Pecuniary (material) damages

As regards promotions, considering the discretionary nature of these decisions, the Tribunal’s role is only to review the legality of the procedure followed and to examine whether there have been any errors of fact in the assessment of the staff member’s career. Under the principle that similar acts require similar rules, the decision that modifies the original provision governing the promotion procedure in UNHCR must be taken through the same procedure followed to adopt the original provision. While the Tribunal can only examine the legality of a decision which has been subject of a request...

As regards promotions, considering the discretionary nature of these decisions, the Tribunal’s role is only to review the legality of the procedure followed and to examine whether there have been any errors of fact in the assessment of the staff member’s career. Under the principle that similar acts require similar rules, the decision that modifies the original provision governing the promotion procedure in UNHCR must be taken through the same procedure followed to adopt the original provision. The lack of transparency alleged by the applicant is a general argument which, to be retained, must...

A decision which has not been the subject of a request for a management evaluation cannot be contested before the Tribunal. As regards promotions, considering the discretionary nature of these decisions, the Tribunal’s role is only to review the legality of the procedure followed and to examine whether there have been any errors of fact in the assessment of the staff member’s career. Under the principle that similar acts require similar rules, the decision that modifies the original provision governing the promotion procedure in UNHCR must be taken through the same procedure followed to adopt...

While the Respondent submits that the recognized heads of damage are: actual pecuniary loss; damages for procedural error and moral damages, the Tribunal does not consider this list to be exhaustive. The Tribunal cannot conclude that if proper procedures had been followed, the Applicant would have been selected for the subject post. Nonetheless, it considers that the Applicant’s prospect for selection was very high due to the fact that he was the only candidate deemed suitable for the post by the Advisory Selection Panel. Thus, the contested decision impacts substantially on the Applicant’s...

The tendered reports of the Joint Inspection Unit (JIU) regarding home leave were admissible in the case, not only as reports of the opinions of the JIU but also as evidence of the facts stated in them, including as to the practices of the UN. Because of the lack of any reference to a technical definition, the only viable approach was to give the term “full economy class” as ample a meaning as the phrase could reasonably bear and identify those fares which it logically and reasonably denotes. The IATA code was used as an identifier by UNDP and UNOPS, but the lump-sum received by the applicant...

A judgment in which it is decided that the summary dismissal of the Applicant was wrongful calls for a rescission of the said sanction. The Applicant had a reasonable expectation that he would remain in service beyond the date of his wrongful summary dismissal. The Tribunal refuses the request that the Applicant ought to be compensated on a P5 scale and agrees with the Respondent’s argument that such an award would be merely speculative. A summary dismissal is the most severe sanction that the Respondent may impose on a staff member for serious misconduct. Judicial notice is taken of the fact...

In this case the initial inquiry was inadequate and affected by bias. Outcome: Applicant awarded USD20,000 for breach of contractual right. Parties directed to make submissions as to whether ST/AI/371 is still operative or has been implicitly appealed by ST/SGB/2009/7. Further hearing to decide as to whether USG’s conduct should be referred to the SG for possible action to enforce accountability pursuant to art 10.8 of the UNDT Statute.

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...

The Tribunal examined whether the compensation granted to her by the Respondent was adequate to provide reparation for the damage she suffered as a result of the irregularities committed. The Tribunal found that none of her allegations was proven. It considered that the Applicant did not suffer any material damage as a result of the contested decision and that the compensation already given to her was sufficient to repair any moral damage. Selection procedure: It is for the Administration to determine the suitability of each candidate and the Tribunal should not substitute its judgment to that...

Receivability: Only the appeal of the compensation amount was receivable—the Respondent had already conceded to the selection processes being flawed, the Applicant’s return to her liened post was not an administrative decision in itself, and the Applicant had defined a fourth decision too vaguely to give it any meaning. Compliance with orders: Lacking a response from Counsel for the Applicant to a written order, the Tribunal determined that, due to his failure to comply with the order, by default the Tribunal would deem that the Applicant had agreed with the Respondent’s contentions regarding...