UNOG

According to former staff regulations 9.1 and 9.3, the decision to offer an agreed termination is within the discretion of the Secretary-General. In accordance with the “note on agreed termination”, a guideline used by Administration to ensure equal treatment, the applicant was not in a situation in which the Organization may have considered that an agreed termination was in the interest of the good administration. In fact, his health problems were not grave enough to prevent the proper exercise of his functions in accordance with the recommendations of the Medical Joint Service. Neither did...

Since the applicant did not comply with the time limits prescribed in former staff rule 111.2 (a), the Tribunal examined whether there were any exceptional circumstances within the meaning of former staff rule 111.2 (f) which prevented her from submitting a request for review in time.The Tribunal applied the definition of exceptional circumstances adopted by the former UNAT and upheld by the UNDT in a number of judgments, i.e. circumstances beyond the control of the applicant. Outcome: The application was rejected as time-barred.

In declaring the Applicant’s appeal time-barred on the issue of the reclassification of her post, the Secretary-General wrongfully considered that the Administration’s failure to take action on the Applicant’s appeal of a classification decision was an implicit decision of refusal that she should have contested within the time limits set forth in former staff rule 111.2 (a). ST/AI/1998/9 sets out special procedures for contesting a post classification or reclassification. In particular, it provides for the referral of the appeal to a Classification Appeals Committee. When an appeal is referred...

The Tribunal awarded: (a) two years’ net base salary at the P-5 level and step which she had at the date of the non-extension of her appointment on 31 March 2010, plus the applicable post adjustment and the value of any quantifiable monetary entitlements and benefits to which she would have been entitled, plus the amount corresponding to the contributions that the Organization would have made to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund and to a sum which represents the difference between what she would have paid in medical insurance at the United Nations and the medical insurance she...

The Tribunal rejected the application, as the Applicant had failed to observe the (then) statutory two-month time limit to request administrative review. It considered that the Administration’s response of 3 June 2009 was sufficiently clear to amount to an administrative decision open to appeal. Subsequent denials by the Administration were only confirmative decisions. Moreover, the Tribunal may not waive the time limits for management evaluation and the entry into force of new Staff Rules on 1 July 2009 did not modify these limits. Confirmative decisions: When a staff member has submitted...

Scope of judicial review: It is the selection panel’s role to assess the language skills of candidates. In this respect, it is not for the Tribunal to substitute its own assessment for that of the selection panel, except where the panel made a manifest error of assessment.Notification and legality of administrative decisions: Irregularities affecting the notification of an administrative decision have no effect on the legality of that decision since such legality must be assessed as at the date on which the decision was made and not based on later circumstances, such as the notification...

The Applicant requested the Tribunal to find that he suffered a prejudice equivalent to a 60% permanent loss of ENT functions and a 10% permanent loss of respiratory functions and to compensate him accordingly. He further requested the Tribunal to award him two years’ net base salary as compensation for the prejudice suffered as a result of the Organization’s failure to ensure the security and safety of its staff in Bagdad. The Tribunal found that the latter request was not receivable as it did not stem from a refusal decision by the Secretary-General, a decision which, in any event, should...

The Tribunal finds that the selection process was not flawed. Judicial review: In reviewing selection decisions, it is not for the Tribunal to substitute its own assessment for that of the selection panel, except where errors of fact or manifest errors in the assessment of the facts have been committed.Outcome: Application rejected on the merits

The Tribunal finds that the selection process was flawed but that the Applicant has not established a causal link between the irregularity and the harm he claims to have suffered. Assessing the legality of the contested decision: When the Administration decides to use a specific procedure, it is bound to fully comply with this procedure. Thus, if the Administration had determined that applications for a vacant position would be assessed by a panel of five members, all five panel members should have actually participated in the assessment, and the failure to comply with the procedure resulted...

The Tribunal ruled that the Applicant, as a 15-day candidate, had been given priority consideration, in compliance with section 7.1 of ST/AI/2006/3. It concluded that the Applicant had been considered first than 30-day candidates and found unsuitable for the post before any meaningful consideration of 30-day candidates took place. Priority consideration as per section 7.1 of ST/AI/2006/3: This provision, as consistently interpreted by the Dispute and the Appeals Tribunals, requires that 15-day and 30-day candidates be considered separately; 15-day candidates must be considered first and, if...