Definitions of dependants

[Effective 1 January 1981, approved by CCAQ at its 53rd session,
July 1980, ACC/1980/17, paras. 70-71]

Definition of dependent spouse

"A spouse whose occupational earnings do not exceed the lowest entry level of the United Nations General Services gross salary scales applicable to the place of work of the staff member's spouse which were in force on 1 January of the year concerned, provided that, in the case of staff in the Professional category or above, the amount shall not be less than the lowest entry level at the base of the salary system (i.e. G-2 step I in New York)."

(The date of reference for determining which General Services salary scale should be used would be 1 January of the year concerned. It was agreed that, as a transitional measure, as long as the spouse's place of work remained unchanged the new formula would not apply; it would come into effect when the place of work changed.)

Definition of dependent child

"A 'child' shall be any of the following children for which the staff member certifies he provides the main and continuing support, provided that the child is under 18 years of age or, if in full-time attendance at a school or university (or similar institution), under the age of 21 years:

     (a)     The staff member's natural or legally adopted child, or step-child if residing with the staff member;

     (b)     Any other child residing with the staff member, subject to the production of documentation proving that the staff member provides the main and continuing support and has legal responsibility for the child as a member of the family, and of evidence that legal adoption is not possible.

Satisfactory documentary evidence must always be produced to show that the staff member has assumed responsibility for the main and continuing support of the child in the following cases:

     (a)     If divorce or legal separation has occurred and the natural or legally adopted child referred to in (a) above is not residing with the staff member;

     (b)     If the child is married.

Attendance at a boarding school, or a similar educational arrangement, will not, by itself, be interpreted as meaning that a child is not residing with the staff member.

The age and school attendance requirements shall not apply if any child for whom recognition is claimed is physically or mentally incapacitated for substantial gainful employment either permanently or for a period expected to be of long duration."

It was agreed that since "brother" and "sister" were specifically referred to in the secondary dependant category they were thus to be excluded from recognition under the primary dependant category.)

Definition of secondary dependant

"A secondary dependant shall be a father, mother, brother or sister for whom the staff member can demonstrate that he or she provides more than half the support and in any case at least twice the amount of the allowances claimed, provided that brothers and sisters shall be subject to the same age and school attendance conditions as for a child. An allowance for a secondary dependant shall not be paid when there is a financial recognition of a dependent spouse."