported to theCouncil. In the absence of other arrangements, the amount of these funds will normally be equal tothe member’s share under the UN staff assessment- formula.
Rule 201
Definition of Dependency(a) A dependent spouse shall be a spouse whose annual occupational earnings, if any,
during the calendar year considered do not exceed the lowest entry salary level of the United Nations
general service salary scale in effect in Japan.
(b) For purposes of the Staff Regulations and the Staff Rules a “child” shall be the unmarried
child of a staff member, under the age of 18 years, or if the child is in full-time attendance at a schoolor university, or similar educational institution, under the age of 21 years. If the child is totally andpermanently disabled, the requirements as to school attendance and age shall be waived.
(c) For the purpose of the dependency allowance a child shall be recognized as dependentwhen the staff member provides continuing support and submits a claim certifying this; provided that,
where divorce has occurred and the child does not reside with the staff member, or if the child ismarried, dependency allowance will be payable only where the staff member submits satisfactory
documentary evidence that he has assumed responsibility for the main and continuing support of thechild.
(d) A dependent parent, dependent brother or dependent sister shall be a parent, unmarriedbrother or unmarried sister of whose financial support the staff member provides one half or more,
and in any case at least twice the amount of the dependency allowance; provided that the brother orsister is under the age of 18 years, or, if in full-time attendance at a school or university, or similar
educational institution, under the age of 21 years. If the brother or sister is totally and permanently
disabled, the requirements as to school attendance and age shall be waived.
Rule 202
Salary Increments(a)Annual salary increments shall be effective from the first day following the date on which

6the service requirements are completed.
(b) A salary increment may be deferred within an incremental period, or withheld, if service orconduct is unsatisfactory. The staff member involved shall be so informed by the Executive Director.
(c) Satisfactory service for the purpose of awarding a salary increment shall be defined assatisfactory performance and conduct of staff members in their assignments as evaluated by theirsupervisors.
Rule 203
Salary Policy in Promotions
Staff Members receiving promotions shall be paid in accordance with the following provisions:(i)

During the first year following promotion a staff member in continuous service shallreceive in salary the amount of two full steps in the level to which the staff member has
been promoted more than he or she would have received without promotion except
where promotion to the lowest step of the level yields a greater amount. The step rateand date of salary increment in the higher salary level shall be adjusted to achieve this
end.

(ii)

When, on promotion, a staff member becomes ineligible for payment of non-resident
allowance and/or language allowance which he or she has formerly been receiving, theamount the staff member has been receiving for these allowances shall be added to his
or her salary before promotion to establish the step rate and date of next salary increment
under (i) above.
Rule 204
Overtime and Compensatory Time Off(a) Compensatory time off or additional payment under conditions established by the
Executive Director shall be given to staff members in the general service category who are required to
work:
(i)

in excess of eight hours in a day;(ii)

on Saturday or Sunday when these days are not part of the scheduled work week; or(iii)

on official holidays(b) Compensation for overtime work shall be computed to the nearest half-hour. Less thanhalf an hour on any day during the scheduled work week shall not be considered.
(c) Overtime compensation shall be made at the rate of one-and-a-half times the staff
member’s hourly basic salary for overtime performed during the scheduled work week or on
Saturdays and at the rate of twice the staff member’s hourly basic salary on Sunday or on an official
holiday.
Rule 205
Allowance for Non-Residents(a) Staff members in the general service category, who have been recruited from outside
Japan may receive a non-resident allowance in accordance with prevailing United Nations rules andscales provided that in no case shall the allowance be paid to a staff member who has Japanesenationality.

7(b) The non-resident allowance shall be taken into account in determining Provident Fund,
medical, and group insurance contributions; overtime compensation; and payments and indemnities
on separation.
(c) Non-resident allowance will not normally be paid to a staff member who, at the time of
appointment

(d)

(i)

is living in Japan;(ii)

is the spouse of any person covered by (i).

Entitlement to a non-resident allowance will cease in the case of a staff member who:(i)changes his/her residential status in such a way that he/she may, in the opinion of
the Executive Director, be deemed to be a permanent resident of Japan.

(ii)

marries a spouse who himself/herself would be regarded as resident (if appointed),
unless he/she would be regarded as a dependent spouse under the Rules;(iii)

marries an ITTO staff member in the Professional or higher categories (or an
official in comparable “international status” outside, for example in a diplomatic
mission);(iv)

marries another ITTO staff member with non-resident allowance. In this case, theallowance will be continued for the staff member who is regarded as the “head of
the family”.
Rule 206
Language Allowance(a) A staff member in the general service category shall be paid a language allowance inaccordance with prevailing United Nations’ rules and rates if he/she passes a test, prescribed for thispurpose, in any language of the Organization other than the language or the languages in which
he/she is required to be proficient by the terms of his/her appointment. No staff member shall be paida language allowance for more than two official languages of the Organization. Further tests atintervals of not less than five years will be required in order to demonstrate their continued proficiency.
(b) The language allowance shall be taken into account in determining the contributions to
the Provident Fund.
Rule 207
Deductions and Contributions(a)There shall be deducted, each pay period, from the total payments to each staff member:(i)

staff assessment, at the rates and subject to the conditions prescribed in Staff
Regulation 2.3;

(ii)

contributions to the Provident Fund, based on the staff member’s pensionable
remuneration as defined by the United Nations.

(b) Deductions from salaries, wages and other emoluments may also be made for thefollowing purposes:(i)for contributions, other than to the Provident Fund, for which provision is madeunder these Rules;(ii)

for indebtedness to the Organization;

8

(iii)

for indebtedness to third parties when any deduction for this purpose is authorized
by the Executive Director and agreed to by the staff member.
Rule 208
Education Grant(a)

For the purpose of this rule:(i)“child” means an unmarried child of a staff member who is dependent upon thestaff member for continuing support. “Disabled child” means a child who is unable,
by reasons of physical or mental disability, to attend a normal educational
institution and therefore requires special teaching or training to prepare him or her
for full integration into society or, while attending a normal educational institution,requires special teaching or training to assist him or her in overcoming thedisability.

(ii)“home country” means the country of home leave of the staff member under theRule 403. If both parents are eligible staff members, “home country” means thecountry of home leave of either parent.

(iii)“duty station” means the country, or area within commuting
notwithstanding national boundaries, where the staff member is serving.

distance(b) A staff member, who is regarded as an international recruit, and whose duty station is
outside his/her home country, shall be entitled to an education grant in respect of each dependent
child in full-time attendance at a school, university or similar educational institution. The grant shallnot, however, be payable in respect of:

(c)

(i)

attendance at kindergarten or nursery school at the preparatory level;(ii)

attendance at a free school or one charging only nominal fees or a university in the
country or area of the duty station;(iii)

correspondence courses, except those which, in the opinion of the Executive
Director, are the best available at the duty station;(iv)

private tuition, except tuition in a language of the home country at duty stations
where satisfactory school facilities for learning that language are not available; or(v)vocational training or apprenticeships which either do not involve full-timeschooling or which the child receives payment for services rendered.

(i)

The grant shall be payable up to the end of the school year in which the childcompletes four y of post-secondary studies or is awarded the first recognized
degree, whichever is the earlier;(ii)

the grant will not normally be payable beyond the school year in which the childreaches the age of 25 years. If the child’s education is interrupted for at least one
school year by national service, illness or other compelling reasons, the period of
eligibility shall be extended by the period of interruption.

(d) The amount of the grant shall be in conformity with the prevailing rules and scales of theUnited Nations.
(e) A staff member to whom an education grant is payable in respect of his or her child’s
attendance at an educational institution shall be entitled to travel expenses for the child of one return
journey each scholastic year between the educational institution and the duty station, provided that:

9

(i)

such travel expenses shall not be paid if the requested journey is unreasonable,
either because of its timing in relation to other authorized travel of the staff
member or his dependents, or because of the brevity of the visit in relation to theexpense involved;(ii)

where attendance is for less than two-thirds of the school year, travel expenses
shall not normally be payable;(iii)

transportation expenses shall not normally exceed the cost of a journey between
the staff member’s home country and the duty station.

(f)
The Executive Director will decide in each case whether the education grant shall be paid
for tuition of the mother tongue.
(g) Claims for education grant shall be submitted in writing and supported by evidence
satisfactory to the Executive Director.
(h) A special education grant for disabled children shall be available to staff members of all
categories, regardless of whether they are serving in their home country, provided that they haveappointments of one year or longer or have completed one year of continuous service. The amount of
the grant shall be in conformity with the prevailing rules and scales of the United Nations.
Rule 209
Assignment Allowance
Subject to the provision of Rule 619, an assignment allowance shall be paid to a staff memberin the professional category and above who is appointed or assigned to a duty station outside his or
her home country for a specified period of service under circumstances, and at scales, equal to those
provided for in the relevant United Nations Staff Regulations and Staff Rules.

