Judgment 1814
86th Session, 1999
European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Considerations 7-8
Extract:
The Joint Committee for disputes dealt with the "complaint" by correspondence. The Tribunal considers that the texts provide "that the Committee shall meet', and it meets only if all the full members, or in their absence the alternate members, are present'. On that score alone there was breach of due process and the impugned decision cannot stand."
Keywords:
condition; due process; internal appeal; internal appeals body; interpretation; procedural flaw; report;
Judgment 1763
85th Session, 1998
International Atomic Energy Agency
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 19
Extract:
The complainant is accused of having cheated the Organisation by falsifying airline tickets intended for official travel. "[T]he Appeals Board asked for and received a legal opinion from the Director of the Legal Division during the appeal. This [...] was a violation of due process because that Director had been a member of the Disciplinary Board, whose recommendation was under appeal. The Agency admits that the Director signed a legal opinion that had been prepared at the request of the Appeals Board. That opinion should not have been given by the Director and should have been rejected by the Appeals Board; the Director simply should not have been involved, in substance or in form, with the Appeals Board's recommendation. A member of the body appealed from may not give legal advice to the body which hears the appeal."
Keywords:
advisory body; advisory opinion; bias; composition of the internal appeals body; disciplinary procedure; equity; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedural flaw; report;
Consideration 13
Extract:
"[W]ith respect to the complainant's submission that the Disciplinary Board's report is not valid because it is not dated, signed or otherwise authenticated, the 'report' is actually a summary record of the Board's meetings. There is no evidence whatsoever to indicate that the record is not an accurate summary of the Board's views, and it was clearly adopted by the Board, as well as the [Organisation], as representing them. The substance of the summary record clearly indicates the conclusion of the Board. There is thus no irregularity in the form of the report."
Keywords:
claim; disciplinary procedure; formal flaw; formal requirements; report;
Judgment 1700
84th Session, 1998
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 27
Extract:
Discretion to determine whether there are exceptional circumstances to warrant waver of the time limits for internal appeal is vested in the Joint Appeals Board. "It is the Board's decision which is relevant, and the question does not arise of substituting the Tribunal's opinion for the Board's. Only if there is some fatal flaw in the Board's decision may the Tribunal intervene."
Keywords:
decision; exception; flaw; internal appeal; internal appeals body; judicial review; limits; report; time limit;
Judgment 1513
81st Session, 1996
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 6
Extract:
"As a general rule a complainant may not be entitled to consult any records that may have been made of discussions by a selection committee: members of such committees would not feel free to discuss candidates independently in future if they felt at risk of having there own views divulged: see Judgment 556."
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 556
Keywords:
case law; competition; confidential evidence; disclosure of evidence; report; request by a party; selection board;
Consideration 7
Extract:
The privilege that protects the Selection Committee's actual deliberations "must cover also interviews held in preparation for its meeting."
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 556
Keywords:
competition; confidential evidence; disclosure of evidence; report; selection board;
Judgment 1404
78th Session, 1995
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 9
Extract:
In view of the exceptional circumstances in the country where the Appeals Board was to meet - political upheaval and riots - "the delay in the Board's handling of [the] appeal was not wholly due to any shortcomings of its own and in any event did not warrant direct referral to the Headquarters Board."
Keywords:
delay; exception; internal appeals body; report;
Judgment 1370
77th Session, 1994
International Telecommunication Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 14
Extract:
"Judgment 1317 [...] brought out the need for a properly functioning internal appeal procedure, of which the Appeal Board is an essential part. In this case the Board took far too long to report and failed to perform its function properly. Although in the circumstances the shortcomings of the appeal procedure may not be deemed to constitute bad faith, the ITU was negligent and caused the complainant injury. On that account it must afford him redress."
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 1317
Keywords:
case law; compensation; delay; flaw; good faith; injury; internal appeal; internal appeals body; moral injury; negligence; organisation's duties; procedure before the tribunal; report; staff member's interest;
Judgment 1363
77th Session, 1994
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 22
Extract:
"Even if disciplinary proceedings have begun there can be no 'act adversely affecting' an employee within the meaning of Article 107 [of the Service Regulations] until the proceedings are over and there is a final decision by the competent authority. So the complainant's internal appeals were premature insofar as he lodged them before the President had taken his decision [...] on the Disciplinary Committee's report."
