Judgment 1525
81st Session, 1996
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
"The breach of due process [that tainted the decision not to renew the complainant's appointment] caused him moral injury that warrants redress. But he has sufficient redress in the award of full pay from the date of his departure without having had to provide any services in return [the Tribunal cites the case law]".
Keywords:
case law; compensation; date; decision; moral injury; non-renewal of contract; procedural flaw; reinstatement; salary;
Consideration 4
Extract:
The Director-General took a premature decision not to renew the complainant's appointment. The Tribunal holds that "for want of a valid decision to terminate his appointment, the contract between the complainant and the organization is still in force and he is entitled to payment of salary and allowances as from the purported date of termination. UNESCO must also decide whether to reinstate him. In view of his seniority his appointment would not have been bound to end if due process had been observed. In deciding whether or not to renew his contract the organization must comply with any procedural and substantive rules that are material."
Keywords:
advisory body; advisory opinion; consequence; contract; extension of contract; flaw; non-renewal of contract; procedural flaw; reinstatement;
Judgment 1518
81st Session, 1996
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Considerations 11-12
Extract:
The President's decision on the complainant's internal appeal was made on the strength of internal correspondence that the complainant had never seen and that the Appeals Committee had never considered. "That constituted a gross breach of due process." Because of the breach of Article 113(1) of the Staff Regulations on the procedure before the Appeals Committee the President's decision must be set aside.
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: ARTICLE 113(1) OF EPO'S SERVICE REGULATIONS
Keywords:
breach; case sent back to organisation; consequence; decision; decision quashed; flaw; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedural flaw; procedure before the tribunal; right to reply; staff regulations and rules;
Judgment 1488
80th Session, 1996
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 10
Extract:
"Article 38(3) [...] seeks to ensure that the proposal shall go through a formal process in which the staff have a right to be consulted through the General Advisory Committee. Indeed it makes for good relations between staff and administration not just to empower but to require that body, set up under the Service Regulations to represent both sides, to give 'a reasoned opinion'. It does not matter that management may have consulted the staff on the subject in other ways. What was lacking in this case was what Article 38(3) required: the formal consultation of the General Advisory Committee and the submission of its reasoned opinion before the decision was made."
Reference(s)
Organization rules reference: ARTICLE 38(3) OF THE EPO SERVICE REGULATIONS
Keywords:
advisory body; consultation; due process; organisation's duties; procedural flaw; staff regulations and rules;
Judgment 1477
80th Session, 1996
International Training Centre of the International Labour Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 12
Extract:
"As to the complainant's claim to token damages for moral injury this judgment affords a remedy for any such injury."
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 1359
Keywords:
compensation; competition; competition cancelled; flaw; judgment of the tribunal; moral injury; procedural flaw;
Consideration 10
Extract:
"When [a selection] process proves flawed the Tribunal will quash any decisions it engendered and order resumption with due heed to the rules, albeit on the understanding that the organisation must shield the successful candidate from any injury that else may flow from the quashing of an appointment accepted in good faith."
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 1359
Keywords:
appointment; competition; competition cancelled; flaw; injury; procedural flaw; staff member's interest;
Consideration 10
Extract:
"As the Tribunal held in Judgment 1359 [...], an organisation must be careful to abide by the rules on selection and appointment. When the process proves flawed the Tribunal will quash any decisions it engendered and order resumption with due heed to the rules".
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 1359
Keywords:
appointment; case law; competition; competition cancelled; consequence; due process; flaw; procedural flaw; subsidiary;
Consideration 7
Extract:
"It is plain from the whole process of selection that though the Committee did endorse the panel's report it had neither looked at the individual applications nor seen any of the candidates but had left all that to the panel. Though it is not unthinkable for a selection committee to set up a panel of people whom it believes to be better fitted to assess the technical qualifications of candidates, especially external ones, it may not delegate altogether its authority under the Staff Regulations. It must exercise its own authority and not delegate unless the rules say it may."