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3. RECRUITMENT AND APPOINTMENT
Regulation 3.1
Except where expressly provided for in the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983
(ITTA) or succeeding Agreements, or as might be otherwise determined by the Council, the Executive
Director shall appoint the staff. Upon appointment (or notification of promotion) each staff member
shall receive a letter of appointment (or notification of promotion) in accordance with the provisions ofthese Regulations and Rules.
Regulation 3.2
The paramount consideration in the appointment, transfer or promotion of the staff shall be
the necessity for securing the highest standards of efficiency, competence and integrity. Due regard
shall be paid to the importance of recruiting the staff on as wide a geographical basis as possible fromamong member countries.
Subject to the provisions of the preceding paragraph and without prejudice to the recruitmentof fresh talent at all levels, the fullest regard shall he given, in filling vacancies, to the requisite
qualifications and experience of persons already in the service of the Organization. Staff members
shall have a working knowledge of at least one of the languages of the Organization in addition totheir mother tongue.
Regulation 3.3
Staff members shall be granted either permanent or temporary appointments under suchterms and conditions consistent with these Regulations and Rules as the Executive Director may
prescribe.
Regulation 3.4
Selection of staff members shall be made without distinction as to race, sex or religion. So far
as is practicable, selection shall be made on a competitive basis.
Regulation 3.5
The Executive Director shall prescribe which staff members are eligible for permanent
appointments. Permanent appointment to the staff of the Organization shall normally be subject to aprobationary period of two years. In exceptional circumstances, the period of probationary service
may be reduced or extended for not more than one additional year. At the end of this period themember shall be granted a permanent appointment or be separated from the service.
Regulation 3.6
Temporary appointments, having an expiration date specified in the letters of appointment,
may be granted for a period not exceeding two years. Temporary appointments do not carry any
expectancy of renewal or conversion to any other type of appointment.
Regulation 3.7
Appointments shall be subject to a satisfactory medical examination. Staff members may berequired from time to time to undergo further medical examination. These medical examinations shallbe at the expense of the Organization.
Regulation 3.8
Part-time staff may be hired within limits set by the Council.

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Rule 301
Local Recruitment
Staff members who at the time of recruitment are permanently resident in Japan and those
recruited to serve in posts in the general service category, whatever their residential status at the timeof recruitment, shall be regarded for purpose of these Regulations and Rules as locally recruited.
Rule 302
International Recruitment
Staff members other than those regarded under Rule 301 as having been locally recruited
shall be considered as having been internationally recruited. The allowances and benefits in generalavailable to internationally recruited staff members include payment of travel expenses upon initial
appointment and on separation for themselves and their dependents, installation grant, education
grant, home leave, repatriation grant and removal of household effects and any other United Nations
allowances and benefits granted to internationally recruited staff members.
Rule 303
Letters of Appointment(a) The letter of appointment granted to every staff member shall contain expressly or byreference all the terms and conditions of employment.
(b)

The letter of appointment shall state:(i)that the appointment is subject to the provisions of the Staff Regulations and Staff
Rules applicable to the grade of appointment in question and to changes which
may be duly made in such Regulations and Rules from time to time;(ii)

the nature of the appointment;(iii)

the date at which the staff member is required to enter upon his/her duties;(iv)

the periods of appointment and of probation, if any, and the notice required toterminate the appointment;(v)

the grade, level, commencing rate of salary and, if increments are allowable, thescale of increments and the maximum attainable;(vi)

any special conditions which may be applicable.

(c) A copy of the International Tropical Timber Agreement, 1983 (ITTA) or succeeding
Agreement and the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules shall be transmitted to the staff member with theletter of appointment. In accepting appointment, the staff member shall state in writing that he/she
has been made acquainted with and accepts the conditions laid down in the Staff Regulations andStaff Rules.
Rule 304
Effective Date of Appointment(a) The appointment of every locally recruited staff member shall take effect from the date on
which he/she starts to perform his/her duties.
(b) The appointment of every staff member internationally recruited shall take effect from thedate on which he/she enters into official travel status to assume his/her duties or, if no official travel isinvolved, from the date on which he/she starts to perform his/her duties.

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Rule 305
Notification by Staff Members and Obligation to Supply Information(a) Staff members shall be responsible on appointment for supplying the Executive Director
with whatever information may be required for the purpose of determining their status under the Staff
Regulations and Rules, or of completing administrative arrangements in connection with their
appointments.
(b) Staff members shall also be responsible for promptly notifying the Executive Director, inwriting, of any subsequent changes affecting their status under the Staff Regulations and Rules.
(c) A Staff member who intends to acquire permanent residential status in any country otherthan that of his/her nationality, or who intends to change his/her nationality, shall notify the Executive
Director of that intention before the change of his/her residential status or in his/her nationality
becomes final.
(d) A Staff member who is arrested, charged with an offence other than a minor traffic
violation, or summoned before a court as a defendant in a criminal proceeding, or convicted, fined or
imprisoned for any offence other than a minor traffic violation, shall immediately report the fact to the
Executive Director.
(e) A Staff member may at any time be required by the Executive Director to supply
information concerning facts anterior to his/her appointment and relevant to his/her suitability, orconcerning facts relevant to his/her integrity, conduct and service as a staff member.
Rule 306
Nationality(a) In the application of these Staff Regulations and Staff Rules, the Organization shall notrecognize more than one nationality for each staff member.
(b) When a staff member has been legally accorded nationality status by more than one
state, the staff member’s nationality for the purpose of the Staff Regulations and Rules shall be thenationality of the State with which the staff member is, in the opinion of the Executive Director, mostclosely associated.
Rule 307
Family Relationships(a) Except where another person equally well qualified cannot be recruited, a permanent
appointment shall not be granted to a person who bears any of the following relationships to a staff
member husband, wife, father, mother, son, daughter, brother or sister.
(b) Staff members who bear any of the relationships specified in (a) above shall not be
assigned to serve in a post which is superior or subordinate to the other in the line of authority, andshall disqualify himself or herself from participating in the process of reaching or reviewing an
administrative decision affecting the status or entitlements of the staff member to whom he or she isrelated.
(c) The marriage of one staff member to another shall not affect the contractual status ofeither spouse but their entitlements and other benefits shall be modified as provided in the relevant
Staff Regulations and Rules; their appointment status shall not, however, be affected.

13

Rule 308
Relations with Members of the Council and its Committees(a) No member of the staff shall canvass any member of the Council or of the Council’scommittees and subsidiary bodies with regard to his or her salary or any conditions of employment.
(b)Applicants for employment shall be informed that such canvassing is not permitted.

14

4. ANNUAL, HOME AND SPECIAL LEAVE
Regulation 4.1
Staff members shall be allowed appropriate annual leave.
Special leave may be authorized by the Executive Director in exceptional cases.
Regulation 4.2
Eligible staff members shall be granted home leave once in every two years.
Rule 401
Annual Leave(a) A staff member shall accrue annual leave while in full pay status at the rate of 30 working
days a year or 2 1/2 working days per month.
(b) Annual leave may be accumulated provided that not more than 60 working days of suchleave shall be carried forward beyond 1 January of any year.
(c) The leave year for each member of the staff for annual leave is the period of 12 months
beginning on the date when employment with the Organization begins.
(d) Annual leave for any employee leaving the service of the Organization is calculated inproportion to the period of service during the leave year and, where necessary, a proportionate
amount of salary or wages will be refundable to the Organization or, conversely, payable to theemployee.
(e) Any absence from duty not specifically covered by other provisions in these Regulations
shall be charged to the staff member’s accrued annual leave, if any if the staff member has noaccrued annual leave, it shall be considered unauthorized, and pay and allowances shall cease forthe period of such absence.
(f)
All arrangements as to annual leave shall be subject to the exigencies of the service,
which may require that annual leave be taken by a staff member during a period designated by the
Executive Director. Annual leave may be taken only when authorized, but the personal circumstancesand preferences of the individual staff member shall, as far as possible, be considered.
Rule 402
Special Leave(a) Special leave without pay may be granted for advanced study or research in the interestof the Organization, or in cases of extended illness or for other important reasons for such period as
the Executive Director may prescribe.
(b) Staff members shall not accrue service credits toward sick, annual, home and maternity
leave, salary increment, termination indemnity and repatriation grant during full months of leave
without pay. Periods of less than one calendar month of such leave shall not affect the ordinary ratesof accrual; nor shall continuity of service be considered broken by periods of special leave.
Rule 403
Home leave(a)Staff members other than those considered as local recruits shall be entitled once in15every two years of qualifying service to visit their home country, at the expenses of the Organization,
for the purpose of spending in that country a substantial part of their annual leave.
(b) A staff member shall be eligible for home leave provided his/her service is expected by
the Executive Director to continue at least six months beyond the date of his/her return from any
proposed home leave.
(c) The country of home leave shall be the country of nationality of the staff member subject
to the following terms, conditions and exceptions(i)

The place of home leave of the staff member within his/her home country shall be,
for purposes of travel and transportation entitlements, the place with which thestaff member had the closest residential ties during the period of his/her mostrecent residence in his/her home country preceding appointment.

