Andorra Approves Updated Public Worker Classification Rules After Union Demands

The Ministry of Public Function has approved an updated regulation on workplace classification and review in Andorra's public administration, incorporating several union demands to improve transparency and worker access to evaluation details.

Minister Marc Rossell announced the changes on Monday, describing them as minor, consensus-based enhancements rather than a reversal. He emphasised that the core classification process remains unchanged, while the updates provide tools for a more modern administration and greater legal security. Key additions include formalising access to the classification methodology and individual scores—previously available on the employee portal—directly in the regulation. Workers will now receive breakdowns of scores for each component of their job evaluation, rather than just the total.

The new rules also introduce generic job descriptions to group similar roles across departments, such as lawyers, psychologists, administrative technicians, or specialists in the same field. This allows a single selection process or job pool to cover equivalent positions in different areas, streamlining hiring without separate procedures for each role.

The modifications address months of disputes, including SIPAAG's signature campaign demanding public disclosure of scoring criteria and thresholds. Earlier this year, in March, Rossell had defended a prior version as compliant despite court rulings requiring procedural repeats in three cases from 2023. Unions like SIPAAG and SEP had criticised the original draft as lacking transparency and fairness, threatening legal action in the Batllia.

Rossell stated that unions have expressed satisfaction with the revisions and see no need to continue judicial challenges. He noted that interviews with current jobholders will now be mandatory before final decisions, and workers can access their personal scores.

The ministry anticipates these steps will enhance hiring agility and prevent broader disruptions from court scrutiny.