Pension Fund | ASSOCIATION OF FORMER INTERNATIONAL CIVIL SERVANTS / NEW YORK

Pension Fund

Communications

UNJSPF's nnouncement   Step-by-step tutorial   Launched on 27 January 2021

 

 

Information relating to annual CE (Certificate of Entitlement) Exercise

The UNJSPF 2022 Certificate of Entitlement Exercise is underway, requiring all retirees and beneficiaries to return their annual proof of life to the Fund by year-end 2022.  The website's Certificate of Entitlement (CE) page (available by clicking the panel's title above) provides answers to the following:

  • How to fulfill the requirements of the annual CE exercise that will verify the continuing eligibility of retirees and beneficiaries to the benefits they are receiving.
  • If benefits were suspended due to non-receipt of their prior year's CE, what to do to reinstate the benefit.
  • Information relating to the current year's CE Exercise.
  • General FAQs on the Certificate of Entitlement.
  • Resources, including a video and related links to the Digital Certificate of Entitlement (DCE) app, and Authentication of Signatures and Documents.

 

UNJSPF's Online Contact Form

  PF's CONTACT US Form

For urgent matters (not related to non-receipt of a regular monthly benefit payment, or retiree or beneficiary death), or you have a question or need to contact the UNJSPF, they provide a secure online form.  You are able to select the topic of your concern and submit any questions or inquiries you may have to them using this tool.  You will receive a confirmation email after submitting the form that will provide some topic specific information that might be useful, with your submitted query also routed to the appropriate office in the UNJSPF for processing.

 

Urgent Assistance

  PF Urgent Assistance

The UNJSPF website’s Urgent Assistance page addresses two urgent issues:

1. Non-receipt by a UNJSPF Retiree or Beneficiary of their regular monthly benefit payment from the Fund; or

2. Death of a retiree or beneficiary – how to notify the Fund.

Go to their website page for further details on how to proceed with submitting an Urgent Assistance message.  For other urgent issues, you are directed to use the Fund’s online Contact Form.

 

Toll Free Numbers

  PF Toll Free Numbers

UNJSPF has launched an initiative to establish Toll Free Numbers to directly connect Participant and Beneficiary callers to its Call Center from many countries world-wide, as well as the USA.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

1-833-668-6931

For the list of all the Toll Free numbers that are now available for use in the 68 countries, with Call Center hours Monday-Friday from 7am to 7pm (NY Time), go to their website; a link is provided above.

 

Postal Mailing Address

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund

c/o United Nations

P.O. Box 5036

New York, NY 10163-5036

USA

 

Courier & Registered Mailing Address

United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund

1 DHP, 37th floor

885 Second Avenue

New York, NY 10017

USA

 

PF NEWSLETTERS

As of July 2019, the Fund stopped publishing the newsletter in a PDF format on its website, now only sending out electronic newsletters every month.

  • Access to the prior Quarterly Newsletter PDF files (from May 2019 thru July 2016) is available here.
  • You can also find all the News & Announcements articles that have been published by clicking here.
  • If you want to subscribe to the monthly electronic newsletter, to be sent to your email mailbox, enter your email address in the "Get our newsletter" area at the  top of any of the UNJSPF website pages, and then click <Subscribe>.

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

UN Joint Staff Pension Fund (NY)

 

Call Center hours:  07:00 - 19:00 (New York Time)



1 (212) 963-6931   By Telephone
1 (212) 963-3146   By Fax
1 (833) 668-6931   Toll Free (USA)
Mondays to Fridays: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm   In Person Visits
(Except Thursdays)  
No appointment is needed. Walk-in, register and a Client Service staff member will be with you.  
1 Dag Hammarskjöld Plaza (4th floor)   Office Location
Corner of 48th Street and 2nd Avenue  

 

< NOTE >

UNJSPF walk-in services are currently suspended due to COVID-19 outbreak.  Please contact them by phone or in writing via the Contact Us form.  They also have a drop-box available for dropping off original documents.  Please ask the staff at the entrance of the building for the location of the box.

 

COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)

Click the panel's title above to be taken to the UNJSPF Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) website page.

 

It gives information on the COLA benefit, including:

  • What is a Cost of Living Adjustment Letter?
  • Is my benefit adjusted for cost-of-living increases?
  • How often will my benefit be adjusted?
  • Will my benefit be adjusted for changes in the cost-of-living in my country of residence?
  • Will I be sure to have an adjustment each year?
  • Will I be notified if there is a change in the amount of my benefit?