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: ARTICLE 107 OF THE EPO SERVICE REGULATIONS
Keywords:
absence of final decision; advisory body; cause of action; disciplinary procedure; executive head; internal appeal; procedure before the tribunal; receivability of the complaint; report; staff regulations and rules;
Judgment 1352
77th Session, 1994
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 11
Extract:
"The complainant chose not to make comments on [his probationary] report and in any case, instead of being dismissed, was given another two-and-a-half months in which he might have shown his mettle. The Tribunal concludes that in the circumstances he suffered no actual injury".
Keywords:
extension of contract; lack of injury; probation report; probationary period; report; termination of employment;
Judgment 1350
77th Session, 1994
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 3
Extract:
The complainant may not seek "the quashing of what he calls the 'decision' of the appeals board: according to the Staff Regulations the Board merely gives an opinion that is not binding on the Director-General".
Keywords:
advisory body; application for quashing; decision; decision quashed; internal appeals body; receivability of the complaint; report;
Judgment 1344
77th Session, 1994
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 15
Extract:
The complainant learned that reports bearing his signature had been changed without his knowledge. The EPO gives "pressure of time" as a reason for not consulting him. "Whatever the truth of the matter may be, even if the EPO was short of time it was not justified in changing his reports, in not even discussing the changes with him afterwards nor giving him an opportunity to comment on any amendments, and in publishing them under his name."
Keywords:
amendment to the rules; injury; organisation's duties; report; right to reply; staff member's interest;
Judgment 1284
75th Session, 1993
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
"Precedent has it [...] that the Tribunal may not replace the Board's assessment of medical questions with its own. But it goes further than that: the Tribunal does have full competence to say whether there was due process and whether the medical findings show any material mistake or inconsistency, or overlook some essential fact, or plainly misread the evidence."
Keywords:
case law; discretion; disregard of essential fact; flaw; judicial review; limits; medical board; medical opinion; mistaken conclusion; procedural flaw; procedure before the tribunal; report;
Consideration 6
Extract:
"The complainant's main claim - that his condition be declared attributable to the performance of official duties - fails because the Tribunal may not substitute its own assessment of the case for the Medical Board's."
Keywords:
discretion; illness; judicial review; medical board; report; service-incurred;
Judgment 1227
74th Session, 1993
United Nations Industrial Development Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 3
Extract:
The complainant is challenging a report submitted by the Joint Appeals Board. "The report [...] plainly does not constitute a final decision within the meaning of the UNIDO Staff Regulations and Staff Rules. The complaint is therefore irreceivable under Article VII(1) of the Tribunal's Statute."
Reference(s)
ILOAT reference: ARTICLE VII(1) OF THE STATUTE
Keywords:
absence of final decision; complaint; iloat statute; internal appeals body; internal remedies exhausted; receivability of the complaint; report;
Judgment 1221
74th Session, 1993
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 5
Extract:
The complainant seeks the quashing of an unfavourable assessment of her performance. "The assessment of her shows neither any mistake nor abuse of authority. [...] Since she has shown no significant mistake in [her generally negative] assessment and since the Tribunal exercises only a limited power of review over administrative decisions of that kind, her claims under this head must fail."
Keywords:
abuse of power; judicial review; mistake of fact; misuse of authority; performance report; rating; report;
Judgment 1208
74th Session, 1993
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 2
Extract:
The complainant objected to the content of her performance appraisal and requested so-called conciliation proceedings under Section 331 of Annex E to the FAO Manual. The Tribunal holds that "the process of conciliation was not properly followed: if it had been, allegations of unsatisfactory conduct would have been distinguished from allegations of unsatisfactory service. That is a distinction that the Tribunal drew in an earlier case against the FAO [...]: see Judgment 247, under 12 and 13."
