Abdhul Rahman, polio vaccination volunteer, gives oral polio vaccine to an Afghan boy on a busy street.
Other contractual arrangements
WHO contracts subject matter experts to provide time-limited, project-focused professional level support to attain specific programme deliverables. These are not employment contracts and remain outside the scope of the WHO Staff Rules and Regulations.
Consultants
Consultancy contracts are offered to individuals to perform specific tasks in a given time frame (for example a research assignment or a translation). Presence at the duty station offering the contract may or may not be required. These contracts are not employment contracts and remain outside the scope of the WHO Staff Rules and Regulations. Consultants are contracted in a technical, advisory or consultative capacity, for a time-limited period to deliver clearly defined programme related deliverables.
- Consultants perform work in their personal capacity and not as representatives of a government or of any other authority external to the Organization.
- The qualifications, experience, skills and knowledge required for delivering the piece of work are described in the Terms of Reference prepared by the hiring office.
- Contracts may be offered for up to a maximum period of 24 months.
- Rates are paid in accordance with the established pay band ranges for internationally contracted consultants or national consultants. Internationally-contracted consultants may receive an amount towards living expenses.
- The conditions of contract are established as per the terms and conditions outlined in the consultant contract.
Special Services Agreements (SSA)
An SSA is a contract between the Organization and a national or resident of a host country. WHO use SSA contracts for either long or short assignments on a specific national projects or activities; including for services of a technical or administrative support nature.
- Rates of pay are determined in consultation with the Government and are in line with the practices of the UN agencies in the same country and are paid in local currency. Should SSA holders have a continuing pension fund, and/or life insurance commitments, WHO may meet those costs for the duration of the agreement, up to the maxima applicable locally.
- As SSA contract holders are not staff, their rights and obligations are according to the terms and conditions in their contract.
- Contracts do not usually exceed one year but it may be renewed for further maximum periods of one year at a time.
