Aside from recognizing experience in the same job, MSF also values time worked ´in the field´ in the organization. The “Loyalty bonus”, as it is called in the pay system, rewards (any) experience ‘in the field’ with MSF, i.e. experience working in MSF relief operations in ‘mission’ countries. All ‘field experience’ is included to reflect that MSF values direct involvement in projects/operations and the knowledge of our field operations which comes from being involved in them first-hand.

It applies to all international staff and is counted irrespective of the position occupied. It measures the time spent in the field as international and national field staff with MSF. For every 12 months of this MSF field experience, the international staff receive 2% of the entry point salary of their current salary level (the salary level of the function they occupy at the moment of loyalty payment).

This bonus is capped at 10 years of experience to be in line with MSF’s national staff policy, therefore setting at 20% the maximum loyalty bonus.

NOTE: Combining loyalty with salary bands, this means that within the same salary level, there can be up to 40% difference in pay (20% of loyalty and 20% between entry and upper salaries) between a person with less than 12 months field experience with the organization and less than 2 years’ experience in his/her position (combining internal and external experience) and someone who has worked internationally for MSF for 10 years or more and has 4 years or more experience in his/her position.