A lot of COVID-19 related questions have reached the Fund over the past weeks. The Fund has created a detailed COVID-19 Question and Answer document, to help you navigate pension issues during these difficult times.
Please be assured that:
- The Fund continues to process pension benefits as normal and without any additional delays.
- COVID-19 is not affecting the funding stability of the UNJSPF and the current market performance has no bearing on the payment of established or new pension benefits.
- Retirees, beneficiaries and staff retiring this year or in the coming years have no reason to worry about the regular payment of their benefits.
- Recognizing the fact that due to the pandemic some participants and beneficiaries may not be able to submit their official UNJSPF forms to the Fund in the format usually required, the Fund has implemented arrangements that exceptionally allow for electronic submission of official forms and supporting documentation to ensure continued service to our clients worldwide.
- The Fund continues to receive, process and dispatch physical mail; therefore, if possible, please continue to submit your original forms to the Fund via mail.
Below you will find a shortened version of the COVID-19 Q&A document, providing only a selection of the questions we received.
You can access the complete and much more detailed version of this Q&A document here. The extended version of the Q&A provides a wider range of questions and more detailed guidance, including links to helpful information and tools on the Fund’s website (e.g. to official forms, educational booklets and videos, Member Self Service, all UNJSPF contact details, etc.)
If the below or the complete COVID-19 Q&A documents do not answer your question/s, please reach out to the Fund either by phone or in writing via the contact details provided here.
COVID-19 Complete FAQ
Q&A
What is the impact of COVID-19 on the UNJSPF in the short/medium/long term and how will it impact staff separating from service or retiring this year or in the near future?
COVID-19 is not affecting the stability of the Fund. Changes in the market value of investments are normal and do not affect the payment of pensions since the Fund has been fully funded. The Fund takes a long-term view.
The UNJSPF is a fully funded defined benefit plan. Pensions are calculated based on established factors and formula defined under the plan. The current market performance has no bearing on your pension amount.
Those retiring in the future can be assured that they will continue to receive their regular monthly benefit at the rate due to them in line with the Fund’s Regulations.
Retirees and beneficiaries can be assured that they will continue to receive their regular monthly benefit at the rate due to them in line with the Fund’s Regulations. They have no reason to be concerned.
With respect to its core operations, Fund staff working from home continue to process benefits of all kinds as normal as well as all other requests, like validation, restoration or transfer related requests, changes in payment instructions, changes of address, processes relating to the Certificate of Entitlement (CE), etc.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Does the Fund continue to accept physical mail, meaning, can I send my original Payment Instruction form (or other original forms) and supporting documents to the Fund by post, pouch or special courier?
YES, the processing of physical mail is considered an essential service for the UNJSPF and a small team of UNJSPF staff continues to work on the Fund’s premises, several days a week, to receive, process and dispatch physical mail.
The Fund receives regular deliveries of pouch, postal and special courier mail (e.g. DHL, Fedex, UPS, etc.). Therefore, wherever possible, participants and beneficiaries are encouraged to submit their official forms in the usual manner, i.e., by post to the UNJSPF as they would have done usually.
However, given that the mailing/postal services in many countries worldwide have been impacted by COVID-19 related restrictions or even suspensions, we strongly suggest that you check whether the postal services between your country and the destination country are functioning normally or not before sending out mail. The situation is constantly evolving.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Will the UNJSPF accept scanned copies of official forms and other required separation documents to process new benefits of recently separated staff members, given that many UN premises are closed, and international mailing services disrupted?
Given the COVID-19 circumstances, the Fund is willing to accept electronic copies of the core separation documents: Payment Instructions (PI), Separation Personal Action (SEPPA) and Separation Notification (SEP or PF4), provided they are coursed through the employing organization of the separating staff member.
It is therefore suggested that you liaise with your respective SPC (where applicable) or Pension Focal Points within your organizations who will then send the documents to the UNJSPF via approved and especially created channels of transmission.
In case there is no Pension Focal Point inside your organization, please contact the Fund via the online Contact Form on our website, so that upon receipt of your query, the Fund can provide you with guidance on how to proceed.
You should route your separation related documentation through your employing organization SPC, Pension Focal Point or HR official (as applicable). The employing organization should receive from you your original or electronically signed Payment Instructions form (PI), as well as the required supporting documents for your case. Your organization will guide you on what supporting documents you must submit together with your PI.
All submissions must also include COPIES of the following documentation:
· a valid government issued picture ID document (passport or other government issued ID document that carries the individual’s full name, date of birth and scripted signature);
· a voided cheque; and/or
· a recently dated hard copy bank statement or screen capture of online bank statement.
The organization then transmits the PI and other documents to the Fund, together with the SEPPA and SEP documents from HR and Payroll, via the established agreed channel and mailboxes.
In cases where a former staff member sent an electronic copy of their PI to the organization, not the original, the former staff member MUST transmit to the organization the original hardcopy version of the PI as soon as that is again possible. In other words, the electronic PI is accepted only as an interim solution and that submission of their original PI remains a requirement for the participant.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Is the processing time for new benefits affected by COVID-19?
