UNDT/2019/007, German
The ST/AI stipulates a condition attached to the entitlement of the payment of the balance of the relocation grant, namely that the payment of the balance of the relocation grant shall be made only when an extension of the assignment occurs at least six months prior to the expected end of the assignment at the duty station. The extension having occurred approximately three months before the end of the assignment, UNDT held that the Applicant is not entitled to the balance. The fact that the Applicant submits that nobody advised him of this condition in January 2018, six months prior to the extension of his assignment, does not alter the outcome. UNDT held it is well established that it is a staff member’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is aware of the provisions of the rules and regulations governing her employment and ignorance of the law is no excuse.
Tha Applicant contests the decision of the United Nations Verification Mission in Columbia to pay him USD1,500, instead of USD18,000, as relocation grant for his temporary assignment with the Mission.
It is a staff member’s responsibility to ensure that he or she is aware of the provisions of the rules and regulations governing her employment. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. UNDT did not consider that the relevant rules and regulations caused the Applicant disproportionate harm or prejudice to the extent that the enforcement of the Regulations is unreasonable, unconscionable or oppressive because strict enforcement will be contrary to proper and fair policy.