(ii)

The Executive Director, in exceptional and compelling circumstances, may
authorize as the home country, for the purposes of this Rule, a country other thanthe country of nationality. A staff member requesting such authorization will be
required to satisfy the Executive Director that he/she maintained his/her normal
residence in such other country for a prolonged period preceding his/her
appointment, that he/she continues to have close family or personal ties in thatcountry and that his/her taking home leave there would not be inconsistent with the
purposes and intent of this Rule. Such exceptional authorization should normallybe made at the time of appointment.

(d) Home leave for an eligible staff member shall fall due for the first time after completion of
two years of qualifying service.
(e) Home leave may be taken, subject to the exigencies of the service, at any time during theperiod of 12 months after it falls due.
(f)If, except as provided hereunder, a staff member delays taking his/her home leave
beyond the period in which it falls due, he/she shall not be entitled to take his/her next such leave until
the second succeeding year thereafter. Should, however, the Executive Director decide thatexceptional circumstances, arising out of exigencies of service, make it necessary for a staff
member’s home leave to be delayed beyond the period in which it falls due, such delayed leave may
be taken without altering the time of his/her next and succeeding home leave entitlements provided
that not less than 12 months of qualifying service elapse between the date of the staff member’s
return from the delayed home leave and the date of his/her next home leave departure.
(g) A staff member may be required to take his/her leave in conjunction with travel on official
business, due regard being paid to the interest of the staff member and his/her family.
(h) Subject, to the conditions specified in Section 6 of these Regulations, a staff member
shall be entitled to claim, in respect of authorized travel on home leave, travel time and expenses forhimself/herself and eligible dependents (as defined in Rule 604) for the outward and return journeys
between Yokohama and the place of residence in his/her home country.
(i)
The Executive Director may request a staff member, on his/her return from home leave,
to furnish satisfactory evidence that he/she has spent a substantial period of leave in his/her homecountry.

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5. SOCIAL SECURITY
Regulation 5.1
Provision shall be made for the establishment and operation of a Provident Fund with the joint
participation of the Organization and staff members, the contributions to the Provident Fund by thestaff member and by the Organization shall be the percentage rates of the staff member’s
pensionable salary set by the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (UNJSPF).
Regulation 5.2
The Executive Director with the approval of the Council shall establish a scheme of social
security for the staff, including provisions for sick leave and maternity leave and shall makearrangements to provide the staff with adequate accident and health insurance.
Regulation 5.3
Notwithstanding Regulations 5.1 and 5.2, the staff members who are nationals of or
permanently resident in Japan shall participate in the Japanese social security scheme and the
Executive Director shall make necessary arrangements, including payment of compulsory
contributions by the Organization, as required under such scheme. Such staff members also
participate in the Provident Fund and their contribution to the Provident Fund will be the percentage
rate of the Organization’s contribution to the Fund less the compulsory contribution to the Japanesesocial security scheme.
Rule 501
Provident Fund
(a)

(b)

All staff members shall participate in the Provident Fund which shall consist of:(i)a contribution by the staff member and a contribution to be made by theOrganization, both at the percentage rates set by the United Nations Joint Staff
Pension Fund (UNJSPF); except for staff members who are nationals of Japan orpermanently resident in Japan, whose contribution will be the Organization’scontribution at the percentage rates set by the United Nations Joint Staff Pension
Fund (UNJSPF) less the contribution on the part of the Organization to theJapanese Social Security Plan in respect of such staff members;(ii)

the interest accrued from the investment of the above contributions

Payment of contributions to the Fund shall be effected monthly.

(c) The administration, investment and control of the Fund is the responsibility of the
Executive Director who shall have the assistance of professional money management advisers.
(d) The staff member’s share in the Provident Fund shall be payable to him/her upon
separation of the staff member from the Organization or to his/her beneficiary on his/her death, exceptthat a staff member who leaves the Organization before he/she has completed one year’s service forother than health reasons shall be entitled only to that part of the fund contributed by himself/herself
plus the interest accruing therefrom, if any. In that case, the Organization’s contribution plus interest,
if any, shall revert to the Administrative Account of the Organization. In the case of summary dismissal
as defined in Regulation 8.1(b), the Executive Director may withhold the Organization’s contribution to
the Provident Fund, plus interest, in order to compensate, either partially or in full any financial loss
suffered by the Organization, consistent with the financial responsibilities described in Rule 902, andthe money so withheld will be returned to the Administrative Account.
(e) The staff member may appeal a decision to withhold the Organization’s contributions to
the Provident Fund, plus interest, using the procedures set out in Rule 805.

17

(f)
The final date used for the calculation of payment of the staff member’s share in theProvident Fund shall be determined by application of Rule 705.
(g) The auditing of the Provident Fund shall be carried out in conjunction with the annual
auditing of the Administrative Account of the Organization.
Rule 502
Sick Leave
Staff members who are prevented from the performance of their duties by illness or injury or
whose attendance is prevented by public health requirements will be granted sick leave in accordancewith the following provisions(a)All sick leave must be approved on behalf of the Executive Director.

(b) A staff member holding a temporary appointment of less than one year shall be granted
sick leave credit at the rate of two working days per month of service for the duration of his
employment, with a minimum credit of five days.
(c) A staff member holding a probationary appointment of one year or longer but less than
three years shall be granted sick leave of up to three months on full salary and three months on halfsalary in any period of twelve consecutive months.
(d) A staff member holding a permanent appointment or who has completed three years ofcontinuous service shall be granted sick leave up to a maximum of up to nine months on full salaryand nine months on half salary in any period of four consecutive years.
(e) A staff member absent for more than two consecutive working days on ground of
sickness shall forward to the Executive Director (not later than the third day after the beginning of theabsence) a doctor’s certificate of sickness. Where absence is longer than five consecutive working
days, the member of the staff shall forward to the Executive Director, at weekly intervals, a doctor’scertificate of inability to resume work. Non-working days which intervene between working days do
not interrupt the consecutive sequence.
(f)
No more than seven day’s uncertified sick leave will be allowed in any twelve months of
employment. Part or all of this entitlement may be used to attend to family-related emergencies, or forpaternity leave in case of birth or adoption of a child, in which case the limitation of three consecutive
working days shall not apply.
(g) All uncertified sick leave under Rule 502 (f) shall be counted as part of the total sick leave
on full pay in Rule 502 (b), (c) and (d).
Rule 503
Maternity Leave(a) A staff member who will have served continuously for one year at the anticipated time of
confinement shall be entitled to maternity leave in accordance with the following provisions:(i)

The leave shall commence six weeks prior to the anticipated date of confinement
upon production of a certificate of a duly qualified medical practitioner indicating
the anticipated date of confinement;(ii)

The leave shall extend for a total period of sixteen weeks from the time it isgranted. The post-confinement leave shall therefore extend to a period equivalent
to sixteen weeks less the period between the commencement of the maternity
leave to the actual date of confinement, subject to a maximum of ten weeks;18

(iii)The staff member shall be given full pay during maternity leave for the entire
duration of her absence in accordance with the provisions of sub-paragraph (i) and(ii) above. No miscalculation on the part of the doctor or midwife as to the date of
the confinement shall prevent the staff member from receiving full pay to the actual
date of confinement.

(iv)

Return to duty after maternity leave shall be approved by the Executive Director on
the basis of a medical certificate(b)
Subject to conditions established by the Executive Director, a staff member shall beentitled to paternity leave in accordance with the following provisions:(i)

The leave shall be granted for a total period of up to four weeks. In exceptional
circumstances, leave shall be granted for a total period of up to eight weeks;(ii)

The leave may be taken either continuously or in separate periods during the oneyear period following the birth of the child, provided it is completed during that
year.

(iii)

The staff member shall receive paternity leave with full pay for the entire durationof his absence.

(c)Sick leave shall not normally be granted in conjunction with maternity leave and paternity
leave, except in the case of maternity leave when serious complications arise.
(d)Annual leave shall accrue during the period of maternity leave and paternity leave,
provided that the staff member returns to service for at least 6 months after the completion of suchleave.
Rule 504
Accident and Health Insurance(a)

The Organization shall provide staff members with:(i)an insurance scheme to compensate staff members in the event of death, injury orillness attributable to the performance of official duties on behalf of theOrganization; and(ii)a health insurance scheme.

(b) The premium for the scheme mentioned under (i) above shall be borne by theOrganization.
(c) The premium for the scheme mentioned under (ii) above shall be subsidized by theOrganization at a percentage proposed by the Executive Director for the approval of the Council.
Rule 505
Compensation for Loss or Damage to Personal Effects Attributable to Service
Staff members shall be entitled, within the limits and under the terms and conditions
established by the Executive Director, to reasonable compensation in the event of loss or damage totheir personal effects determined to be directly attributable to the performance of official duties onbehalf of the Organization.

