About HR Handbook

The principles guiding our status, conditions of service and conduct as UN staff
members are established in the Staff Regulations and Rules and described in
various policies. Secretariat policies together with the Charter of the UN, and the
Staff Regulations and Rules serve as the organization’s legislative framework,
defining obligations of management and staff. Here you will find descriptions of the
various administrative issuances within the legislative framework. All of these follow
a hierarchy as explained below, and can be found in the HR Handbook. Notice
and Disclaimer

Charter
The United Nations Charter is the treaty that established the United Nations, and
includes the purposes and principles, membership, and organs of the United Nations,
among other things. The Charter has 19 chapters and 101 articles in which Articles 7, 8,
97, 98, 100, 101 and 105 relate to human resources. The Charter of the United Nations
was signed on 26 June 1945, in San Francisco, at the conclusion of the United Nations
Conference on International Organization, and came into force on 24 October 1945.

Staff Regulation
The Regulations designate staff as international civil servants and contain the text of the
Declaration made at the time of appointment. In the Regulations you will find the
fundamental conditions of service and the basic rights, duties and obligations of UN
staff members related to the relevant articles of the Charter of the United Nations. Click
to read the Staff Regulations in full.

Staff Rules
The Staff Rules follow on and relate directly to the Staff Regulations by expanding on
their meaning and how they are applied. The Staff Regulations and Staff Rules are
normally published together. Click to read the Staff Rules in full.

Secretary-General's Bulletin
An SGB establishes the directives for and implementation date of policy and
mechanisms related to the Staff Regulations and Staff Rules or decisions adopted by
the General Assembly, or any important decision decided by the Secretary-General.

Administrative Instruction
When an SGB is issued or a Staff Regulation or Rule is modified, an Administrative
Instruction usually follows from the Under-Secretary-General for Management. An AI
provides the ‘how-to’ procedures for carrying out the policy or change. When even
more specific details in procedures are required, Guidelines in support of an AI may be
written.

Information Circular
ICs cover a range of just-in-time updates and practices in the Secretariat, such as
holiday schedule, visas, local salary scales, working hours, pension, taxation, and
membership in selection bodies.

Guidelines and Agreements

Guidelines set detailed operational standards and procedures for the application of an
Administrative Instruction for the guidance of both management and staff. In case of
conflict with provisions in instruments of a higher legal order such as Administrative
Instructions, Secretary-General's bulletins or Staff Rules and Regulations, the provisions of
these instruments prevail. Included under Guidelines but technically multilateral
agreements are the Inter-Organization Agreement concerning Transfer, Secondment or
Loan of Staff, and the CEB_AIIC_AITC Agreement.