File n° 72 

The Personnel Department carries out the recruitment, management and training of the personnel of the National Assembly, i.e. 1,351 civil servants and around 100 contract workers.

The staff of the Personnel Department is under the authority of a Director and consists of two senior clerks, heads of each unit, one senior clerk, project leader, eight deputy clerks, a computer analyst, seven departmental secretaries, one administrative secretary and three porters.

The occupational physician and the social worker are also attached to this department.

I.– the recruitment and in-house training unit

This unit has, as part of its remit, the consideration of all statutory provisions concerning recruitment and training.

The unit organizes all the competitive examinations for permanent positions which are all held by civil servants. At the present moment there are 93 types of competitive examination which provide candidates for the 5 non-specialized branches (clerks, deputy clerks, departmental secretaries, administrative secretaries and porters) which make up 80% of the staff and the 26 specialized branches representing the remaining 20% (staff working on the official report, security, computers, buildings, catering and the medical field). The organization of the competitive examinations includes drawing up the examination descriptions and the composition of the juries.

The unit sets out the job profiles and carries out the recruitment of contract workers for temporary positions.

On the basis of an annual programme which it refers to the trade unions for their opinion and to the Questeurs for their approval, the unit organizes in-house training which is oriented towards positions in the National Assembly. At the moment stress is placed upon intensive foreign language training (considering the development of the international activities of the Assembly), on training periods linked to the security of staff and buildings and to communication skills training especially those skills linked to general and human resource management. The unit also organizes preparatory courses for internal examinations.

The unit also mans the secretariat of the Health and Safety Committee and implements its recommendations. It is also responsible for the secretariat of the Medical Commission which is in charge of suggesting adaptations required for positions or working hours by handicapped civil servants. The occupational physician of the staff of the National Assembly is an ex officio member of these bodies.

II. – the staff status and personnel management unit

This unit has, as part of its remit, the consideration of all statutory provisions concerning the career development, salaries and working conditions of the personnel.

It organizes consultations with the trade unions on all projects which might modify the status of the staff, i.e. the salary scale, health cover or retirement scheme or would affect the organization of departments. The main forums for dialogue with the trade unions are the annual Consultation Commission which is chaired by the Questeurs and the technical committees on projects which have been submitted for consultation. These committees are established upon a decision of the Questeurs.

The unit implements all statutory procedures concerning promotion and discipline and draws up all documents concerning appointments, promotions, positions, disciplinary action, leave, transfers and retirement. It deals with the contracts of temporary staff. It carries out the updating of individual files and of all the documents necessary for staff management.  

The unit is also in charge of the computerized management of the salaries of the civil servants and contract workers.