How the JAB works If an active or former staff member feels that an administrative decision has been made that has violated his or her terms of appointment, that staff member may write a letter to the Secretary-General seeking review of that decision. If the Secretary-General does not reply within the allotted time limit or if the reply is unfavourable, the staff member may then submit an appeal to the JAB. If an administrative decision has been communicated to a staff member but has not yet been implemented, and he or she believes that its implementation would result in irreparable injury to his or her rights, that staff member may request a suspension of action on the decision which, if successful, will delay its implementation until the staff member can properly file an appeal or, if an appeal has already been filed, the Secretary-General makes a decision on the JABís recommendation. The JAB Panel Three staff members constitute a panel for any given case. One is a chairperson, who is appointed by the Secretary-General from a list agreed upon by both staff and management bodies, another is appointed by the Secretary-General and the third is elected by the staff. The opinion of each panel member is given equal weight. The JAB Panel Secretary A panel secretary, who is a JAB staff member with extensive legal and/or administrative knowledge and experience, sits with the panel members to assist them in legal and technical matters and to help keep things on track, but does not participate in the recommendation-making process, which is the sole domain of the panel. The JAB maintains an active list of panel members and calls on them in such a way as to maximize rotation. The JAB Report to the Secretary-General A panel will meet with the panel secretary at least once for each appeal. When the panel has agreed upon its recommendation, whether by unanimous or majority agreement, the panel secretary will write a report, summarizing each party's arguments, the panel's deliberations and how the panel reached its recommendation. After each panel member reviews and signs the report, the panel secretary will forward it to the Secretary-General, where the final decision will be made. Updated 4 November 2003.