19

Regulation 6.1

6. TRAVEL AND REMOVAL EXPENSES

Subject to the conditions and definitions prescribed by the Executive Director, theOrganization shall, in appropriate cases, pay the travel expenses of staff members and theirdependents.
Regulation 6.2
Subject to the conditions and definitions prescribed by the Executive Director, theOrganization shall pay removal costs for staff members.
Rule 601
Official Travel of Staff Members(a) Subject to the conditions laid down in these Rules, the Organization shall pay the travel
expenses of a staff member in the following circumstances:(i)on initial appointment and on separation from the service for staff recruitedinternationally;(ii)

when required to travel on official business;(iii)

on home leave, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 403;(iv)

on travel authorized for medical or security reasons or in other appropriate cases,
when, in the opinion of the Executive Director, there are compelling reasons forpaying such expenses.

(b) The Organization shall pay the travel expenses of a staff member to the place from which
he/she was recruited or to the place recognized as his/her home.
Rule 602
Official Travel of Dependents(a) Subject to the conditions laid down in these Rules, the Organization shall pay the travel
expenses of eligible dependents of a staff member recruited internationally in the following
circumstances:(i)on initial appointment for at least one year;(ii)

on separation from the service, provided he/she has completed not less than one
year of continuous service or earlier if his/her services are terminated by theOrganization;(iii)

on home leave;(iv)

on journeys approved in connection with the education of a staff member’s child;(v)

on travel authorized for medical or security reasons or in other appropriate cases,
when, in the opinion of the Executive Director, there are compelling reasons forpaying such expenses.

(b) The Organization shall pay the travel expenses of the eligible dependents of a staff
member either from the place of recruitment or from the place recognized as his/her home for the
purpose of these Rules. Should a staff member wish to bring any eligible dependents to his/her official
duty station from any other place, the travel expenses borne by the Organization shall not exceed the20

maximum amount which would have been payable on the basis of travel from the place of recruitment.
Rule 603
Loss of Entitlement to Return Transportation(a) A staff member who resigns before completing one year of service or within six months
following the date of his/her return from travel on home leave shall not normally be entitled to paymentof return travel expenses for himself/herself or his/her dependents. The Executive Director may,
however, authorize such payments if he is there are compelling reasons for so doing.
(b) A staff member who resigns in order to take up another appointment within Japan shallnot normally be entitled to payment of return travel expenses for himself/herself or his/her eligible.
dependents.
(c) Entitlement to return travel and removal expenses shall cease if travel has notcommenced within six months after the date of separation, except where otherwise approved by the
Executive Director.
Rule 604
Eligible Dependents
Dependents, for the purpose of official travel and for home leave, shall be deemed tocomprise a spouse and children in respect of whom a dependency allowance is payable. A son ordaughter of more than 21 years of age may also be considered a dependent for travel purposes if
totally disabled.
Rule 605
Authority for Travel
Before travel is undertaken, it shall be authorized in writing by the Executive Director. In
exceptional cases, staff members may be authorized to travel on oral orders but such oral
authorization shall require written confirmation. A staff member shall be personally responsible forascertaining that he/she has the proper authorization before commencing travel.
Rule 606 Travel Expenses(a) Travel expenses which shall be paid or reimbursed by the Organization under the
relevant provisions of this Section shall include:(i)Transportation expenses i.e. carrier fare (Rules 607, 608 and 609)

(ii)

Terminal expenses (Rule 610)

(iii)

Expenses while in transit (Rule 611)

(iv)

Travel subsistence allowance (Rule 612)(v)

Miscellaneous travel expenses (Rule 614)
In instances where the Executive Director prescribes the use of all-inclusive perdiem rates, the per diem rate employed shall be the prevailing United Nations rate
for the particular city, country or region.

(b) Staff members shall exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person
would exercise if traveling on personal business.

21

Rule 606
Travel Expenses(a) Travel expenses which shall be paid or reimbursed by the Organization under the
relevant provisions of this Section shall include(i)

Transportation expenses i.e. carrier fare (Rules 607, 608 and 609)

(ii)

Terminal expenses (Rule 610)

(iii)

Expenses while in transit (Rule 611)

(iv)

Travel subsistence allowance (Rule 612)(v)

Miscellaneous travel expenses (Rule 614)

In instances where the Executive Director prescribes the use of all-inclusive per diem
rates, the per diem rate employed shall be the prevailing United Nations rate for theparticular city, country or region.
(b) Staff members shall exercise the same care in incurring expenses that a prudent person
would exercise if traveling on personal business.
Rule 607
Route, Mode and Standard of Transportation(a) Official travel shall in all instances be by a route, mode and standard of transportation
approved in advance by the Executive Director.
(b) Travel expenses or other entitlements, including travel time, shall be limited to theamount allowable for a journey by the approved route, mode and standard. Staff members who wish
to make other arrangements for personal convenience must obtain permission to do so in advanceand pay all additional costs.
(c) Travel shall be by the most direct and economical route and mode of transportation
unless it is established, to the satisfaction of the Executive Director, that the use of an alternativeroute or mode of transportation is in the best interests of the Organization.
Rule 608
Standard of Travel Accommodation
For official travel, travel accommodation shall be provided in accordance with the following
general standards:(a) For all official travel by air, staff members and their eligible family members shall be
provided with economy class accommodation or its equivalent, except the Executive Director and his
family members, other than on travel in connection with an education grant under Rule 208, who shallbe provided with first class accommodation when the duration of a particular flight exceeds nine hours(by the most direct and economical route), including scheduled stops for such purposes as change ofplanes or refueling, but excluding travel time to and from airports.
(b) When approved travel is by train, staff members and their family members shall be
provided with regular first class or equivalent accommodation, including sleeper and other facilities, as
appropriate.
(c)

Subject to prior permission by the Executive Director, the use of a private car may be

22allowed, provided that the expenses claimed do not exceed those which would otherwise apply. Staff
members who ate authorized to travel by private car shall be reimbursed by the Organization atprevailing United Nations rates for the use of private cars or, in the absence of United Nations rates,
reimbursement shall be made under conditions established by the Executive Director.
(d) First class sea travel may be chosen by staff members in lieu of air travel, provided theOrganization does not incur any additional expense thereby.
(e) If a staff member or family member travels by more economical accommodation than theapproved standard, the Organization shall only pay for accommodation actually used at the rate paidby the traveler.
Rule 609
Purchase of Tickets(a) Unless the staff member concerned is specifically authorized to make otherarrangements, all tickets for transportation involving official travel of staff members and entitleddependents shall be purchased by the Organization in advance of the actual travel or, wherecircumstances so require, shall be secured by the staff member.
(b) When a staff member requests a standard of transportation in excess of his entitlement
under Rule 608 or is authorized to travel, for reasons of personal preference or convenience, by otherthan the approved route or mode of transportation under Rule 607, he/she shall be required toreimburse the Organization for any additional costs thus incurred.
Rule 610
Terminal Expenses
A staff member traveling to or from Headquarters may claim for himself/herself and for eachdependant reimbursement of terminal expenses incurred for each authorized outward or return
journey and for each authorized intermediate stop in accordance with the prevailing United Nations
rules. Terminal expenses shall be deemed to include all expenditures incurred for the means of publicconveyance between the airport or other point of arrival or departure and the hotel or other place of
dwelling, including transfer of accompanied baggage and other related incidental charges.
Rule 611
Expenses while in Transit
Full travel subsistence allowance shall be payable for the time spent in transit, subject to theconditions laid down in Rules 607 and 608 and provided that in the case of travel other than on official
business a maximum of three day’s travel time shall be allowed in respect of any specific journey.
Rule 612
Travel Subsistence Allowance(a) When a staff member is authorized to travel at the expense of the Organization, he/sheshall receive the per diem subsistence allowance according to the prevailing United Nations schedule
for per diem travel allowance. Where there is no prevailing United Nations per diem allowance or
where the Executive Director considers there are special circumstances, actual reasonable expenses
may be allowed subject to such conditions and limitations as the Executive Director may prescribe.
(b) Per diem travel subsistence shall be deemed to comprise the total contribution of theOrganization towards such charges as meals, lodging, gratuities and other payments made for
personal services rendered, except as provided for in Rule 614. Any expenditure incurred in excess of
the allowance shall normally be borne by the staff member.

