UN HIV/AIDS PERSONNEL POLICY

1. UN HIV/AIDSPERSONNEL POLICY

2. 2 Background • UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy was approved by the Executive Heads of all UN organizations, through the Administrative Committee on Coordination (ACC), in April 1991 • All organizations within the UN system are bound by this policy UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

3. 3 Objectives • Upon completion of this briefing, participants/readers will be able to describe the main elements of UN’s personnel policy regarding HIV/AIDS UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

4. 4 Main Topics • Information and education • Preventive health measures • Testing, counselling and confidentiality • Terms of appointment and service • Health insurance benefits UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

5. 5 Information and Education - 1 • All UNDP SMs and their families should be provided with sufficient, up-dated information to enable them: • to protect themselves from HIV infection • to cope with the presence of AIDS UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

6. 6 Information and Education - 2 • Offices should: • have a continuous awareness programme on HIV/AIDS for all staff and their families • brief staff on the UN policy on HIV/AIDS in the workplace • brief staff on their entitlements/benefits UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

7. All SMs should receive a copy of and be briefed on the booklet “AIDS and HIV infections. Information for United Nations Employees and Their Families” The booklet may be accessed from the HIV/AIDS site under OHR intranet or http://intra.undp.org/ohr/hiv_aids/ 7 Information and Education - 3 UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

8. 8 Information and Education - 4 • Up-to-date lists of • resource materials kept in the office • websites providing information, guidance and support are always available to all SMs who are encouraged to share them with their families UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

9. 9 Safe Blood and Plasma Expanders - 1 • All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to HIV-tested blood and plasma expanders UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

10. 10 Safe Blood and Plasma Expanders - 2 • Blood transfusions are not needed in most cases. Only individuals with severe blood disorders (such as hemophilia) might need blood transfusions • Synthetic macro-molecule solutions (plasma expanders), are safe and available in every country and should be used by most people instead of blood transfusions UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

11. 11 Safe Blood and Plasma Expanders - 3 • An up-to-date list of local sites where HIV-tested blood and plasma expanders may be obtained, is always available to all SMs who are encouraged to share it with their families UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

12. 12 Motor Vehicle Accidents - 1 • Motor Vehicle accidents should be reduced and the following measures continuously enforced • fitting and compulsory use of seat belts in all UNDP vehicles • provision of and compulsory use of helmets for all riders of UNDP motorbikes • prohibition against alcohol and drug abuse by vehicle drivers • organization of training in on- and off- road use of four-wheel drive vehicles by all drivers UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

13. 13 Motor Vehicle Accidents - 2 • organization of basic first-aid training sessions • equipping UNDP vehicles with first aid kits UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

14. 14 Condoms • All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to condoms • In duty stations (DSs) where there is no reliable and consistent supply of good quality latex condoms (female and male) the office will make them available in a simple and discreet manner UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

15. 15 Syringes and Needles - 1 All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to disposable syringes and needles UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

16. 16 Syringes and Needles - 2 When travelling to locations where there is no guarantee of the proper sterilization of disposable syringes and needles, the office will provide SMs with such materials UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

17. 17 Testing – 1 • All UNDP SMs and their families should have access to confidential and voluntary HIV testing with adequate pre- and pro-test counselling UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

18. 18 Testing – 2 • UN/UNDP health insurance schemes cover HIV testing at the normal 80 per cent reimbursement rate for two voluntary tests per year for the SM and each eligible family member UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

19. 19 Testing - 3 • An up-to-date list of local confidential HIV testing sites is always available to all SMs who are encouraged to share it with their families UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

20. 20 Testing - 4 x • UN/UNDP does not require HIV testing for • employment • enrolment in: • the Pension Fund • any of the UN/UNDP health insurance schemes • the Aetna Group Life Insurance Plan UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

21. 21 Contractual Status - 1 • A SM’s contractual status in the Organization will NOT be prejudiced by virtue of the fact that he/she is HIV positive or has AIDS UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

22. 22 Contractual Status - 2 • A SM with HIV/AIDS should continue in service for as long as he/she chooses or is able to • UNDP will endeavour to utilize his/her full capacity to perform duties which are within his/her capabilities • In determining a SM’s capacity for work, the UN Medical Director will be consulted UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

23. 23 Contractual Status - 3 • If, for reasons of health, a SM’s fitness for work is impaired by a health condition (HIV/AIDS or otherwise), reasonable alternative working arrangements will be explored taking into consideration the exigencies of the service and the capacity of the SM, including the possibilities under the Flexible Work/Life policy UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

24. 24 Contractual Status - 4 • A SM with HIV/AIDS will be treated in the same manner as any other SM when being considered for: • reassignment • extension of contract • promotion or • other entitlements/benefits UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

25. 25 Reassignment - 1 • When a SM has informed the UN Medical Service of his/her HIV positive status, the UN Medical Director: • will not clear him/her for assignment to countries with certain live vaccine requirements, poor health care facilities, poor sanitation or high risk of infectious diseases because of the substantially increased risk to his/her health • will advise UNDP of the DSs to which the SM may be assigned to, and the SM will be informed of the DSs to which he/she may apply for UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

26. 26 Reassignment - 2 • Staff who are aware of their HIV positive status and who have not informed the UN Medical Service of this fact are cautioned not to apply for assignments to countries which would pose risks to their health UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

27. 27 Informing Status - 1 • SMs with HIV/AIDS are not obliged to inform UNDP or any of his/her colleagues of his/her status UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

28. 28 Informing Status - 2 • However, there are situations under which a SM is encouraged to reveal his/her status, e.g.: • Travel/reassignment to countries: • Requiring live vaccination against certain diseases • With prevalent infectious diseases, poor sanitation or poor health care facilities • Performance decline - permitting the Organization to provide support and make alternative work arrangements which are within the SM’s capacity UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

29. 29 Travel – 1 • When a SM has informed the UN Medical Service of his/her HIV positive status, the UN Medical Director: • will not clear him/her for travel to countries/locations with certain live vaccine requirements, poor health care facilities, poor sanitation or high risk of infectious diseases because of the substantially increased risk to his/her health UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

30. 30 Travel - 2 • Staff who are aware of their HIV positive status and who have not informed the UN Medical Service of this fact are cautioned to consult their personal physician before travelling to countries/locations which would pose risks to their health UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

31. 31 Travel - 3 • Offices will provide SMs with safety precautions including advice on travel kits for HIV prevention UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

32. 32 Working Environment • Offices must create a stable and supportive work environment for SMs who are affected by HIV/AIDS either because : • they are infected • their family members are infected and/or • they are working with persons who are infected UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

33. 33 Stigmatization, Harassment, Discrimination • SMs with HIV/AIDS may NOT be subject to any form of • stigmatization • harassment • discrimination UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

34. 34 Confidentiality • Confidentiality within the UNDP workplace must be maintained at all times • All SMs must strictly adhere to the procedures on confidentiality UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

35. 35 Medical Records • Medical records of SMs are the exclusive domain of the UN Medical Service • Besides the UN Medical Service, absolutely no other individual (including HR staff) is authorized to review or discuss the medical records of SMs UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

36. 36 Health Insurance - 1 • Premiums of HIV positive SMs are no different than those of other SMs UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

37. 37 Health Insurance - 2 • Coverage of HIV positive SMs is no different than those of other SMs • All UN/UNDP health insurance schemes cover HIV treatment and drugs as any other disease, within the limitations of the applicable scheme UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

38. 38 Any Questions? UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy

39. 39 Thank You UN HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy