2023-UNAT-1368, Wassim Saleh
The UNAT held that there was no reason why the Appeals Tribunal should intervene and modify the UNDT¡¯s findings, which were both reasonable and equitable. The UNAT noted that while the hiring of the casual workers was not part of Mr. Saleh¡¯s official duties, Mr. Saleh coordinated and supervised the work of the UNHCR implementing partner which was responsible for hiring at the warehouse, and Mr. Saleh also had the function of overseeing the warehousing operations. Given these responsibilities, as well as his previous intense involvement in the setting up and management of the warehouse, which...
UNDT/2023/083, JSV and J-PSV
The Tribunal held that the Applicants had produced no evidence to support the premise that heterosexual couples would be awarded more days of leave than same-sex couples. The Tribunal, therefore, concluded that the claim of unequal treatment had not been proven by the Applicants. Accordingly, the application was denied.
2023-UNAT-1371, Enrico Muratore Aprosio
The UNAT denied the Appellant¡¯s request for an oral hearing. It found that it would add nothing to his case presented in writing to hear from him in person and that an oral hearing would not assist in the expeditious and fair disposition of the case.
The UNAT held that much of the submissions advanced by the Appellant did amount to a resubmission of the case put to the UNDT but which it did not accept.
The UNAT found that the WSSCC structure was closed down on 31 December 2020 at the instigation of its donors and replaced by another organisation (the Sanitation and Hygiene Fund). It...
2023-UNAT-1370, AAC
After requesting additional findings of fact from the UNDT, the UNAT reconsidered an appeal by the staff member following the prior remand.
The UNAT found that the UNDT¡¯s judgment had failed to make a single mention of the nature, content or purpose of the testimony adduced under oath before it but was based entirely on hearsay evidence drawn exclusively from the investigation report and other documents. The UNAT found problematic the fact that the UNDT made no pronouncement as to why it exclusively relied on hearsay evidence and gave no reason why the evidence was not given by the person...
2023-UNAT-1365, Polycarp Ambe-Niba
The UNAT considered an appeal by the participant in the Fund.
The UNAT found that the facts suggest that the participant¡¯s withdrawal settlement funds were paid into a bank account which had not been opened by him. At the same time, there were unanswered questions as to how the participant had bank statements and cancelled cheques from this account if he had not opened it. In addition, given the mismatch between the participant¡¯s name and the name of the holder of the bank account, there was no explanation as to why the wire transfer had been allowed to proceed and had not been rejected.
The...
2023-UNAT-1364, Mustapha Guenfoudi
The UNAT concluded that as a long-serving member of the Secretariat, Mr. Guenfoudi was aware of the required standards of performance for his function as a Verbatim Translator. The UNAT also held that he had been given a fair opportunity to address his performance shortcomings, but he refused to participate in the two performance improvement plans. The UNAT found that the Organization¡¯s legal framework was clear that termination was a foreseeable action following two consecutive years of substandard performance ratings. The UNAT also found that Mr. Guenfoudi¡¯s allegations that his...
UNDT/2023/082, Munywoki
The Tribunal, based on the evidence on the record, established that there was clear and convincing evidence that the Applicant was involved in the fraudulent scheme and in the attempt to interfere with the investigation into that scheme by inducing a witness to lie to investigators.
Regarding misconduct, the Tribunal concluded that it was clear that the established facts qualified as serious misconduct.
On the due process prong, the Tribunal concluded that the Applicant¡¯s due process rights were respected during the investigation and disciplinary process.
On whether the sanction was...
2023-UNAT-1367, Mihai Nastase
The UNAT considered an appeal by the staff member.
The UNAT found that the staff member had merely made unsubstantiated general claims about having the requisite skills and experience for his post to be retained.
The UNAT was of the view that, as the UNDT had correctly held, the staff member had failed to discharge the evidentiary burden to rebut the presumption of regularity that arose from the minimal showing of a rational basis for the decision.
The UNAT found that the record confirmed that there was a genuine restructuring that led to the retrenchment of 29 staff members.
The record...
2023-UNAT-1366, AAN
The UNAT considered an appeal by the staff member.
The UNAT found that because of a combination of the staff member¡¯s failure to recall the events in question and of the UNDT¡¯s decision (concurred in by the parties) not to hold an in-person hearing, the UNDT had appropriately referred to the investigation report.
The UNAT was of the view that the UNDT had correctly determined the staff member¡¯s acts were sexual in nature. The staff member had, without invitation, encouragement or consent, embraced two different women in a sexual manner at a party at a staff retreat. The UNAT held that the...
UNDT/2023/038, Abdulrasool
The Tribunal, based on the evidence on the record established that the invoice and the medical report that the Applicant submitted to Cigna were not authentic. The Tribunal held that this was enough to substantiate the accusation that the Applicant used false documents to receive improper and undue economic benefits from Cigna. The Tribunal further concluded that no evidence was offered of the effectiveness of the medical treatment. The Tribunal, therefore, concluded that there was clear and convincing evidence that the Applicant engaged in misconduct through his submission of a fraudulent...