23

(c) The travel subsistence allowance shall continue to be paid during periods of sick leave
while in travel status, except that, if the traveler is hospitalized, only one-third of the appropriate perdiem rate shall be paid.
(d) Travel subsistence allowance shall not be paid in respect of any period of annual or
special leave.
(e) When the spouse or dependent children of a staff member are authorized to travel at theOrganization’s expenses, the staff member shall be paid an additional travel subsistence allowance inrespect of each of them at half the rate applicable to the staff member.
(f)
Where travel at the Organization’s expense is authorized for medical, security or otherreasons under Rule 601 (iv) or Rule 602 (v), an appropriate amount of subsistence allowance may be
paid at the discretion of the Executive Director.
Rule 613
Computation of Travel Subsistence Allowance(a) Subsistence allowance shall be paid at the rates under the conditions prescribed in Rule612 for each calendar day or fraction thereof exceeding twelve hours during which a staff member or
his/her dependents are in official travel status, provided that a full day’s allowance at the appropriate
rate shall be paid for the day on which travel is commenced and, save at the discretion of the
Executive Director, that no allowance shall be paid for the day on which the travel is concluded.
(b) No allowance shall be paid when a traveler returns to his/her official duty station within 10
hours after departure, and 40 per cent of the allowance shall be paid for a journey of 10 hours or more.
(c) Where travel is by sea, a full day’s allowance at the appropriate rate shall be paid for the
day of arrival at the port of disembarkation, provided the traveler remains in official travel status formore than 12 hours thereafter. No allowance shall be paid for the day on which embarkation takes
place.
(d) When it is necessary, for the purposes of computing the amount of travel subsistence
allowance payable, to specify the “hour of departure” and the “hour of arrival”, these shall beconsidered as the time when the train, vessel or airplane used by the traveler actually leaves or
arrives at its regular terminal.
Rule 614
Miscellaneous Travel Expenses
Necessary additional expenses, incurred by a staff member in connection with the transactionof official business or in the performance of authorized travel, shall be reimbursed by the Organization
after completion of travel provided the necessity and nature of the expenses are satisfactorily
explained and as far as practicable supported by proper receipts which shall normally be required forany expenditure in excess of US$10. Such expenses, for which advance authorization shall beobtained to the extent practicable, shall normally be limited to:(i)hire of local transportation other than provided for under Rule 610;

(ii)

telephone, telegraph, radio and cable messages of official business;(iii)

transfer of authorized baggage by rail or another appropriate agency;(iv)

hire of room for official use;(v)

stenographic or typing services or rental of typewriters in connection with the
preparation of official reports or correspondence; and

24

(vi)

transportation or storage of baggage or property used on official business.
Rule 615
Installation Grant(a) A staff member recruited from outside Japan, provided that his/her assignment is
expected to be of at least one year’s duration, shall be paid in respect of himself/herself and his/hereligible dependents an installation grant in the following conditions.
(b) The amount of the installation grant shall be the equivalent of 30 days of subsistence
allowance at the appropriate daily rate applicable in accordance with the United Nations scale inrespect of a staff member and at one half that rate in respect of a family member for whom travel
expenses have been paid by the Organization. This amount shall be calculated on the basis of therate prevailing on the date of the staff member’s or the family member’s arrival, as appropriate.
(c) Under the conditions established by the Executive Director, the limit of 30 days provided
in paragraph (b) above may be extended up to a maximum of 90 days, subject to approval by theCouncil. The amount of the grant during the extended period shall be 60 per cent of the appropriate
rate applicable to the initial period.
(d) In addition to any amount of grant paid at the daily rates under this rule, the payment of alump sum may be authorized in accordance with conditions established by the United Nations. The
lump sum presently is $600 for the staff member and $600 for each eligible family member who joins
the staff member at the duty station, up to a maximum of $2,400.
Rule 616
Excess Baggage and Unaccompanied Shipments(a) Baggage in excess of the weight or volume carried without extra charge by transportationcompanies shall be considered as excess baggage within the meaning of these Regulations.
(b) Staff members traveling by air economy class or its equivalent shall be entitled to
payment of excess baggage for themselves and their eligible family members to the extent of thedifference between the free baggage allowance by first class and by economy class or its equivalent.
(c) Charges for excess baggage by air, other than those authorized under paragraph (b)above, shall not be reimbursable unless, in the opinion of the Executive Director, the circumstances
under which the staff member is traveling are of a sufficiently exceptional and compelling nature to
warrant such reimbursement.
(d) When the authorized travel is by air or by land, charges for unaccompanied shipment of
personal baggage relating to travel on home leave, or education grant, may be reimbursed as follows:(i)

Up to a maximum of 50 kg (110 lbs) or 0.31 cubic meters (11 cubic feet) by surface
means per person in respect of each journey, except as provided in subparagraph (ii)below. At the request of the staff member, this entitlement may be converted to 10
additional kg of accompanied excess baggage or its equivalent as established by the
Executive Director.

(ii)

For travel on education grant in regard to the first outward journey to, or the final return
journey from, an educational institution up to a maximum of 200 kg (440 lbs) or 1.24 cubic
meters (44 cubic feet) by surface means in respect of each journey.

(e) On travel on appointment, or separation from service, where entitlement to removal costs
does exist under Rule 619, a staff member shall be paid expenses incurred in transporting areasonable amount of personal effects and household goods, as an advance removal shipment, by
the most economical means, as determined by the Executive Director, up to a maximum, including theweight or volume of packing and crating, but excluding crating and lift vans, of:

25

(i)

450 kg (990 lb) or 2.80 cubic meters (99 cubic feet) for the staff member,(ii)

300 kg (660 lb) or 1.87 cubic meters (66 cubic feet) for the first family member,
and

(iii)

150 kg (330 lb) or 0.93 cubic meters (33 cubic feet) for each additional family
member authorized to travel at the expense of the Organization. The weight orvolume of any shipment under this paragraph shall be deducted from the
maximum weight or volume to which the staff member is entitled under paragraph(e) of Rule 619.

(f)
Where surface shipment under paragraphs (d) (ii), or (e) is the most economical meansof transport, such shipment may be converted to air freight on the basis of one half of the weight orvolume of the authorized surface entitlement:(i)When a staff member elects to convert the whole surface entitlement to air freight;
or

(ii)

When, in the opinion of the Executive Director, the conversion to air freight of a
portion of the surface entitlement is necessary to meet urgent needs.

(g) When the authorized travel is by air, the staff member may elect to convert the wholesurface shipment relating to travel on home leave, or education grant under paragraph (d) (i) above,
to air freight on the basis of the one-half rule. No costs for packing, crating, unpacking and uncrating
will be paid, but reasonable costs will be paid for cartage of such air freight shipments.
Rule 617
Travel Advances
Staff members authorized to travel shall provide themselves with sufficient funds for all
current expenses by securing an advance of funds if necessary. A reasonable advance of funds
against the estimated reimbursable travel expenses may be made to a staff member or his
dependents for authorized expenses.
Rule 618
Illness or Accident during Travel
The Organization shall pay or reimburse reasonable hospital and medical expenses, in so far
as these are not covered by other arrangements, which may be incurred by staff members who
become ill or are injured while in travel status on official business and will provide appropriate
insurance coverage where necessary.

Rule 619
Removal Costs(a) Subject to the conditions laid down in these Rules the Organization shall pay expenses inconnection with the removal of the personal effects and household goods of staff members recruitedinternationally in the following circumstances:(i)on initial appointment;(ii)

upon separation from the service, provided he/she has completed not less than
two years of continuous service or earlier if his/her services are terminated by theOrganization.

26

(b) The Organization shall pay the expenses of removing household goods and personal
effects of a staff member either from the place of recruitment or from the place recognized as his/herhome, provided that the goods and effects were in his/her possession at the time of appointment andare being transported for his/her own use. Payment of removal expenses from a place other thanthose specified may be authorized by the Executive Director in exceptional cases on such terms andconditions as he deems appropriate.
(c) The Organization shall pay the expenses of removing the household goods and personal
effects of a staff member from his/her official duty station to the place to which he/she is entitled to be
returned in accordance with the provisions of Rule 601 (b) provided the goods and effects were in thepossession of the staff member at the time of separation and are being transported for his/her ownuse.
(d) For the purposes of this Rule, “personal effects” and “household goods” shall not include
a motor vehicle.
(e) Payment by the Organization of removal expenses shall be regulated by the Executive
Director subject to the following conditions:(i)the maximum weight and volume for which entitlement to removal at theOrganization’s expense exists shall be 4,890 kg (10,800 lbs) or 30.58 cubic meters(1,080 cubic feet), including the weight or volume packing but excluding crating
and lift vans, for staff members without dependents, and 8,150 kg (18,000 lbs) or
50.97 cubic meters (1,800 cubic feet) for staff members with one or more
dependents residing with them at their official duty station. Higher maxima may beset, however, in the case of a staff member with one or more dependents residing
with him/her at his/her duty station, if the staff member presents convincing
evidence that his/her normal and necessary household effects to be removed
exceed those limits.

(ii)

storage charges other than those directly incidental to normal transportation
expenses shall not normally be allowed;(iii)

reasonable costs of packing, crating, cartage, unpacking and uncrating shall beallowed for shipments within the limits of authorized weight or volume, except thatcosts for servicing of appliances, dismantling or installation of fixtures or special
packing will not be borne by the Organization.

