2024-UNAT-1511, Naima ABDELLAOUI
The Appeals Tribunal found that the UNDT correctly held that it was within the SRO's discretion to make comments on Ms. Abdellaoui’s performance, that the SRO's disputed comments were reasonable and balanced by other comments that provided a positive perspective supporting the overall rating, and that as such they did not detract from the overall satisfactory appraisal. Accordingly, the Appeals Tribunal concurred with the UNDT’s determination that the challenged performance evaluation was not an “administrative decision” and agreed that the application was therefore not receivable ratione...
2024-UNAT-1508, Adolphe Irambona
The UNAT noted that the Administration had initiated a preliminary investigation into the staff member’s conduct with regard to the ostensible theft of cash from the office safe, reached agreements with him regarding repayment, and then sought initiation of criminal proceedings by filing a criminal complaint and delivering him to the local police. The UNAT found that because the underlying facts of the case involved his conduct as a United Nations staff member towards his employer, the UNDT should have been competent to review his application on the merits, had it been timely filed.
The UNAT...
2024-UNAT-1507, Mahmoud Ahmad Ali
The UNAT held that the UNRWA DT rightly identified that the standard of proof for placing the staff member on ALWOP was whether there was reasonable suspicion or reasonable grounds to believe that the staff member had committed the alleged misconduct.
The UNAT rejected the staff member’s argument that his ex-wife’s withdrawal of the complaint against him in a national court should have stopped all investigations against him. The UNAT noted that the national court had provided the case records to the Agency, and the Agency, following its complete assessment of the situation, can proceed with...
2024-UNAT-1506, Amjad Al-Thaher
The UNAT upheld the UNRWA DT’s determination of the former staff member’s chances of selection for the position at one-fourth on alternative grounds. The UNAT held that the UNRWA DT appropriately considered the possibility that the Agency could have introduced additional candidates on an equivalency basis during a second review after the shortlisting phase. In particular, the UNRWA DT held that, since the sufficient number of candidates for a competitive exercise was normally between three to five candidates per vacancy, it was reasonable to expect that the Agency would have brought more...
2024-UNAT-1497, Leonid Dolgopolov
The UNAT found that the decision not to select the staff member for TJO 161651 was lawful. It held that since the staff member did not challenge the cancellation of TJO 14924, under which the Administration initially advertised the position of Administrative Officer, that cancellation decision was not part of the contested decision under review. In any event, the UNAT determined that the Administration had the discretion to cancel TJO 149241 and re-advertise the position under TJO 161651 after the selected candidate withdrew her candidature. It was under no obligation to invite the second...
2024-UNAT-1498-Corr.1, Houria Kembouche
The UNAT held that the UNDT did not err in finding that the former staff member’s change of title following a reclassification did not amount to an abolition or discontinuance of her post, rendering her termination of appointment unlawful.
The UNAT also determined that the UNDT did not err in awarding the former staff member compensation in lieu of two years’ net base salary. In this regard, the UNAT emphasized that the UNDT correctly considered the fact that the former staff member’s permanent appointment included a specific undertaking stating that she could only be terminated due to an...
2024-UNAT-1501, Kamran Ali Khan
The UNAT rejected the new evidence submitted for the first time on appeal, which sought to justify the late filing of the case by attributing it to the appellant’s attorney’s personal circumstances.
The UNAT was of the opinion that staff members must generally adhere to the specified time limits. However, in this case, the UNAT found that the UNDT had erred in fact and law in dismissing Mr. Khan’s application as not receivable ratione temporis. It concluded that Mr. Khan’s exceptional circumstances—including severe flooding disrupting internet service and affecting his ability to access e...
2024-UNAT-1503, Amjad Issa
The UNAT held that the UNRWA DT had appropriately concluded that Mr. Issa failed to submit a timely Request for Decision Review regarding the first of three months’ non-payment of his salary. However, the UNAT held that, since each non-payment constitutes a separate administrative decision, Mr. Issa's Request for Decision Review regarding the second- and third-months’ non-payment was timely, rendering his application partially receivable.
The UNAT further concluded however, that since Mr. Issa disregarded a directive circulated before his annual leave (when he was able to check his e-mail)...
2024-UNAT-1492, Alain Bertrand Kamdem Souop
Le TANU a estimé que le Tribunal n'avait pas commis d'erreur en concluant que la demande de l'agent n'était pas recevable parce qu'il n'avait pas demandé l'évaluation de la décision contestée par l'encadrement dans le délai légal de 60 jours. Le TANU a déterminé que, puisque l'agent avait été informé les 27 et 28 avril 2022 du rejet de sa demande d'évaluation médicale, il disposait d'un délai de 60 jours à compter de cette date pour introduire sa demande d'évaluation par l'encadrement. Cependant, il n'a soumis sa demande au Groupe du contrôle hiérarchique que le 3 novembre 2022, puis au...
2024-UNAT-1492, Alain Bertrand Kamdem Souop
The UNAT held that the UNDT did not err in finding that the staff member’s application was not receivable because he failed to request management evaluation of the contested decision within the 60-day statutory time limit. The UNAT determined that, since the staff member was notified on 27 and 28 April 2022 of the rejection of his request for medical evaluation, he had 60 days from that date to submit his request for management evaluation. However, he only submitted his request to the Management Evaluation Unit on 3 November 2022, and later to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) on...
2024-UNAT-1491, Djekosse Miantoloum
Le TANU a estimé que le TNDU n'avait pas commis d'erreur en concluant que la mesure disciplinaire imposée était légale.
