The Tribunal deemed that it was established that in October 2013, the Applicant, a staff member of UNHCR in Turkey, had travelled to Syria in her capacity as a member of a delegation of the Women International Democratic Federation, responding to an invitation received from the Syrian Arab Republic General Women Union. During that visit, she attended a meeting with the President of Syria during which she handed him a flag with the words “Do not yield” in Turkish. A picture of that encounter was taken and published in a Turkish online newspaper. The Tribunal considered that in view of the clear...

She was charged with having “1. Engaged in the unlawful use of government-issued customs passbooks … of two international staff members to purchase duty-free items; 2. Failed to transfer the ownership of, and pay the government tax for, a duty-free car [she] purchased from an international staff member, and [having driven it] with diplomatic license plates for at least three years; 3. Falsified the signature of … the former Deputy Representative, UNHCR Office, Bangladesh, on a Bill of Sale on UNHCR letterhead dated 6 June 2010; and 4. Acted improperly when, on six occasions, [she] purchased...

Request for reconsideration of an administrative decision - According to the applicable rules and consistent with the principle of expeditiousness in administrative proceedings, a request for reconsideration of the decision by the first instance administrative organ does not have a suspensive effect on the deadlines for management evaluation.

The Tribunal found that, although the decision to appoint a new panel emanated indeed from the Administration, it did not amount to an appealable administrative decision because it was merely preparatory in nature. Consequently, the Tribunal did not have jurisdiction to review it. Discretionary and not discretionary decisions: The well-established definition of administrative decision does not even mention—let alone require—any given degree of discretion among the elements characterising it. Administrative decisions may be discretionary or not discretionary, and this does not affect their...

Interpretation of art. 10.4 of the Statute of the Dispute Tribunal - The question arises whether the Tribunal should seek and obtain the concurrence of the Secretary-General before correcting a procedural error in the decision making process of the ABCC or the Secretary-General himself. The Tribunal in the circumstances of the present case is not prepared to allow its power of judicial review to be circumscribed by art. 10.4. It is not deemed that the concurrence of the Secretary-General is necessary to take the appropriate remedial measure if this is found to be necessary. The Secretary...

Abolition of post: The Tribunal concluded that the Administration was not fair, just, or transparent in its dealings with the Applicant over the discontinuation of his position. The procedure adopted for the discontinuance of the Applicant’s position was not in accordance with the relevant rules, regulation and procedures. The Administration failed to comply with the Guidelines concerning the timing of the written notification of the proposal to the Applicant, discussions with the manger and submission of the proposal to the Budget Committee. The failure to immediately notify him of the...

The UNDT found the application irreceivable in respect of one position due to the Applicant’s failure to file a request for management evaluation within the applicable time limit. With respect to the remaining three posts, the Tribunal found that the decision not to select the Applicant for the position of Chief of Section (Procurement of Services) was unlawful, and that the other two selection decisions were not. Consequently, the Tribunal rescinded the decision not to select the Applicant for the position of Chief of Section (Procurement of Services), set the amount of alternative...

UNDT held that the separation of female and male candidates for their comparative assessment and ranking at the Second Round constituted a fundamental error in the implementation of the Promotions Policy, and could not be justified by the High Commissioner’s decision to award an equal number of promotions to female and male staff members which was, in any event, announced towards the end of said Round. UNDT held that the exclusion of the e-PADs from the Panel members’ comparative assessment of the candidates during the Second Round constituted another fundamental procedural error in the...

UNDT held that the separation of female and male candidates for their comparative assessment and ranking at the Second Round constituted a fundamental error in the implementation of the Promotions Policy, and could not be justified by the High Commissioner’s decision to award an equal number of promotions to female and male staff members which was, in any event, announced towards the end of said Round. UNDT held that the exclusion of the e-PADs from the Panel members’ comparative assessment of the candidates during the Second Round constituted another fundamental procedural error in the...

The UNDT found that the contested decision was unlawful on the grounds that 1) the Organization committed several procedural errors in the implementation of the UNHCR Policy and Procedures for the Promotion of International Professional Staff Members (UNHCR/HCP/2014/2) (“Promotions Policy”), some of which resulted in a failure to take into account relevant information or to take into account irrelevant considerations; and 2) the Organization failed to minimally show that the Applicant’s candidacy for promotion received fair and full consideration. Standard of review: In the context of a...