Introduction to GIZ s service package for development workers

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Oscar Strickland
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With this brochure, we would like to share some information about GIZ s Development Service. GIZ is Germany s largest and only state development service provider.

1 Welcome to GIZ Thank you for your interest in working as a development worker. We are always looking for socially committed women and men with relevant professional experience who are Introduction to GIZ s service package for development workers citizens of EU member states. With this brochure, we would like to share some information about GIZ s Development Service. GIZ is Germany s largest and only state development service provider. We second development workers to German Development Service programmes around the world, drawing on 50 years of experience in this field. GIZ has offices, where programme work is coordinated, in over 130 countries outside Germany. In their countries of assignment, GIZ s development workers are part of a strong network and can count on finding competent local GIZ contacts to support them in their work. In the context of local partnerships, development workers are actively involved in promoting economic development and employment, democracy for civil society and communities, and rural development and resource conservation. They also support efficient health systems, civil conflict transformation and peacebuilding. They work with state and civil society partner organisations at the municipal and local levels, and are in direct contact with local people with the aim of increasing their expertise, professional experience and intercultural awareness and developing their capacities. Development workers are often deployed to rural regions and must be prepared to engage with local cultures and languages and work under country-specific conditions. The assignments are limited in duration usually to two years with the option of extending to a maximum of six years. Following their assignment, the experience of development workers is fed back into European society, thus contributing to sustainable development and a more tolerant society. We support the social and professional reintegration of returning development workers and encourage networking within this group. Based on the German Development Workers Act (EhfG), we offer you a comprehensive and attractive service package comprising cash payments (e.g. a maintenance allowance and foreign service premium) and social benefits (e.g. health and liability insurance). Detailed information on contracts and the service package can be found on the following pages.

GIZ s benefits for development workers This section provides information on the monetary components of our service package for development workers.

2 GIZ s benefits for development workers This section provides information on the monetary components of our service package for development workers. Outward journey In conjunction with your pre-assignment preparation in Germany, you are entitled to eight working days of outward relocation leave to prepare for your secondment. Basic allowances You will receive a combination of a basic maintenance allowance of EUR 830 (taxable), which is paid on a monthly basis from the start of the contract, and a foreign service premium of EUR 830 (generally tax-free), which is paid from the contractually agreed departure date. You will receive an additional EUR 330 if you are married and EUR 165 for each dependent child whether or not your family relocates with you. Post adjustment If purchasing power in your country of assignment is diminished due to the exchange rate, your allowance will be adjusted by percentage supplements (based on the quarterly figures provided by the Federal Statistical Office). This post adjustment is applied to the basic maintenance allowance and the foreign service premium (including that of your accompanying family members). Preparation You will be thoroughly and properly prepared for your assignment. This begins with a three-week preparatory phase in Germany, in which you will learn how GIZ works and be prepared for your role as a development worker. Any practical and administrative questions about your assignment will also be addressed. Tailored to your individual needs and those of the project location, specialised courses and language instruction are offered, including courses on improving intercultural skills, knowledge of local languages, and technical and methodological expertise. Specific preparatory measures are also offered for accompanying partners. Your preparation will continue in the partner country. Courses are tailored to the conditions in the respective partner country and the specific requirements of the partner organisation, offering, for instance, an introduction to living and working conditions and more in-depth language skills. Rent allowance If you are unable to rent or give notice on your flat/house in a timely manner because of the start date of your contract, you will receive for a maximum of three months a rent allowance up to the value of the base rent (excluding ancillary costs) or, in the case of owned properties, up to the local rental value of the property. Lump-sum furniture storage allowance From the date of your departure, you will receive a taxable lump-sum furniture storage allowance of EUR 50 per month, plus an additional EUR 15 for an accompanying partner and EUR 10 for each accompanying child. Reimbursement of luggage shipping costs for the outward and return journey For you, your accompanying partner and children from the age of 13, we will reimburse cost of up to 100 kg of luggage; for children up to the age of 12, up to 50 kg. Three comparable quotes must be presented, and evidence of expenses must be provided in the form of an invoice. Reintegration allowance Upon your return, we will pay a tax-free reintegration allowance to facilitate your reintegration. For development 2

