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When attempting to establish a pattern of retaliation with regard to past decisions, the question is one of the relevance of those decisions, not receivability. Whether or not the SGB on retaliation was in force at the time an act or decision took place, the act or decision can still be considered retaliatory and constitute serious misconduct. The burden on the respondent of proving “by clear and convincing evidence” in respect of decisions made before the provision came into effect that “it would have taken the same action absent the protected activity” (ST/SGB/2005/21) applies to decisions...

Case 1. Mere knowledge of or acquaintance with one or more candidates by an interview panel member does not disqualify her or him from being on the panel. It would be otherwise if there were a personal relationship (such as family or friendship) with or personal antipathy for a candidate. The practical apprehension that objective and independent assessment will be adversely affected, quite apart from any issue of fairness, is improper. Where a panel member has another interest that could significantly affect his or her assessment, this should also require exclusion from the panel. In this case...

In view of the evidence available and the Applicant’s refusal to disclose evidence that could exonerate her and that she alone could have produced, the Tribunal considered that the facts on which the disciplinary measure was based had been established. Section 20 of the Convention of the privileges and immunities of the United Nations provides that privileges such as VAT exemption are granted to staff members in the interests of the United Nations and not for the personal benefit of the individuals themselves. Section 21 further provides that the United Nations shall cooperate at all times...

Assignment grant: Rule 107.20 clearly envisages a situation in which a newly recruited staff member from an area “within commuting distance of the duty station” would be entitled to an assignment grant where he had been “settled” in the duty station perhaps by a former employer who due to the new recruitment would no longer take responsibility for such things as his accommodation. He would be given the assignment grant to “resettle” himself, as it were. By the same token, a newly recruited staff member who had previously worked for the Organisation for a period of time as a consultant and most...

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...

Outcome: Applicant awarded: (1) six months’ net base salary in effect at the time of the selection process mentioned herein, as non-pecuniary compensation for the substantial and unwarranted irregularities in the selection process; and (2) three months’ net base pay in effect at the time of the selection process for the stress experienced by the Applicant that was causally related to the Applicant’s loss of chance/loss of opportunity.

Reason for non-renewal of fixed-term appointment: The Organization enjoys broad discretion regarding restructuring measures, including the abolishment of posts. Non-renewal following the expiration of a fixed-term appointment can be based on the lawful abolition of a post due to reorganization activities.

The purported termination conveyed in the letter from the ED of UNOPS dated 11 May 2010 is accordingly rescinded. The Tribunal finds that the Applicant had not misused his UNLP and UN ID when he showed it to the person with whom he had entered into a business transaction. Ultra Vires: The Secretary-General or his agents in the instant case blatantly acted outside the scope of his or their authority in carrying a disciplinary process beyond the expiry date of the staff member’s contract. The decision to separate the Applicant in May 2010 was manifestly ultra vires and therefore unlawful. Debt...

The Applicant requested management evaluation as a result of the Registry of the Tribunal informing her that the absence of a request for management evaluation rendered her application incomplete. UNOPS reviewed and responded to her request and rejected it on the merits. UNOPS also added that her claim for permanent appointment was out of time. This case has to be distinguished from Simmons UNDT/2013/15 where the Tribunal found that the Management Evaluation Unit accepted the request for management evaluation after a written request to and response from the Applicant as to the existence of...

The UNDT found that the Applicant appealed against several decisions, namely the decision to transfer her from UNOPS to WHO and back to UNOPS, the decision to deny her return rights to UNOPS, and her separation from UNOPS upon the end of her SLWOP. The UNDT found that the application was time-barred with respect to all those decisions.