(iv)

transportation shall be by the most economical means as determined by the
Executive Director, taking into account costs allowable under the provisions of
subparagraph (iii) above; and(v)

the cost of insurance in transit of household goods and effects, excluding any
articles of value for which special rates of premium are charged, shall be payable
by the Organization up to a maximum valuation of US$ 65,000 if the staff member
is accompanied by a member or members of his/her family whose travel isauthorized at the expense of the Organization or of US$ 40,000 if he/she is not so
accompanied. The Organization shall in no case be responsible for loss ordamage.
Rule 620
Loss of Entitlement to Removal Expenses(a) A staff member who resigns before completing two years of service shall not normally beentitled to payment of removal expenses.
(b) Entitlement to removal expenses shall cease when the staff member’s services are notexpected to continue for more than six months beyond the proposed date of arrival of the household

27goods and effects.
(c) Entitlement to removal expenses on separation from service shall cease if removal has
not commenced within one year after the date of separation.

28

7. SEPARATION FROM SERVICE
Regulation 7.1(a) The Executive Director shall terminate the appointment of a staff member who holds apermanent appointment and whose probationary period has been completed if the necessities of theservice require abolition of the post or reduction of the staff, if the service of the individual concerned
proves unsatisfactory, or, if he/she is, for reasons of health, (subject to Rule 502), incapacitated forfurther service.
(b) The Executive Director may also, giving reasoned justification, terminate the appointmentof a staff member who holds a permanent appointment:(i)

If as a result of a review by a the Joint Disciplinary Committee established under
Rule 801, the staff member is found to not meet the highest standards of integrity
required by the Organization.

(ii)

If facts anterior to the appointment of the staff member and relevant to his
suitability come to light which, if they had been known at the time of his
appointment, should have precluded his appointment.

(c) No termination under subparagraphs (i) and (ii) shall take place until the matter has been
considered and reported on by the Joint Disciplinary Committee established under Rule 801.
Regulation 7.2
In the case of all other staff members, including staff members serving a probationary period
for a permanent appointment, the Executive Director may at any time terminate the appointment, if, in
his opinion, such action would be in the interest of the Organization.
Regulation 7.3
Staff members may resign from the Organization upon giving the Executive Director thenotice required under the terms of their appointment.
Regulation 7.4(a) Staff members shall normally not be retained in the service of the Organization beyond
1the retirement age prescribed by the United Nations and are expected to retire at that age. Earlier
retirement consistent with the rules of the Provident Fund may be agreed between the Organizationand the staff member.
(b) The Executive Director may recommend to the Council the retention of a member of the1
staff at the retirement age or over if this would be in the interest of the Organization.
(c) The normal age of retirement shall not debar the Executive Director from appointing to
the staff, for a fixed term, a person whose age would exceed the normal retirement age during thecourse of his/her appointment.
Regulation 7.5
If the Executive Director terminates an appointment, the staff member shall be given such
notice and such indemnity payments as may be applicable under these Regulations and Rules.
Payments of termination indemnity shall be made by the Executive Director in accordance with therates and conditions specified by the United Nations.
Regulation 7.6
The Executive Director shall implement a scheme for the payment of repatriation grant within
the rates and under the conditions specified by the United Nations.
1

Amended in accordance with Decision 4 (LIV).

29

Rule 701
Definition of Termination
A termination within the meaning of these Regulations is a separation from service initiated by
the Executive Director, other than retirement under Staff Regulation 7.4 or summary dismissal for
2
serious misconduct.
Rule 702
Notice of Termination
A staff member whose appointment is to be terminated shall be given written notice of suchtermination which, unless otherwise determined by the Council, shall be as follows:(i)

Staff members in the professional and higher categories holding an appointment longer
than one year: three months, and(ii)

Staff members in the (1) general service category and (2) professional and higher
categories holding an appointment less than one year: 30 days.

Alternatively, the Executive Director may terminate an appointment with immediate effectprovided the staff member is paid the equivalent of the salary and any allowances due for the periodof the notice.
Rule 703
Resignations(a) A resignation, within the meaning of these Regulations and Rules, is a separation
initiated by the staff member.
(b) Unless otherwise specified in their letters of appointment, written notice of resignation
shall be given by staff members as follows:(i)

Staff members in the professional and higher categories holding an appointment
longer than one year: three months, and(ii)

Staff members in the (1) general service category and (2) professional and higher
categories holding an appointment less than one year: 30 days.

The Executive Director may, however, accept resignations on shorter notice.
(c) The Executive Director may require the resignation to be submitted in person in order tobe acceptable.
Rule 704
Computation of Earned Annual Leave
If upon separation a staff member has earned annual leave, he/she shall be paid in lieu
thereof a sum of money equivalent to his/her salary and any allowances for the period of such earned
leave up to a maximum of 60 working days. Conversely, if separation takes place at a date during theleave year when the staff member has exceeded his/her annual or sick leave entitlement up to thedate of separation, a proportionate sum of money equivalent to the salary and allowances for theperiod of such excess leave will be refundable to the Organization through cash refund or deduction
from any salary and allowances due.
2

Amended in accordance with Decision 4 (LIV).

30

Rule 705
Last Day for Pay Purposes
When a staff member is separated from the service, the date on which entitlement to salary
and allowances shall cease shall be determined according the following provisions:(i)upon resignation, the date shall be the date of expiration of the notice period orsuch earlier date as the Executive Director accepts;(ii)

upon retirement, the date shall be the date approved by the Executive Director;(iii)

upon termination, the date shall be the date provided in the notice of termination;(iv)

in the case of summary dismissal, the date shall be the date of dismissal;(v)

In the case of death, the date on which entitlement to salary and allowances shallcease shall be the date of death, unless there is a surviving spouse or dependent
child. In this event, the date and payment amount shall be determined andcalculated in conformity with the prevailing rules and scales of the United Nations.
Payment related to the period of extension beyond the date of death shall be madein lump sum as soon as the pay accounts and related matters can be closed.
Such payment shall be made only to the surviving spouse or dependent children;(vi)

When an internationally recruited staff member is exercising an entitlement toreturn travel, the last day for pay purposes shall be the date established under (i)and (ii) above, or the estimated date of arrival at the place of entitlement,
whichever is later. The estimated date of arrival shall be determined on the basisof the time it would take to travel without interruption by an approved route andmode of direct travel to the place of entitlement, the travel commencing not later
than the day following the date established under this title.
Rule 706
Transportation of Decedents

Upon the death of a staff member or of his/her recognized dependant, the Organization shall
pay the expenses of transportation of the body from his/her official duty station or, in the event ofdeath occurring whilst in travel status, from the place of death to the place to which the staff member
or his/her dependant was entitled to return transportation under Rule 601 or 602. These expenses
shall include reasonable costs for preparation of the body. Where the deceased staff member isburied or cremated at the duty station, the Organization will pay reasonable expenses for the funeralor cremation.
Rule 707
Repatriation Grant(a) A repatriation grant shall be payable to any internationally recruited staff member who, on
leaving the Organization, otherwise than by summary dismissal or resignation to take up anotherappointment within the country of the duty station, has completed a minimum of one year’s service
outside his/her recognized home country.
(b) The amount of the grant shall be proportional to the length of service with theOrganization in accordance with United Nations scales and conditions.
(c)Payment of repatriation grant shall be subject to the following conditions and definitions:

31

(i)

Obligation to repatriate shall mean the obligation to return a staff member andhis/her dependents, upon separation, at the expense of the Organization to his/herhome country or place of recruitment.

(ii)

Home country shall mean the country of home leave entitlement under Rule 403.

(iii)

If at any time the staff member was considered to have acquired permanent
residence in the country of his/her duty station and subsequently changed fromsuch status, his/her continuous service will be deemed to have commenced at thetime the change was made. Continuity of such service shall not be considered as
broken by periods of special leave without pay or with partial pay, but full monthsof any such periods shall not be credited as service for the purpose of calculating
the amount of the grant payable; periods of less than one calendar month shall notaffect the ordinary rates of accrual.

(iv)

Payment of the repatriation grant shall be calculated in accordance with the United
Nations scale and conditions.

(v)

No payments shall be made to a staff member who abandons his/her post, nor any
staff member who is residing at the time of separation in his/her home country
while performing his/her official duties.

(vi)

Dependents, for the purpose of the repatriation grant, shall consist of a spouseand children in respect of whom a staff member, at the time of separation isreceiving a dependency allowance under Rule 201. The repatriation grant shall be
paid at the dependency rate to staff members with dependents regardless of theplace of residence of dependents.

(vii)

Loss of entitlement to payment of return travel expenses under Rule 603 shall notaffect a staff member’s eligibility for payment of the repatriation grant.