The Fund’s promise is to pay initial benefits within 15 business days of receipt of the complete and valid separation documents.
Currently, over 90% of the initial benefits are processed by the Fund within 15 business days of receipt of the complete separation documents.It is the responsibility of your employing organization to get the documents to the Fund as soon as possible after you separate. You can track receipt of the required three separation documents by the Fund (i.e. your Payment Instructions form, the Separation PA from your HR (interfaced) and the Separation Notification/PF4 from your Payroll office) inside your Member Self Service, under the PROOF DOCUMENTS tab.
Reporting a retiree’s or beneficiary’s death to the Fund during COVD-19: Submission of the death certificate, Form PENS.E2, and other required documentation – Signature Authentication Requirements
Please follow the steps and advice below, so that the Fund’s Entitlements Section (PES) and Financial Services (FSS) can take the required action to stop the payment of our beneficiary’s monthly benefit and, if applicable, confirm eligibility to (a) survivor’s benefit(s). Once confirmed, PES will contact you with detailed guidance on the documentation required to implement your benefit.
If you need to inform the Fund about the death of a retiree or a beneficiary, kindly provide the following information when contacting the Fund:
a) The deceased’s full name;
b) The deceased’s date of birth;
c) The date of death (day/month/year);
d) The deceased’s Pension Fund reference number (UNJSPF Unique ID or Retirement number), if known;
e) The deceased’s official mailing address.
If possible, kindly also include the following information:
g) Contact details for the surviving family;
h) An original or a certified copy of the deceased’s death certificate should be sent to the Fund as soon as possible;
i) Any additional information that could be helpful.
The quickest way to notify the Fund of the death of a retiree or beneficiary is by contacting the Fund via the online Contact Form (please refer to the contact details in the column to the right), OR by sending an e-mail to the following dedicated mailbox reserved for this purpose: [email protected]. (Please note that ONLY those emails will be answered at the above email address that report the death of a retiree or beneficiary of the UNJSPF.)
Normally the Fund requires a certified copy or an original official Death Certificate to record a retiree’s/beneficiary’s death and take all required related action. However, if due to COVID-19 circumstances no official Death Certificate can be issued, the Fund will accept submission of a hospital or doctor issued death notification together with a death notification from the Funeral Home. Once the official Death Certificate becomes available it should be sent to the Fund as soon as possible to complete the Fund’s records. Given the COVID-19 circumstances, the Fund will accept an electronic copy of the official government issued Death Certificate.
Please send the Death Certificate to the Fund at the following mailbox [email protected].
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Signature authentication requirements during COVID-19: What should I do if due to COVID-19 I cannot have my signature on an official UNJSPF form authenticated as required?
Mindful of the special situation and COVID-19 imposed restrictions, the Fund will exceptionally accept the form without the normally required signature authentication. However, as soon as the offices re-open, you must visit such authenticating official and have your signature duly authenticated by such official before sending the duly completed, original hardcopy form to the Fund.
In that case, you must affix on top of the form page the mention “COVID-19 ORIGINAL’ so that the Fund can distinguish it from the electronic version of the form submitted previously.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Submission of official UNJSPF forms during COVID-19: What should I do if I need to submit a request to change banking instructions/payment options but cannot send the original form PF23 to the Fund?
If you want to change your banking instructions/payment options for your monthly pension payments, you must inform the Fund in writing by submitting the duly completed, dated and signed form PF23. You can access this form inside your MSS under the E-Forms tab, or on our website via the following link: About Member Self-Service (MSS) - UNJSPF
Such changes CANNOT be requested or made inside your Member Self Service (MSS) portal.
If because of COVID-19 you are submitting your PF23 in electronic format to the Fund, please note that the following documentation is required from you:
- Electronic copy of your duly completed, dated and signed PF23 form; ideally, you should download the form from the E-Forms tab inside your Member Self Service (MSS) portal; or, if that is not possible, you can download form PF23 from the UNJSPF website via the following link: https://contact.unjspf.org/documents/change-of-payment-options/. Since you are sending the electronic version of this form, please ensure to send the ORIGINAL hardcopy version of the same form, duly completed and with your duly authenticated signature on it as required, to the Fund as soon as possible and within max. 3 months from sending the electronic version of the form. When sending the original PF23, please write on the top of the original form the mention “COVID-19 ORIGINAL”, so that we can distinguish it from the electronic version.
- Electronic copy of your valid government issued picture ID document (passport or other government issued ID document that carries the individual’s full name, date of birth and scripted signature);
- Electronic copy of a voided cheque; and/or
- Electronic copy of a recently dated hard copy bank statement or screen capture of online bank statement which provides your full name and matches the banking information your provided on form PF23.
All of the above also applies when you request to change your banking instructions from check payment to wire transfer to a bank account in your name.