3 workers, this amounts to EUR 100 per month for the first 24 project months (plus an additional EUR 42 for each accompanying family member), EUR 200 from the 25 th project month (plus an additional EUR 63 for each accompanying family member) and EUR 300 from the 49 th project month (plus an additional EUR 84 for each accompanying family member). Development worker assignments with one of the seven recognised German development service providers are also taken into account and added to the total number of months. Interest-free advance on maintenance allowance It is possible to receive an advance payment of up to EUR 2,000 if you are relocating alone, plus an additional EUR 600 for an accompanying partner and another EUR 400 for each accompanying child. The advance must be repaid at the end of the contract. Leave If you work a five-day week, you are entitled to 30 days annual leave. In addition, you will be given two to six days of additional country-specific annual leave. You will receive a monthly leave allowance of EUR 40 for yourself and each accompanying, dependent family member. Depending on the context, development workers generally receive the same amount of leave as GIZ field staff. In the event of the death of or a life-threatening illness affecting a close relative, the necessary flight costs will be reimbursed. Within a 24-month period of project service, nonaccompanying dependent children are entitled to a flight allowance for a family visit. Families and employment For accompanying dependent children under the age of 14, we reimburse most childcare costs (92.5%), with a cap of EUR 300 per child. However, there is no entitlement if your partner accompanies you and is not also working as a development worker or an integrated expert for GIZ. Up to 92.5% of the cost of a nursery school place is reimbursed for children over the age of one, with a cap of EUR 300 per child and month. Subject to evidence of expenditure, 92.5% of the cost of school attendance is covered. This includes school fees, fees for admission and examinations, school bus transport and distance learning courses where applicable. Within a 24-month period of project service, non-accompanying dependent children are entitled to a flight allowance for a family visit. Own income of family members Any own income of your partner or child above the threshold of EUR 450 (net) will count towards the family supplement for the foreign service premium and will be deducted from the premium accordingly. If own income exceeds EUR 770 (for accompanying partners) or EUR 610 (for children), the relevant family member will no longer be entitled to the foreign service premium, reintegration allowance, leave allowance or free health insurance. Reimbursement of rental costs In the partner country, we provide assistance in renting accommodation and reimburse the costs of basic rent (excluding ancillary costs) based on a table of local rental values and subject to evidence of costs. Equipment and furnishing allowance For a 24-month assignment abroad, you are entitled to a one-off equipment and furnishing allowance of EUR 3,600 (taxable) if furnished accommodation is not provided by the project partner. An additional EUR 1,080 is provided for accompanying partners and an additional EUR 720 for each accompanying child. For foreign assignments lasting more than 12 but less than 24 months, the above-mentioned payments are adapted accordingly. Supply trips and mobility allowance You may be allocated a company vehicle in the partner country that can be used for supply trips (e.g. shopping, attending school, seeing a doctor). Subject to the approval of your superior, the company vehicle may also be used for private trips at a cost to you of EUR 0.30/km. If you are not permitted to use a company vehicle for unpaid supply trips, you are entitled to a taxable monthly mobility allowance of EUR 100 (plus an additional EUR 20 for an accompanying partner and EUR 10 for each accompanying child). Taxes 3