 

It also offers related Resources links to: 

  • Two-Track Pension Adjustment System
  • Monthly benefit fluctuations

 

FORMS

Click the panel's title above to be taken to the UNJSPF Forms website page.  Additional direct links to specific forms are provided below.

 

For retirees/beneficiaries in receipt of periodic payments:

PF.23 – Change in Payment Instructions

For changing your payment options if you have undergone a change in bank account information. 30 Nov 2022

 

PF.23M – Change of Mailing Address

For updating your contact information, including mailing address, phone number and email. 30 Nov 2022

 

PF23/A – Payment Instructions under Article 30 (Deferred Retirement Benefit)

For the process of updating payment instructions for a Deferred Retirement Benefit. 30 Nov 2022

 

PF.23/B – Payment Instructions under Article 36 (Child’s Benefit)

For the implementation of a child's benefit, which has now become payable upon the retiree reaching their NRA. 30 Nov 2022

 

Other forms:

PENS.E/2 – Instructions for Payment of Disability or Death Benefit(s)

For designating instructions for the payment of a disability or death benefit. 30 Nov 2022

 

PENS.E/10 – Declaration of Country of Residence

For the process of declaring your country of residence on the two-track pension adjustment system. 30 Nov 2022

 

PENS.E/11 – Change of Country of Residence

For the process of changing your country of residence on the two-track pension adjustment system. 30 Nov 2022

 

General Information for Retirees/Beneficiaries

Clicking the panel's title above will take you to the General Information page on the UNJSPF website.  It provides answers to questions under the following categories:

 

  • Certificate of Entitlement (CE)
  • Unique Identification Number
  • About Member Self-Service
  • Statement of Benefits
  • Taxation of Benefits
  • Updating Personal Information
  • Updating Marital Status
  • Updating Payment Instructions
  • After Service Health Insurance
  • Cost-of-Living Adjustment
  • Two-Track Pension Adjustment System
  • Re-employment
  • Death

 

 

Updating Payment Instructions

By clicking on this panel's title above, it will open the Payment Instructions page on the UNJSPF website, which provides important information on the use of the payment instructions form PF.23, such as:

  • Bank codes required for the electronic transfer
  • Signatures
  • Available methods for submission
  • Currency

 

It also includes an FAQ section addressing the following:

  • Able to use of fax or email?
  • Time for instructions to take effect?
  • Able to change instructions at any time?
  • Ability to change currency?
  • Different payment instructions if receive more than one benefit?

 

 

Pension Board

  Communiqué: 65th PB Mtg

The Pension Board is the main oversight, policy-making and decision-making body of the UNJSPF. The Pension Board has the ultimate responsibility for the administration of the Fund and protects the best interest of the UNJSPF participants and beneficiaries (meeting the current and future pension promise) by setting strategic goals and policies, providing general oversight and monitoring.

The Pension Board has 33 members, reflecting a participatory governance structure: its tri-partite membership includes representatives of (i) governing bodies, including GA members, (ii) executive heads, including the United Nations Secretary-General, and (iii) participants’ group (elected by staff members). In addition, there are six non-voting representatives of the retirees and other beneficiaries from the Federation of Associations of Former International Civil Servants (FAFICS) on the Pension Board. Staff unions/associations attend Board sessions as observers. This structure ensures equity and inclusiveness of those who are affected by the Board’s decisions and actions, e.g., staff, retirees and beneficiaries, member organizations, Member States and other stakeholders.

The Pension Board meets annually and reports to the General Assembly on strategic questions and policy matters regarding the management of the Fund, the Fund’s budget, plan design issues and its long-term financial situation. In order to make fully informed decisions, to attain sufficient expertise, and to fulfill its responsibilities, the Pension Board has delegated some of its authority to its subcommittees who meet more frequently.

 

Fund Investments

Appointment of RSG for the Pension Fund's Investments

 

* Terms of Reference *

 Investments Committee 

The Secretary-General was entrusted with the fiduciary responsibility for investment of the assets of the UNJSPF, in accordance with Article 19 of the Regulations of the Fund. The Secretary-General has delegated his fiduciary responsibility for the UNJSPF to the Representative of the Secretary-General (RSG).  Mr. Sudhir Rajkumar, appointed as RSG effective 1 January 2018, reports directly to the Secretary-General.  The RSG is supported by the staff of the Office of Investment Management, and he is advised by the Investments Committee.  Additional resources include consultants and nondiscretionary advisors.

