UNDT/2024/062, Applicant
The decision to separate the Applicant from service was lawful. The Administration lawfully undertook the process of separation for abandonment of post under staff rule 9.6(b). The Tribunal found that given the context of the Applicant¡¯s prolonged unauthorized absences from work, together with her inaction and failure to respond to the Administration¡¯s various communications to her, including the request to provide the requisite proof that her absence was involuntary and was caused by forces beyond her control by 9 May 2023, the Administration reasonably determined that the Applicant did not...
UNDT/2024/061, Rotheroe
Each of the three allegations were serious on their own. The compound nature of the allegations left no possibility for any other punishment than separation. The Organization¡¯s zero-tolerance policy also entails severe punishments for those who engage in harassment (see, for instance, the Appeals Tribunal in Conteh 2021-UNAT-1171, para. 41).
The record indicated that the decision-maker weighed all factors, both mitigating and aggravating, before arriving at the contested decision. Since there was sufficient evidence that all factors were given due consideration, but that the aggravating...
UNDT/2024/059, Soum
Receivability
The Respondent challenged the receivability of the application. However, the Tribunal found it receivable as it considered that the Applicant challenged the decision not to initiate an investigation into her complaint of potential prohibited conduct, and not the outcome of the management evaluation as argued by the Respondent.
Merits
The Tribunal recalled that it is not mandated to conduct a fresh investigation in the matter, nor to draw its own conclusions of the evidence. Instead, it is tasked with identifying whether the preliminary assessment was conducted properly based on the...
UNDT/2024/060, Terrine
The Tribunal DECIDES to dismiss the application in its entirety.
UNDT/2024/058, Swaidan
- Appealed
The Tribunal DECIDES to deny the application in its entirety.
UNDT/2024/056, Hunt
The Tribunal found that:
(a) The Applicant did not satisfy the criteria which would support his claim to whistleblower protection.
(b) The facts of the contested decision were properly establised. Since the Complainant had the relevant qualifications and experience, the Applicant¡¯s attacks on her were neither well founded, nor did they constitute a fair response or comment in the circumstances. The concerns were defamatory of her professionalism and integrity. Accordingly, the Applicant made disparaging remarks about the Complainant in front of other UNJSPF staff. In addition, the Applicant...
UNDT/2024/055, Bangambila
In the case at hand there is clearly a lack of mens rea. The Respondent failed to provide any evidence to substantiate the contention that the Applicant unlawfully made any misrepresentation or had any intent to defraud or deceive when submitting her request. She did not knowingly misrepresent or submit falsified documents. She submitted a birth certificate containing the names and occupation of both parents. She did not lie while filling her Questionnaire on Dependency Status (Form P84) as she wrote that she was single, and logically and truthfully answered ¡°N/A¡± when asked after ¡°is your...
UNDT/2024/057, Kiingi
the Tribunal rules in favour of the Applicant, concluding that she acted in good faith in her efforts to secure her son¡¯s medical treatment and in the subsequent submission of medical invoices for reimbursement.
The Tribunal finds that the contested decision terminating the Applicant¡¯s employment, was, therefore, unlawful.
A witness investigator's act of following the testimony of a Respondent witness while she was testifying contravened the ethical and procedural standards expected of a witness by decision to disregard this fundamental procedural rule not only demonstrates a potential bias but...
UNDT/2024/054, Raschdorf
For an application to be considered receivable by the Tribunal, it is essential that the Applicant distinctly identifies the specific administrative decision being contested. This requirement is stipulated under art. 2.1 of the Tribunal¡¯s Statute, which outlines the parameters within which the Tribunal exercises its jurisdiction. The clarity in pinpointing the contested decision ensures that there is a concrete basis for the Tribunal to examine the claims and assess any alleged violations of employment terms.
Under the circumstances, the Tribunal finds that it is hamstrung by the lack of...
UNDT/2024/053, Caldin, Langelaar
The Tribunal found no merit in the application. In particular, the Tribunal found no grounds for the Applicants¡¯ claim that the contested decisions were unlawful or that they were subject to gender discrimination. The Tribunal found that neither Applicant qualified for sec. 6.3(a)(i) parental leave by operation of sec. 1.2 of ST/AI/2023/2, which set a cutoff date of 1 January 2023, nor did they qualify for the 10 weeks special leave under the transitional measures since they did not give birth and were not on maternity leave on 1 January 2023. The Tribunal found that since the Applicants did...