(viii)In the event of the death of an eligible staff member, no payment shall be madeunless there is a surviving spouse, or one or more dependent children whom theOrganization is obliged to return to their home country. If there is one such
surviving dependant payment shall be made at the single rate; if there are two or
more such surviving dependents, payment shall be made at the dependency rate.
Rule 708
Termination Indemnity(a) Staff members whose employment by the Organization is terminated, shall receive an
indemnity determined in accordance with the United Nations schedule and scale.
(b) A staff member whose appointment is terminated for reasons of health shall receive an
indemnity equal to the indemnity provided under paragraph (a) of this rule reduced by the amount ofany disability benefit the staff member receives under the accident insurance scheme establishedunder Rule 504 of these Rules.
(c)

No termination indemnity shall be payable to:(i)a staff member who resigns;(ii)

a staff member whose appointment is terminated for unsatisfactory services orwho, for disciplinary reasons, is dismissed for misconduct or who is summarily
dismissed;(iii)

a staff member who is retired under the rules of the Provident Fund;(iv)

a staff member who receives compensation for permanent total disability under the32

accident insurance scheme established under Rule 504 of these Rules; and(v)

a staff member who has reached the end of his term of appointment.
Rule 709
Extension of Employment beyond Retirement Age

Extension of employment beyond retirement age may be granted by the Council for one year.
Only in exceptional cases shall the total period for extension exceed one year, up to a maximum of
three years.
In the exercise of his discretion to recommend to the Council the extension of a staff
member’s employment beyond retirement age, the Executive Director shall give consideration to suchfactors as the immediate needs of the service, the performance record of the staff member, and theavailability of a suitable replacement, whether by promotion from within the Organization or byrecruitment from outside.
Rule 710
Retirement
Retirement under Staff Regulation 7.4 shall not be deemed to be a termination.
Rule 711
Certificate of Service
Any staff member who so requests shall, on separation, be given a certificate specifying thenature of his/her duties and the length of his/her service. On the request of the staff member
concerned, the certificate shall include an appraisal of his/her work and behavior.
Rule 712
Acquired Right to Normal Retirement Age

3

Staff members have an acquired right to their normal retirement age as defined under
Regulation 7.4. Staff members who joined the Organization prior to 1 November 2018 may choose to
separate from service at the age of 62, or anytime thereafter, before the age prescribed under
Regulation 7.4. Staff members who wish to exercise their acquired right and separate from service
before the age prescribed under Regulation 7.4 shall give written notice consistent with Rule 703.

3

Amended in accordance with Decision 4 (LIV).

33

8. DISCIPLINARY MEASURES
Regulation 8.1a) The Executive Director may impose disciplinary measures on staff members who fail to comply withobligations under the Staff Regulations and Rules, Financial Rules, the International Tropical Timber
Agreement, or any other relevant administrative issuances, whether intentionally or throughnegligence. Noncompliance with these obligations constitutes misconduct.
b) The Executive Director may summarily dismiss a member of the staff for serious misconduct orgross negligence. Serious misconduct includes but is not limited to fraud, theft, physical violence,
sexual abuse or exploitation, use of official status for personal gain, or serious insubordination. Grossnegligence is the conscious and voluntary disregard of the need to use reasonable care in fulfillingones’ obligations as an ITTO staff member, resulting in harm to persons, property or both.

(c) All staff members have a responsibility to report violations or suspected violations of theOrganization’s policies and procedures. All staff members are also obliged to cooperate with duly
authorized audits, investigations and other oversight activities, as required and as appropriate. An
individual who does so has the right to be protected against retaliation.
Regulation 8.2
The Executive Director shall establish a transparent and objective administrative process,including staff participation, which will be available to advise him in disciplinary cases. Decisions
which result in disciplinary measures, including summary dismissal, must be made only after a full andtransparent investigation has been instituted where evidence clearly supports that the action taken by
the Executive Director, as advised by a Joint Disciplinary Committee, is justifiable and where all tenetsof natural justice have been afforded to the staff member affected.
Rule 801
Joint Disciplinary Committee(a) A Joint Disciplinary Committee shall be established by the Executive Director and will beavailable to advise him in disciplinary cases involving staff members.
(b)

The Joint Disciplinary Committee will consist of three members, namely:(i)

The Head of Administration(ii)

The Head of one other division to be appointed by the Executive Director(iii)

One member elected by the staff.
Rule 802Disciplinary Measures

Disciplinary measures that may be imposed include written censure, suspension without pay,
demotion or, in the case of serious misconduct, dismissal.
Rule 803
Suspension Pending Investigation
If a charge of misconduct is made against a staff member and the Executive Director so
decides, the staff member may be suspended from duty pending investigation, the suspension being

34

without prejudice to the rights of the staff member. Suspension pending investigation shall not be
considered a disciplinary measure. Such suspension shall be with pay unless, in exceptional
circumstances, the Executive Director, based on the advice of a Joint Disciplinary Committee, decides
that suspension without pay is appropriate.
Rule 804
Joint Disciplinary Committee Procedure
In considering a case the Joint Disciplinary Committee shall act with maximum dispatch, while
ensuring the staff member’s ability to prepare an adequate defense. As a general rule, considerationof a case by the Joint Disciplinary Committee shall be completed and a report made to the Executive
Director within thirty (30) days from the time a charge of misconduct is made. The Executive Director
shall make a decision within one week after receiving the report and recommendation of the Joint
Disciplinary Committee.
Charges of misconduct and supporting evidence shall be presented in writing to the staff member nolater than two weeks prior to a hearing before the Joint Disciplinary Committee. The staff member
may present a defense either orally or in writing. A staff member shall be permitted to appear before
the Joint Disciplinary Committee or may arrange to have his or her case presented by any other staff
member. The Joint Disciplinary Committee shall maintain a record of its proceedings.
Rule 805
Appeals
An appeal against the Executive Director’s decision on disciplinary action including
termination of appointment under Regulation 7.1 (b) may be addressed to the Chairman of theCouncil within one month from the time the staff member received notification of the decision inwriting. The Chair of the Council will refer the appeal to a five member panel composed ofhimself/herself, the Vice-Chair of the Council, and the Chairs of three of the Committees (to bechosen jointly by the Council Chair and Vice-Chair). The decision of this panel, which shall be taken
within thirty (30) days, shall be final.

35

9. GENERAL PROVISIONSRegulation 9.1
These Staff Regulations and Rules shall apply to all full-time employees of the Organization.
The terms and conditions of service of seconded and part-time employees of the Organization,
including the application of any relevant sections of these Regulations and Rules, shall be determinedby the Executive Director.
Regulation 9.2
These Regulations may be supplemented or amended by the Council without prejudice to theacquired rights of the staff members.
Rule 901
Amendments of, and Exceptions to, the Staff Rules(a) Amendments of these Staff Rules may be proposed by the Executive Director to theCouncil for its approval.
(b) Exceptions to these Staff Rules, in case of emergency, may be made by the Executive
Director subject to subsequent approval by the Council, provided that such exceptions are notinconsistent with any Staff Regulations or other decision of the Council and provided further that suchexceptions are agreed to by the staff member directly affected by them and are, in the opinion of the
Executive Director, not prejudicial to the interests of any other staff member(s).
Rule 902
Financial Responsibility
A staff member may be required to reimburse the Organization either partially or in full for any
financial loss suffered by the Organization as a result of his/her negligence or of his/her violation of
any Regulation, Rule or administrative instruction.
Rule 903
Beneficiaries of Staff Members(a) At the time of appointment each staff member shall nominate a beneficiary or
beneficiaries in writing in a form prescribed by the Executive Director. It shall be the responsibility ofthe staff member to notify the Executive Director of any revocations or change of beneficiaries.
(b) In the event of the death of a staff member whilst in service, all amounts standing tohis/her credit will be paid to his/her nominated beneficiary or beneficiaries subject to the application of
the Staff Rules and the Provident Fund Regulations. Such payment shall release the Organizationfrom all further liability in respect to any sum so paid.
(c) If a nominated beneficiary does not survive, or if a designation of beneficiary has notbeen made or has been revoked, the amount standing to the credit of a staff member will upon his/her
death be paid to his/her estate.
Rule 904
Proprietary Rights
All rights, including title, copyright and patent rights, in any work performed by a staff member
as part of his/her official duties, shall be vested in the International Tropical Timber Organization.