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: SECTION 331, ANNEX E, FAO MANUAL
ILOAT Judgment(s): 247
Keywords:
conduct; due process; performance report; procedure before the tribunal; report; staff regulations and rules; unsatisfactory service; work appraisal;
Judgment 1190
73rd Session, 1992
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Summary
Extract:
Under WHO Staff Rule 1230.4 an official who has appealed to the Appeals Board is entitled to challenge two of its members. One of the complainants exercised that right but had his challenge rejected. There was therefore a serious flaw in the internal appeal procedure. The material issue is whether the Director-General was entitled to treat the Board's report as being in line with the material rules. The report itself discloses that the rights of one of the complainants had been ignored. The Tribunal holds that "the Director-General has a duty to enforce the rules. He knew of the breach and should have rejected the report insofar as it concerned [the complainant] who objected to it as not being in accordance with those rules: he was not entitled to proceed as if no breach had occurred."
Reference(s)
ILOAT reference: ARTICLE VIII OF THE STATUTE
Organization rules reference: WHO STAFF RULE 1230.4
Keywords:
composition of the internal appeals body; due process; flaw; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedure before the tribunal; recommendation; recusal; report; staff regulations and rules;
Judgment 1188
73rd Session, 1992
Universal Postal Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 5
Extract:
After the Director-General imposed a disciplinary sanction on the complainant he lodged an internal appeal. Rule 110.4.3 of the Staff Rules says that "the deliberations and reports of the Disciplinary Committee and its recommendations to the Director- General shall be confidential". The material issue is "whether the full text of the Disciplinary Committee's report, and not just the text of its recommendation, was disclosed to the Joint Appeals Committee. If it was, the Union should have let the complainant too have a copy and, failing that, there was a procedural flaw in that there was breach of his right of defence."
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: UPU STAFF RULE 110.4.3
Keywords:
confidential evidence; disciplinary measure; disciplinary procedure; disclosure of evidence; further submissions; interlocutory order; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedural flaw; procedure before the tribunal; recommendation; report; right to reply; staff regulations and rules;
Consideration 7
Extract:
"An item that formed part of the internal appeal proceedings should be at the Tribunal's disposal since it cannot otherwise appraise the background to the impugned decision and determine whether it shows any flaw. Further submissions are therefore required to complete the case records."
Keywords:
decision; disclosure of evidence; flaw; further submissions; interlocutory order; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedure before the tribunal; recommendation; report;
Judgment 1177
73rd Session, 1992
Universal Postal Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
"When the Director-General's decision is not based on the results of an examination marked by an independent body, he has a wide degree of discretion in making an appointment and granting promotion. Though he is not bound by any recommendation from an advisory body, his authority does not make referral to such a body pointless. A selection body relieves him of the burden of carrying out an assessment himself. It ensures that all applications for appointment or promotion, whatever their source, shall be examined impartially and on the merits. And its report enables the Tribunal to appraise the background to the impugned decision and determine whether it shows any flaw."
Keywords:
advisory body; appointment; competition; discretion; further submissions; impartiality; interlocutory order; judicial review; promotion; promotion board; recommendation; report;
Judgment 1127
71st Session, 1991
European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 14
Extract:
"There is no requirement in the Rules that [the report of an advisory body] should be communicated to the official before the Director General takes his decision. In any event the complainant has had the opportunity of addressing the contents of the report in her pleadings to the Tribunal."
Keywords:
advisory body; advisory opinion; disclosure of evidence; lack of injury; report; right to reply; tribunal;
Judgment 1116
71st Session, 1991
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
The complainant submits that the decision not to renew his appointment was tainted with breach of his right of defence since he failed to get a copy of a report concerning him by the Joint Disciplinary Committee. The Tribunal observes that such reports are confidential under Rule 110.2(e). "Besides, the report is immaterial, even in the present context, because the Committee recommended no disciplinary action and the stated reasons for termination were financial stringency and abolition of post."
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: UNESCO STAFF RULE 110.2(E)
Keywords:
abolition of post; advisory body; budgetary reasons; confidential evidence; contract; disclosure of evidence; fixed-term; lack of injury; non-renewal of contract; report; right to reply;
Judgment 1104
71st Session, 1991
European Organization for Nuclear Research
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 3
Extract:
"The Tribunal is not competent under its Statute to rule on the lawfulness of a report or recommendation by an advisory body."
Keywords:
advisory body; competence of tribunal; internal appeals body; recommendation; report;