4 We recommend that you consult a tax consultant in good time for advice on your individual tax and residence situation and the consequences of retaining/giving up your official domicile. Support services, safety and security Your security and welfare during your assignment in the partner country are extremely important to us. GIZ s Medical Services will carry out an intensive health check prior to your departure and after your return and will provide advice on health care. In the partner country, you will be protected by a professional security and risk management system that minimises personal risks in crisis countries. Experts monitor and analyse the situation, are in close contact with the embassies in the partner country, issue security reports and provide advice on safety and security measures. If the German Embassy recommends the use of security and guard services, the cost of these will be covered as appropriate in keeping with standard local practice. We provide you and your accompanying dependent family members with liability and health insurance. Liability insurance coverage amounts to EUR 3 million for personal injury and property damage and EUR 100,000 for financial losses. While your family members have round-the-clock accident insurance through GIZ s group accident insurance scheme, you as a development worker must insure yourself at your own initiative and expense for the period outside your working hours. GIZ s accident insurance scheme only provides cover during working hours. Accident insurance coverage amounts to EUR 20,000 in the event of death and EUR 125,000 in the event of invalidity. As a development worker, you have pension insurance through us and, subject to a contractual period of at least 12 months, are entitled to unemployment benefits in Germany (Arbeitslosengeld I). The information on pension insurance and employment benefits is valid for German development workers in general. For development workers from other (EU) countries, our service package also provides entitlement to these benefits in Germany; it may be possible to transfer these entitlements to your home country in Europe. Please seek advice on social security in good time. For development workers, the monthly notional earnings subject to mandatory social security contributions amount to 66.67% of the corresponding social security contribution assessment ceiling (2018: EUR 6,500). In line with this, GIZ pays EUR per month into the German pension insurance scheme for development workers. Adjustments will be made if your earnings subject to mandatory social security contributions in your previous occupation in Germany were higher (protection of vested interests). Upon request, development workers have the option of insuring their movable property (combined travel luggage and household effects). GIZ recommends that you review the registration details regularly and make amendments as appropriate. For development workers, GIZ pays the cost of insurance coverage of up to a value of EUR 3,400 (increased by EUR 3,400 for an accompanying partner and EUR 1,000 for each accompanying child). Total insurance coverage can be increased to a maximum of EUR 20,000 at your own expense if you wish to do so. In the event of a claim, an excess of EUR 50 must be paid for each claim. Short-term assignments A short-term assignment for development workers is an assignment that can be undertaken by individuals who have already worked as a development worker for GIZ or one of the other seven recognised German development service providers for at least 12 months. Short-term contracts are service contracts with a duration of between 3 and 12 months; as such, they are shorter than the minimum duration of 12 months required by the German Development Workers Act (EhfG) for standard development worker service contracts. As a general rule, short-term development workers relocate to the partner country alone; if family members also relocate, their expenses (e.g. flight, visa and 4

5 vaccinations) will not be reimbursed by GIZ. GIZ pays a monthly short-term supplement of up to EUR 500 to cover unavoidable ongoing financial commitments in Germany (subject to evidence). Instead of the one-off equipment and furnishing allowance, you will receive a monthly payment of EUR 100. GIZ does not cover the cost of storing or shipping furniture. The development worker will receive a lump sum of EUR 420 for the shipping of luggage for both the outward and homeward journeys (for assignments lasting up to six months) or EUR 700 (for assignments lasting over six months). A short-term contract can be extended only once. The duration of the extended short-term contract must also be less than 12 months. Other information Most of your benefits will be transferred to an EU SEPA bank account on a monthly basis. For other benefits to cover expenses in the partner country (rental costs, school expenses), an additional local account must usually be opened in the partner country. The country office will provide assistance with this. Publishing information Published by: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH Registered offices Bonn and Eschborn, Germany Friedrich-Ebert-Allee Bonn T: F Dag-Hammarskjöld-Weg Eschborn T F E I Eschborn 2018 Author/responsible/editor etc.: Abteilung Rekrutierung und Folgeeinsatz, Bonn und Eschborn kundenportal-rueckfragen@giz.de URL links: GIZ is responsible for the content of this publication. 5

A warm welcome to GIZ

A warm welcome to GIZ We are delighted that you have shown an interest in working for the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH. On the following pages, we will explain some