Provision of Payroll and Sick Leave Absence Management Services

Introduction

The Global Fund is an international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland and employs circa. 1000 staff members. The Global Fund has decided to outsource payroll services and sick leave absence management services to an external service company. All staff are Geneva-based and the Global Fund has no staff in other countries.

Background (Current process and landscape)

As of 1 January 2017, the Global Fund payroll services are outsourced to an external payroll provider. The maintenance of staff records, including the entitlements, or any changes to compensation and benefits are still done at the Global Fund. Currently, the Global Fund uses Workday as its HR Information System.

Due to its special status in Switzerland as an International Organisation, the Global Fund is not subject to Swiss labour legislation, which includes exemption from payment of all Swiss taxes and social security contributions. Global Fund staff are employed on open, defined or temporary contracts and paid monthly. English is the business language for the Global Fund.

The Global Fund currently has one monthly main payroll run and one monthly early payroll run. The vast majority of payments to staff are made in the main run (approx. 1000 staff and 40 former staff who may be due repatriation or other exit benefits). The early run is mainly used for new hires who would have joined after cut-off for previous month main pay run and for payment of some staff benefits/allowances.

Data flows occur automatically between Workday and the payroll provider for the purpose of payroll preparation and execution, and between the payroll provider and financial systems (Oracle Fusion ERP and Kyriba) for purposes of payroll accounting and payments processing.

As of June 2021, the payroll services provided by the current Service Provider were extended to include sick leave absence management services.  This coincided with the introduction of a new sick leave management policy and processes that came into effect on 1 July 2021.

By extending the scope of services under the existing contract with the Service Provider to include a comprehensive absence management service, The Global Fund has been able to secure the additional support that it requires to effectively manage and track sick leave,  submit claims to the insurer for Sick Leave Insurance Cover or Continuing Disability Benefit  and provide follow up support to those employees who are on long-term sick leave and who are eligible to receive Sick Leave Insurance Cover or Continuing Disability Benefit and where possible, play a key role in facilitating a successful return to work.

This additional absence management service has created a more synchronized and streamlined end to end process on sick leave management.