36

Rule 905
Liability Insurance
Staff members who own or drive motor cars shall carry public liability and property damage
insurance in an amount adequate to insure them against claims arising from injury or death to otherpersons of from damage to the property of others caused by their cars.
Rule 906
Performance Evaluation(a)The performance of every staff member shall be evaluated on an annual basis by his or
her direct supervisor. This review shall be based on a mutually agreed, written work plan to beestablished initially at the time of appointment; each staff member’s work plan shall be reviewed andas necessary revised on an annual basis. The results of the annual performance evaluation shall be
documented and made available to the employee and shall form a part of his/her permanent
cumulative record.
(b) At the time of the annual performance review each staff member shall be given copies of
all relevant policies and rules of the Organization, including the Whistleblower Policy, and each staff
member shall affirm receipt of those documents and be given the opportunity to confirm agreementwith the evaluation or to record areas of disagreement with the annual review assessment.
Rule 907
Reporting Misconduct and Protection from Retaliation(a) It is the duty of staff members to report any breach of the Organization’s Regulations andRules to the officials whose responsibility it is to take appropriate action. An individual who makes
such a report in good faith has the right to be protected against retaliation.
(b) It is also the duty of staff members to cooperate with duly authorized investigations. An
individual who cooperates in good faith with an investigation has the right to be protected against
retaliation.
(c) Retaliation means any direct or indirect detrimental action recommended, threatened or
taken because an individual is engaged in an activity protected by the Organization’s Whistleblower
Policy, incorporated as Annex 1 to these Regulations and Rules. When established, retaliation is byitself misconduct.

37

Annex 1

ITTO Whistleblower Policy

Purpose
1.1

To ensure that the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO) functions in an open,transparent, ethical and equitable manner, with the objective of enhancing protection for
individuals who report misconduct or cooperate with duly authorized investigations.

General2.1

It is the duty of staff members to report any breach of ITTO’s Regulations and Rules to theofficials whose responsibility it is to take appropriate action. An individual who makes such areport in good faith has the right to be protected against retaliation.

2.2

It is also the duty of staff members to cooperate with duly authorized and transparent
investigations. An individual who cooperates in good faith with an investigation has the right tobe protected against retaliation.

2.3

Retaliation is defined for the purposes of this Policy as any direct or indirect detrimental action
recommended, threatened or taken because an individual is engaged in an activity protectedby the present policy. When established, retaliation is by itself misconduct.

2.4

Consultants, contractors or their employees, agents or representative or any other individual
engaged in business dealings with ITTO have a duty to report any breach of ITTO’s
Regulations and Rules to the officials whose responsibility it is to take appropriate action.

Scope
3.1

3.2

Protection against retaliation applies to ITTO Staff members who may use the procedures
established in this Whistleblower policy to submit confidential complaints to:(a)Report the failure of one or more staff members to comply with his or her obligations
provided in the ITTO Staff Regulations and Rules or other relevant administrativeissuances, the Financial Rules and Rules relating to projects of the ITTO, including
any request or instruction from any staff member to violate the above-mentioned
regulations, rules or standards. In order to receive protection, the report should bemade as soon as possible and not later than one (1) year after the individual
becomes aware of the alleged misconduct. The individual must make the report ingood faith and must submit information or evidence to support a reasonable belief
that misconduct has occurred; or(b)

Cooperate in good faith with a duly authorized and transparent investigation.

The Whistleblower Policy is without prejudice to the legitimate application of regulations, rules
and administrative procedures, including those governing evaluation of performance, nonextension or termination of appointment. However, the burden of proof shall rest with ITTO,
which must prove by clear and convincing evidence that it would have taken the same actionin the absence of the protected activity referred to in section 3.1 above.

38

ITTC(LII)/11(b)Page 39
False complaints
4.1

A whistleblower who intentionally makes a false, fraudulent, malicious or frivolous complaint
and which is subsequently found to be false shall be subject to disciplinary or otherappropriate action.

Reporting misconduct through established internal/external mechanisms
5.1

Reports of misconduct should in practice be made through the established internalmechanisms of ITTO. It is the duty of the Administration to protect the confidentiality of thereporting individual’s identity and all communications through those channels to the maximum
extent possible.

5.2

Protection against retaliation will be extended to an individual who reports misconduct to anentity or individual outside of the established internal mechanisms of ITTO, where the criteria
set out in subparagraphs (a), (b) and (c) below are satisfied:(a)Such reporting is necessary to avoid:
Substantive damage to ITTO’s operations; orViolations of national or international law; and(b)

The use of internal mechanisms is not possible because:

At the time the report is made, the individual has grounds to believe that he/she will be
subjected to retaliation by the person(s) he/she should report to pursuant to the establishedinternal mechanism; or
It is substantially likely that evidence relating to the misconduct will be concealed or destroyed
if the individual reports to the person(s) he/she should report to pursuant to the establishedinternal mechanisms; or
The individual has previously reported the identical information through the establishedinternal mechanisms, and ITTO has failed to inform the individual in writing of the status of thematter within six(6) months of such a report; and(c)
5.3

The individual does not accept payment or any other benefit from any party for suchreport.

Individuals unable or unwilling to make a report of misconduct due to the circumstances
described in paragraph 5.1 or 5.2 are encouraged to make the report to one of the Council
officers (Council Chair, Council Vice-Chair or the Chairperson, Committee on Finance andAdministration). Current contact information for Council Officers shall be maintained andposted in a place accessible to all ITTO staff members.

Reporting Retaliation
6.1

Individuals who believe that retaliatory action has been taken or may be taken against thembecause they have reported misconduct or cooperated with a duly authorized and transparent
investigation should forward all information and documentation available to them
substantiating their complaint to one of the Council Officers (Council Chair, Council ViceChair or the Chairperson, Committee on Finance and Administration (CFA) as soon as
possible. Complaints may be made in person, by regular mail, fax or by e-mail.

6.2

The functions and responsibilities of the Council Officers described in paragraph 6.1 withrespect to protection against retaliation for reporting misconduct or cooperating with a duly
authorized investigation are as follows:
To receive complaints of retaliation or threats of retaliation;
To keep a confidential record of all complaints received; andTo conduct a preliminary review of the complaint to determine if (i) the complainant engaged
in a protected activity; and (ii) there is a prima facie case that the protected activity was acontributing factor in causing the alleged retaliation or threat of retaliation.
These processes will be undertaken in a collaborative manner.
Individuals making the disclosure will be offered and afforded confidential liaison with theCouncil Officer to whom the disclosure was first made. That Council Officer will serve as theprincipal point of contact for the duration of these actions.
6.3

The Council Officers will seek to complete a preliminary review within 45 days of receiving thecomplaint of retaliation.

6.4

All officers and staff members shall cooperate with the Council Officers and provide access to
all records and documents requested by the Council Officers, except for medical records thatare not available without the express consent of the staff member concerned.

6.5

If the Council Officers find that there is a credible case of retaliation or threat of retaliation,
they will normally refer the matter in writing to the Executive Director for investigation and will
immediately notify in writing the complainant that the matter has been so referred. The
Executive Director will seek to complete his investigation and submit a report to the Council
Officers at the next session of the Council. If the Council Officers have concerns that the
Executive Director cannot or will not act impartially, the case will be referred to the Council
Chair and Vice-Chair.

6.6

Pending the completion of the investigation, the Council Officers may recommend that the
Executive Director take appropriate measures to safeguard the interests of the complainant,including but not limited to temporary suspension of the implementation of the action reported
as retaliatory and, with the consent of the complainant, temporary reassignment of thecomplainant within or outside the complainant’s office or placement of the complainant on
special leave with full pay.

6.7

Once the Council Officers have received the investigation report, they will inform in writing to
the complainant of the outcome of the investigation and make their recommendations on thecase to the Executive Director. The recommendations may include disciplinary actions to betaken against the retaliator.

6.8

If the Council Officers find that there is no credible case of retaliation or threat of retaliation
but finds that there is an interpersonal problem within a particular office, they will advise thecomplainant to seek recourse via informal mechanisms of conflict resolution within ITTO.

6.9

If the Council Officers determine that there is a managerial problem based on the preliminary
review of the complaint they will advise the Executive Director accordingly.

6.10

Where, in the opinion of the Council Officers, there may be a conflict of interest in ITTO
conducting the investigation, they may recommend to the Executive Director that thecomplaint be referred to an alternative transparent investigating mechanism.

Protection of the person who suffered retaliation
7.1

If retaliation against an individual is established, the Council Officers may, after consultation
with the individual who has suffered retaliation, recommend to the Executive Director
appropriate measures aimed at correcting negative consequences suffered as a result of theretaliatory action. Such measures may include, but are not limited to, the rescission of theretaliatory decision, including reinstatement, or, if requested by the individual, transfer toanother office or function for which the individual is qualified, independently of the person who
engaged in retaliation. If requested, the individual shall be provided with professionalcounseling to be paid for by ITTO.

Action against the person who engaged in retaliation
8.1

Retaliation against an individual because that person has reported misconduct on the part of40

one or more ITTO officials or cooperated with a duly authorized investigation of the ITTO
constitutes misconduct which, if established, may lead to disciplinary action and/or transfer toother functions in the same or a different office.
Prohibition of retaliation against outside parties
9.1

Any retaliatory measures against a Consultant, Contractor or its employees, agents or
representatives or any other individual engaged in any dealings with the ITTO because such
person has reported misconduct by ITTO staff members will be considered misconduct that, if
established, will lead to disciplinary or other appropriate action.

41