It results from ST/AI/2002/3 that the administration is entitled not to renew the FTA of a staff member whose performance was rated “does not meet performance expectations”, on the mere grounds of the staff member’s bad performance. It further results from ST/AI/2002/3 that in case the staff member’s performance was rated “partially meets performance expectations”, the administration is obliged to apply measures which allow the staff member to improve his/her performance, before it can decide on the non-renewal of the staff member’s FTA on the basis of bad performance. In the present case, the...
Appointment (type)
ST/AI/292, dated 15 July 1982, provides measures in relation to the filing of adverse materials in personnel records, which measures were supposed to be interim in nature. In the context of the current framework of norms, ST/AI/292 alone does not provide adequate “rebuttal” procedures for short-term staff. The creation of two classes of short-term staff which potentially occurs via ST/AI/2002/3, based on management discretion is not fair; where the provisions of ST/AI/2002/3 are applied to some short-term staff and not others, this violates the doctrine of equal treatment in like circumstances...
Since the applicant, in a timely manner, addressed his requests to competent officials within the former system of internal justice and followed the advice received from them, it was beyond his control that he did not file his request for administrative review within the time limits; therefore, exceptional circumstances are given. In view of the provision of the letter of appointment quoted above, no termination was possible without keeping a thirty days notice period. The decision to terminate the appointment with immediate effect is in noncompliance with the applicant’s terms of appointment...
There was sufficient material before the Secretary-General, after a fair and impartial investigation, to reach a finding of serious misconduct. The sanction of summary dismissal was fair and proportionate to the seriousness of the offences. The applications are dismissed.
According to the Organization’s broad discretion to reassign its employees to different functions, provided that the new position is in line with the grade, qualifications and professional experience, the Applicant could have been redeployed in principle. As legally required prior consultations with staff representatives were not held and - in addition - the agency showed lack of good faith by informing the Applicant only by ‘all staff e-mail’, procedural flaws vitiated the contested decision. Regardless of its significance, non-compliance with legal provisions specified in art. 2.1 UNDT...
Outcome: The application was dismissed in its entirety.
Scope of the case. The Applicant’s claims of harassment, sexual harassment and abuse of authority presented to the JAB were not independent claims in and of themselves, but merely constituted support for the Applicant’s contention that her due process rights had been violated in the context of the non-renewal and non-extension. Considering the posture of the case presented to the JAB and on review by the Dispute Tribunal, the Tribunal is without authority to re-examine the investigation into the Applicant’s sexual harassment charges. Exceptional case. With respect to the determination whether...
No expectancy of renewal. Fixed-term contracts, such as the Applicant’s in the present case, do not carry an expectancy of renewal, but a decision not to renew a contract may not be tainted by ulterior motives or extraneous considerations and reasons must be properly be supported by facts. Exception. While exceptions to the staff rules may be made, an exception would not be justified in the Applicant’s case, because the Post that the Applicant’s appointment was budgeted against had been filled by another staff member on a regular contract. Accordingly, with the Post no longer being vacant, the...
The Tribunal held that the presence of bad faith in some of the Respondent’s actions concerning the Applicant stood out in bold relief. There was no doubt that the bad blood between the Applicant and her immediate supervisor created a ripple effect and alienated her from the Chief of ICTS. The testimony on why and how the recruitment process for VA 421846 had to be overhauled clearly reflected a blatant manipulation of the selection process set out in ST/AI/2006/3; a subversion and clear breach of United Nations Staff Rules. The Applicant did not make out a case with regard to her allegations...
Likelihood of being offered a new contract: The Applicant did not just lose a chance of being considered for a new position; rather, it was only reasonable to assume that the Applicant would have been offered a new contract, had UNICEF properly complied with its own rules. Length of a new contract: Had UNICEF fulfilled its obligations, the Applicant would have been offered a new contract as a two-year fixed-term appointment. Possible renewal: It could not be assumed that, had the Applicant been offered a new contract, then this contract would automatically have been renewed indefinitely—the...