http://www.legislation.gov.uk/eudn/2015/1027/chapter/II/adoptedCouncil Decision (EU) 2015/1027 of 23 June 2015 concerning the rules applicable to experts on secondment to the General Secretariat of the Council and repealing Decision 2007/829/ECCouncil Decision (EU) 2015/1027Council Decision (EU) 2015/1027 of 23 June 2015 concerning the rules applicable to experts on secondment to the General Secretariat of the Council and repealing Decision 2007/829/EC2020-12-11King's Printer of Acts of Parliamenthttps://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/eu-exit/https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32015D1027texttext/xmlen CHAPTER II <Strong>WORKING CONDITIONS</Strong> Social security Article 11 1 Before the period of secondment begins, the employer shall certify to the GSC that, throughout the period of secondment, the expert will remain subject to the social security legislation applicable to the Member State public administration or the IGO, which employs the expert. To this end, the Member State public administration shall supply the GSC with the attestation referred to in Article 19(2) of Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council (‘Portable document A1’). The IGO shall supply the GSC with a certificate equivalent to the Portable document A1 and it shall prove that the social security legislation applicable provides for the defrayal of healthcare cost incurred abroad. 2 From the commencement of their secondment, the expert shall be covered by the GSC against the risk of accident. The GSC shall provide the expert with a copy of the terms of this cover on the day on which the expert reports to the relevant department of the Directorate-General for Administration to complete the administrative formalities related to the secondment. 3 When, in the context of a mission in which the expert is participating under the terms of Articles 7(3) and 29, additional or specific insurance is required, the relevant costs shall be borne by the GSC. Working hours Article 12 1 The expert shall be subject to the rules in force in the GSC as regards working hours and flexitime arrangements, depending on the requirements of the post to which the expert is assigned within the GSC. 2 The expert shall serve on a full-time basis throughout the period of secondment. Following a duly justified request from a Directorate-General and subject to compatibility with the interests of the GSC, the GSC may authorise an expert to work part-time, after agreement from the employer. 3 Where part-time working is authorised, the expert shall work at least half of the normal working time. 4 The allowances applicable within the GSC for shift work or standby duty may be paid to experts. Absence for reasons of sickness or accident Article 13 1 In the event of absence due to sickness or accident, an expert shall notify the superior as soon as possible, stating the expert's present address. The expert shall produce a medical certificate if absent for more than three consecutive days and may be required to undergo a medical examination arranged by the GSC. 2 Where absence due to sickness or accident of not more than three days exceeds a total of 12 days over a period of 12 months, an expert shall be required to produce a medical certificate for any further absence due to sickness or accident. 3 Where an absence due to sickness or accident exceeds one month or the period of service performed by the expert, whichever is the longer, the allowances referred to in Article 19(1) and (2) shall be automatically suspended. This paragraph shall not apply in the event of illness linked to pregnancy. Absence due to sickness or accident may not extend beyond the duration of the secondment of the person concerned. 4 However, if the expert is the victim of a work-related injury which occurs during the secondment the expert shall continue to receive, in full, the allowances provided for in Article 19(1) and (2) throughout the period during which that expert is unfit for work up to the end of the period of secondment. Annual leave, special leave and holidays Article 14 1 Without prejudice to specific provisions set out in this Decision, the expert shall be subject to the rules in force in the GSC as regards annual leave, special leave and holidays. 2 Leave is subject to prior authorisation by the department to which the expert is assigned. 3 Upon a duly substantiated application by the employer, up to two days of additional special leave in a 12-month period may be granted by the GSC. Requests are examined on a case-by-case basis. 4 Days of annual leave not taken by the end of the period of secondment shall be forfeited. 5 An expert whose period of secondment is less than six months may be granted special leave, on the basis of a reasoned application and subject to a decision by the Director-General of the department to which the expert is assigned. That special leave may not exceed three days for the whole period of secondment. Before granting such leave, the Director-General of the department shall hold a prior consultation with the Director-General of Administration. Special leave for training Article 15 This Article applies to experts whose period of secondment is six months or more. Notwithstanding Article 14(3), additional special leave may be granted by the GSC for the training of the expert by the employer, subject to a duly reasoned application by the employer with a view to the expert's reintegration. The allowances referred to in Article 19 shall not be paid during that additional special leave. Maternity and paternity leave Article 16 1 An expert shall be subject to the rules in force in the GSC as regards maternity and paternity leave. 2 Where the national legislation of the employer grants longer maternity leave, at the expert's request and after prior agreement of the employer, the secondment shall be suspended for the period exceeding that granted by the GSC. In that case, a period equivalent to the suspension shall be added at the end of the secondment if the interests of the GSC warrant it. 3 Notwithstanding paragraph 1, the expert may apply for a suspension of the secondment to cover the whole of the period allowed for maternity, after prior agreement of the employer. In that case, a period equivalent to the suspension shall be added at the end of the secondment if the interests of the GSC warrant it. 4 Paragraphs 2 and 3 shall also apply to the cases of adoption. Management and control Article 17 The management and control of working time and absences shall be the task of the Directorate-General for Administration of the GSC and the Directorate-General or department to which the expert is assigned, in accordance with the rules and procedures in force within the GSC. Regulation (EC) No 987/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 16 September 2009 laying down the procedure for implementing Regulation (EC) No 883/2004 on the coordination of social security systems (OJ L 284, 30.10.2009, p. 1).