Seconded staff members are nominated for an assignment in the Secretariat or at an Institution by or through an OSCE participating States; therefore, the seconding authority reserves the right to exercise its own discretion regarding the compensation/benefit package of the staff they second. Thus, when a person is seconded by a participating State to the Secretariat or an Institution, the OSCE does not pay any salary from its own Unified Budget, nor does the OSCE provide for Board and Lodging Allowance, Dependency Allowance, Appointment or Repatriation Travel, Installation or Repatriation grant, Removal Reimbursement, any other allowance, benefit, or entitlement, except as below.

Official Holidays and Leave

There are nine OSCE official holidays in each calendar year. In recognition of the diversity of the OSCE area, an additional day off is granted to observe a national, religious or cultural event.

The annual leave entitlement constitutes two-and-a-half working days per month. In addition, supplementary leave days may be granted in acknowledgement of some specific circumstances, such as sickness, marriage, birth of a child, death of a close relative, etc.

Social Security

Under the OSCE social security scheme, the following benefits are made available to international seconded fixed-term staff members:

•           Comprehensive health insurance for the staff member and eligible dependents (paid by seconded staff members at their own expense);

•           Accidental Disability and Life insurance whilst on official duty;

•           Emergency medical evacuation insurance whilst on official duty travel to a field operation.