As detailed in previous issues of the ECHO, a new internal justice system officially entered into force this summer, with the aim, among other things, of making it more professional. In internal appeal and disciplinary procedures, the panel handling the case will now be composed of three members: a professional lawyer from outside the Organization acting as chair, and two colleagues from CERN. In these same procedures, the Organization has been represented for many years by lawyers from the HR Department. A level playing field is therefore only possible if the member of the personnel concerned

As some of you may have noticed, a few errors crept into our article on the results of the USERs survey published in the last two issues of ECHO.

The figure “19% are unable to cover their basic needs” actually combines two situations of financial hardship: 4.7% who do “not have enough” to cover “their basic needs”, and 14.5% who have “barely enough” to cover them. This figure was consistent with the 19% who strongly disagreed with the statement that “the remuneration granted to Users is sufficient to avoid financial stress and ensure a decent standard of living”, but our interpretation of it

It is now up to you, Graduates, to vote to elect your representatives using the link https://sa-elections.web.cern.ch/!
Voting opened on 9 November and will close at midday on 23 November

The Jardin des Particules, the nursery and school of the Staff Association of CERN, is opening its doors on Saturday 21 November 2026, from 10:00 to 12:00.

The CERN Photo Club is proud to support a meaningful initiative that brings the joy of photography to young people in Latin America.
For the past couple of years, the Club has been collecting cameras and photographic equipment to donate to Casa Alianza, an organisation that supports teenage victims of violence and human trafficking.

From 16 November to 18 December, the Restaurant 1 terrace will be transformed into a charming Alpine retreat, filled with the flavours and festive spirit of Christmas!

As previously published in the ECHO, the process for the by-elections to the Staff Council for Graduates is currently taking place. This is the final straight to join and stand as a candidate!

The call for applications, launched on 17 September, closes on 30 October 2026 at 5.00 p.m. All Graduates who are members of the Staff Association¹ can still get involved and submit their applications.

What’s next ?

Following the closure of the call for applications and before voting begins, the Electoral Commission will meet to examine the validity of the applications received.

All Graduates who

The Staff Association held public meetings on October 14^th and 16^th. They covered some highlights of the Staff Association's work in 2026, including maternity and parental leave evolution, the reform of internal justice and the Five-Yearly Review, as well as additional subjects such as the partial elections for graduates. The meetings concluded with a question-and-answer session.

The Staff Association would like to thank all members of the personnel who attended these meetings. For those who were unable to participate, the slides and video recordings are available at the following links:

• I

Discover how the CERN & Society Foundation brings the benefits of CERN's knowledge, discoveries and culture to society. Meet this year's Non-Member State Summer Students, learn about the Foundation's end-of-year fundraising campaign, and see how even a small contribution can open doors for the next generation.

Through stories, images and videos, the exhibition shows the many ways the Foundation supports education, science, culture and public engagement, and how CERN colleagues and visitors can get involved.

A special focus is on the Non-Member State Summer Student Programme. This year's

In the articles in ECHO No. 480 and No. 481, we explored the internal justice reform launched in 2020, focusing on the process itself. In this article, we look at the final outcome: how it works in practice.

Disagreement with an administrative decision

If you disagree with an administrative decision, you may submit a request for review within 60 calendar days of the decision (90 calendar days for former members of the personnel), by referring the matter in writing to the Head of the Human Resources Department, who must reply within 60 calendar days. If no reply is received, or if the reply