Le TANU a rejeté l'argument de l'ancien membre du personnel selon lequel la décision de Médecins sans frontières (MSF) lui interdisant de collaborer avec l'association à l'avenir ne pouvait être qualifiée de mesure disciplinaire, puisqu'elle lui avait été communiquée alors qu'il n'était plus employé par l'association. Le TANU a estimé que cet argument n'était pas recevable, car il avait déjà été présenté devant le TNDU.
En tout état de cause, le TANU a déterminé que la...
2024-UNAT-1491, Djekosse Miantoloum
The UNAT held that the UNDT did not err in finding that the disciplinary measure imposed was lawful.
The UNAT rejected the former staff member’s argument that the decision of Doctors Without Borders (DWB) prohibiting him from collaborating with the association in the future, could not be characterized as a disciplinary measure, since it was communicated to him after he was no longer employed by the association. The UNAT held that this argument was not admissible, as it had already been presented before the UNDT.
In any event, the UNAT determined that the decision from DWB constituted a...
2024-UNAT-1441, AAR
Le Tribunal a conclu que le Tribunal n'avait pas commis d'erreur en estimant que l'administration avait établi que l'AAR avait divulgué illégalement des informations confidentielles et qu'il avait illégalement omis de signaler un conflit d'intérêts et de se récuser.
Le Tribunal d'appel a également estimé que la mesure administrative imposée à AAR était proportionnée à sa faute et que le Tribunal n'avait pas commis d'erreur en accordant des dommages moraux pour le préjudice subi par AAR en raison du retard excessif dans l'achèvement de la procédure disciplinaire.
Le Tribunal d'appel a donc...
2024-UNAT-1441, AAR
The Appeals Tribunal concluded that the UNDT did not err in finding that the Administration had established that AAR had unlawfully disclosed confidential information and had unlawfully failed to disclose a conflict of interest and recuse himself.
The Appeals Tribunal was also satisfied that the administrative measure imposed on AAR was proportionate to his misconduct, and that the UNDT did not commit any error in awarding moral damages for the harm AAR incurred due to the undue delay in completing the disciplinary process.
The Appeals Tribunal therefore dismissed the appeals.
2024-UNAT-1439-Corr.1, Egor Ovcharenko
Le Tribunal d'appel a estimé que l'ajustement proportionnel des normes de charge de travail pour les services d'autorévision était une question qui relevait directement du pouvoir discrétionnaire de l'Administration. Le Tribunal d'appel s'est assuré que l'Administration avait suivi toutes les procédures appropriées lors de l'adoption et de la mise en œuvre de la décision contestée, et le Tribunal a déterminé à juste titre qu'il n'était pas nécessaire de procéder à des consultations avec la direction du personnel au niveau du département ou du bureau en ce qui concerne une décision...
2024-UNAT-1439-Corr.1, Egor Ovcharenko
The Appeals Tribunal found that the proportional adjustment of workload standards for self-revision services was a matter that fell squarely within the Administration’s discretionary authority. The Appeals Tribunal was satisfied that the Administration followed all proper procedures when taking and implementing the contested decision, and the UNDT properly determined that there was no requirement for staff management consultations at the departmental or office level in relation to a specific appealable administrative decision.
The Appeals Tribunal dismissed the appeal and affirmed Judgment...
2024-UNAT-1459, Curt Hampstead
Le Tribunal d'appel a estimé que M. Hampstead n'avait pas établi que l'UNDT avait commis des erreurs au sens de l'article 2, paragraphe 1, du Statut du Tribunal d'appel.
Le Tribunal a pris note à juste titre des lacunes documentées en matière de performance sur trois cycles de performance, ainsi que du fait que la performance de M. Hampstead ne s'est pas améliorée malgré les mesures correctives mises en place, telles que deux PIP, l'ajustement des délais de production, et le retour d'information continu, les discussions sur la performance et la formation que M. Hampstead a reçue au fil des...
2024-UNAT-1459, Curt Hampstead
The Appeals Tribunal found that Mr. Hampstead had not established that the UNDT made any errors under Article 2(1) of the Appeals Tribunal Statute.
The UNDT correctly took note of the documented performance shortcomings over three performance cycles as well as the fact that Mr. Hampstead’s performance did not improve despite the remedial measures put in place, such as two PIPs, the adjustment of output timelines, and continuous feedback, performance discussions and training that Mr. Hampstead had received over the years.The UNDT also correctly held that the Administration had followed...
2024-UNAT-1458, Islam Said
Le Tribunal d'appel a estimé, en ce qui concerne la première demande, que Mme Said n'avait produit aucune preuve de préjudice, et encore moins de préjudice causé par une illégalité, et que la demande de dommages-intérêts était donc rejetée.
En ce qui concerne la deuxième demande, le Tribunal d'appel a constaté que l'enquête avait été clôturée sans qu'aucune mesure n'ait été prise et qu'aucun élément défavorable résultant de cette enquête n'avait été versé au dossier administratif de Mme Said. En l'absence de décision administrative susceptible de recours, le Tribunal d'appel a estimé que le...
2024-UNAT-1458, Islam Said
The Appeals Tribunal found, in relation to the first application, that Ms. Said has produced no evidence of harm, much less of harm caused by an illegality, and therefore the request for damages was denied.
As to the second application, the Appeals Tribunal found that the investigation had been closed with no action taken, and no adverse material from that investigation had been placed in Ms. Said’s Official Status File. In the absence of an appealable administrative deciison, the Appeals Tribunal was satisfied that the UNRWA DT was correct in finding that the second application was not...