 

The majority of the Fund’s assets are internally managed by the staff of the Office of Investment Management. Staff members include, but are not limited to, portfolio managers, analysts, traders, operations and IT support, risk managers and compliance officers. All UNJSPF staff are subject to the United Nations Staff Regulations and Rules.  The RSG adheres to the criteria for UNJSPF investments, which were set forth by the UN General Assembly, including Safety, Liquidity, Convertibility and Profitability. The assets are invested accordingly and are diversified by country, currency, security and sector.

 

For current information on value of assets, performance attribution and investment policy go to the Investments site:

  Office of Investment Mgmt

 

Audit Matters

* Terms of Reference *

 Audit Committee 

The Audit Committee provides the Pension Board with assistance in fulfilling its oversight responsibility relating to: (a) the performance and independence of the internal audit function; (b) the accounting and financial audit reporting processes of the Fund; and (c) adherence to the Fund’s Internal Audit Charter, and the UNJSPF Regulations and Administrative Rules relating to audits. It consists of nine members appointed by the Board: six reflecting the tripartite composition of the Board (Governing Bodies, Executive Heads and Participants groups); two independent expert members; and a FAFICS representative. The term of Committee members is four years and they may not be selected for consecutive terms. The Committee meets three times per year and submits a report to the annual session of the Board.

Executive Heads

Mr. Rahul Bhalla (2015-2018)

Mr. Dennis Thatchaichawalit (2016-2019)

Governing Bodies

Mr. Tom Repasch, Chair (2015-2018)

Mr. Alejandro Henning (2016-2019)

Participants

Ms. Aïssatou Ndiaye-Dieng (2017-2021)

Mr. Eric Voli Bi (2016-2019)

Expert members

Ms. Aline Vienneau (July 2014-July 2018)

Ms. Beatriz Sanz Redrado (July 2016-July 2020)

FAFICS

Ms. Hazelien Featherstone (July 2016-July 2020)

 

Asset Liability Management

* Review of PF Investment Operations *

Membership & Project Team

2016 RFP: Statement of Work

 

* Terms of Reference *

 Assets & Liabilites Monitoring Committee 

The Assets and Liabilities Monitoring Committee (ALM Committee) assists the Pension Board in carrying out its responsibility for the overall management of the Fund. The ALM Committee works with the support of the Fund’s management, the Investments Committee, the Committee of Actuaries and the Consulting Actuary to monitor the solvency of the Fund and to provide advice and recommendations to the Board with regard to risk management, funding policy, asset-liability management and investment policy.

Executive Heads

Mr. Jeff Kobza (2017-2021)

Ms. Theresa Panuccio (2018-2022)

Governing Bodies

Mr. Otavio Briones (2017-2021)

Mr. H.E. Mr. Philip R. O. Owade (2018-2022)

Participants

Mr. Florian Leger (2017-2021)

Ms. Kathrin Bruchmann (2018-2022)

FAFICS

Mr. Marashetty Seenappa (2017-2021)

Mr. Warren Sach (2018-2022)

 

Actuarial Matters

* Terms of Reference *

  Committee of Actuaries 

Every two years, an actuarial valuation for the Fund is completed by the Consulting Actuary. The valuation provides  the present and future liabilities of the Fund and compares that to current and projected Fund assets, respectively.  Valuations are performed using economic assumptions such as inflation and investment return and demographic assumptions for projecting participant growth, mortality, separation, and disability.

Actuarial services are provided by Buck Consultants LLC.   A Committee of Actuaries, consisting of seven independent actuaries, is also appointed on the recommendation of the Pension Board.  Its members are selected from the five different regions of the world.  The Committee’s function is to review the actuarial results and advise the Board on actuarial questions arising out of the operations of the Fund’s Rules and Regulations.

-------------------------------------

The actuarial valuation as of 31 December 2017 indicated a small actuarial deficit of 0.05% of pensionable remuneration. As noted by the pro-bono Committee of Actuaries, this is the second consecutive actuarial valuation (31 December 2015: 0.16% surplus) in which the Fund remains very close to actuarial balance. Given margins of error and assumptions in actuarial valuations, these results are substantively in balance. This is what the Board aspires to; since 2003, all actuarial valuations have remained within the margins approved by the Board of plus or minus 2% of pensionable remuneration from the point of actuarial balance. The Board’s Assets and Liabilities Monitoring Committee confirmed that the Fund continues to be well-funded. (per Communiqué on 65th PB Meeting)