Please note that in order for your electronic submission of the required form and documentation to be receivable and actionable by the Fund, you must send it to the Fund from an acceptable email address, i.e. one of the following:
a) your official professional UN email (if still functioning),
OR
b) your personal email registered in the Fund’s MSS,
OR
c) your personal email recorded in the Fund’s records (IPAS) based on a previously submitted original signature document or provided in person during a visit to the Fund; in that case, this email address would also be considered ‘verified’ by the Fund.
Once the required documentation has been received in the acceptable format, the Fund will process your request within 15 business days.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
Request for reinstatement of my benefit: What happens if the payment of my monthly pension benefit was suspended by the Fund due to non-receipt of my 2019 CE and I want to request its reinstatement but cannot send the original documentation due to COVID-19?
If the payment of your regular monthly pension benefit was suspended due to non-receipt by the Fund of the duly completed and signed annual CE form or another valid signature document from you, within the required time frame, and you are now requesting the reinstatement of your benefit, please submit your written request to the Fund at the online Contact Form (linked to the left) or at the following dedicated mailbox: [email protected].
Please note that such request for reinstatement CANNOT be requested or made inside your Member Self Service (MSS) portal.
If because of COVID-19 you are submitting your request in electronic format to the Fund, please note that the following documentation is required from you:
- Electronic copy of your duly completed, dated and signed PF23 form; ideally, you should download the form from the E-Forms tab inside your Member Self Service (MSS) portal; or, if that is not possible, you can download form PF23 from the UNJSPF website via the following link: https://contact.unjspf.org/documents/change-of-payment-options/. Since you are sending the electronic version of this form, please ensure to send the ORIGINAL hardcopy version of the same form, duly completed and with your duly authenticated signature on it as required, to the Fund as soon as possible and within max. 3 months from sending the electronic version of the form. When sending the original PF23, please write on the top of the original form the mention “COVID-19 ORIGINAL”, so that we can distinguish it from the electronic version.
- Electronic copy of your valid government issued picture ID document (passport or other government issued ID document that carries the individual’s full name, date of birth and scripted signature);
- Electronic copy of a voided cheque; and/or
- Electronic copy of a recently dated hard copy bank statement or screen capture of online bank statement which provides your full name and matches the banking information your provided on form PF23.
Please note that in order for your e-mail with attached documentation to be receivable and actionable, you must send it to the Fund from an acceptable email address, i.e. one of the following:
- your official professional UN email (if still functioning),
OR
- your personal email registered in the Fund’s MSS,
OR
- your personal email recorded in the Fund’s records (IPAS) based on a previously submitted original signature document or provided in person during a visit to the Fund; in that case, this email address would also be considered ‘verified’ by the Fund.
Once the required documentation has been received in the acceptable format, the Fund will process your request within 15 business days.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
2020 Certificate of Entitlement (CE) Exercise: How can I obtain and return my 2020 CE form to the Fund during COVID-19?
Due to COVID-19 related restrictions for the functioning of postal mailing services worldwide, the Fund has decided to adjust the mailing schedule for the 2020 CE Exercise.
Accordingly, the 2020 CE Exercise will not start at the end of May, as per usual schedule, but the 1st mailing of the 2020 CEs will be delayed until end of June 2020, provided the majority of countries concerned have resumed their normal postal services by then.
The Fund will post regular update on its dedicated CE webpage. Please watch that space.
If due to COVID-19 and related restrictions you cannot, immediately upon receipt of the CE form, mail the original CE form back to the Fund, we would encourage you to inform the Fund of the applicable restrictions in an email and attach to the email an advance copy of your duly completed, dated and signed 2020 CE form. This will ensure that the Fund is aware of the reason for delays in receipt of your 2020 CE form. As soon as it is possible, you must send the original and duly completed 2020 CE form to the Fund. Please consult the dedicated CE webpage regularly for updates and instructions regarding the annual CE exercise, to ensure the continued payment of your pension benefit.
Please note that most of the Fund’s retirees and beneficiaries can access their bar-coded annual CE form online, inside their Member Self Service (MSS) portal, under the DOCUMENTS tab. The link to MSS is provided in the column to the left. The MSS CE form is published at the same time as the 1st annual CE mailing is dispatched by the Fund and remains permanently available inside MSS for downloading and printing.
We strongly encourage all of our retirees and beneficiaries to register for and make regular use of MSS and the functionalities available, namely, the online CE form. That way, beneficiaries need not rely on postal mailing services for the receipt of their CE form but can access their personalized form as soon as it is published inside MSS. All they need to do is print the MSS CE form, complete it and return the duly completed original form to the Fund either by pouch, postal mail or special courier service.
Only retirees and beneficiaries paid under the Two-Track cannot, at this time, access their annual CE form inside their MSS.
For further guidance, you can access the complete and much more detailed version of these FAQs and the Fund’s answers here.
* In case you did not find an answer to your COVID-19 related pension question in this shortened version of the Q&A, please check the complete and much more detailed version of the UNJSPF COVID-19 Q&A here.
The extended version of the Q&A provides a wider range of questions and more detailed answers and guidance, including links to helpful information and tools on the Fund’s website (e.g. to official forms, educational booklets and videos, Member Self Service, all UNJSPF contact details, etc.)