Keywords:
advisory body; competition; condition; delegated authority; flaw; impartiality; procedural flaw; selection board; staff regulations and rules;
Consideration 9
Extract:
"By letting [a special selection] panel draw up a short list and endorsing its conclusions without even seeing the candidates on that list or looking at their records the [Selection] Committee failed to observe its terms of reference under the Staff Regulations. [...] The process of selection was therefore unlawful".
Keywords:
competition; competition cancelled; due process; flaw; procedural flaw; selection board; staff regulations and rules;
Judgment 1471
80th Session, 1996
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 9
Extract:
"The Tribunal holds that the process of appeal has [...] been set at nought because neither board of appeal had at its disposal the information necessary for consideration of the case. The proper procedure is to return the case to the Regional Board so that it may resume proceedings with the Selection Committee's full records at its disposal."
Keywords:
flaw; internal appeal; internal appeals body; procedural flaw;
Judgment 1434
79th Session, 1995
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 9
Extract:
The organization denied the Appeals Board access to information and documents that were given to the Selection Board. The Tribunal holds that the complainant "was denied due process in the internal appeal proceedings, and for that he was entitled to redress. the organization did not offer him any. The Tribunal will therefore award him 3,000 United States dollars in moral damages".
Keywords:
compensation; confidential evidence; flaw; internal appeal; internal appeals body; moral injury; procedural flaw; selection board;
Judgment 1398
78th Session, 1995
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 7
Extract:
If the complainant succeeded in proving flaws in the procedure adopted by the Appeals Committee "they would indeed have been fatal and the EPO would, contrary to what it says, be liable."
Keywords:
effect; flaw; internal appeals body; liability; organisation; organisation's duties; procedural flaw;
Judgment 1386
78th Session, 1995
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 21
Extract:
"The administration is [...] at fault for not giving the complainant sufficient warning that there had been criticism of him and the success of his probation was in jeopardy. The organisation contends that he did get several oral warnings. Yet, contrary to the requirements of due administrative process, the file contains no evidence of such warnings, or their date or substance. The Tribunal is therefore unable to assess their scope."
Keywords:
due process; duty to inform; probationary period; procedural flaw; qualifications; termination of employment; warning;
Judgment 1384
78th Session, 1995
World Health Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 18
Extract:
The complainant was accused of stealing computer equipment but no formal proof of this was ever given. The organization decided not to renew his fixed-term appointment on grounds of theft. The Tribunal holds that the complainant "must be put in the same position as if his contract had never terminated and be reinstated as from the date of termination up to the date of this judgment. Since his performance was good he should be granted any within-grade salary increases he would ordinarily have been entitled to. Although any indemnities or earnings from employment after termination may be deducted from the amounts due, he is entitled to the payment of interest on all arrears of pay at the rate of 8 per cent a year from the dates at which each component sum fell due. [...] He is to be granted an appointment for a period of two years starting at the date of delivery of this judgment."
Keywords:
compensation; contract; date; fixed-term; increment; interest on damages; non-renewal of contract; procedural flaw; professional injury; reckoning; reconstruction of career; reinstatement;
Consideration 15
Extract:
The complainant was accused of removing computer equipment from the work place. For that reason the organization did not renew his fixed-term contract. "There were many flaws in the procedure that the organization followed. It did not allow the complainant to be present when statements were taken from the witnesses or to question them. [...] Not only was he denied access to their statements but even their identity was concealed from him. [...] No verbatim record of the statements by the witnesses was ever produced." He never got to see the results of the investigation carried out into the matter and he was not given an opportunity to put forward any arguments in his favour. "The conclusion is that he was denied his right to defend himself before an adverse decision was taken [...]. The complainant's right of defence was seriously prejudiced."
Keywords:
conduct; contract; due process; fixed-term; flaw; inquiry; investigation; misconduct; non-renewal of contract; procedural flaw; right to reply;
Judgment 1359
77th Session, 1994
European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 7
Extract:
"The complainant qualified under the wording of the notice and was entitled as a eurocontrol official to have his application considered and assessed by a process that complied with the rules. [...] It was not, and the breach of his rightful interest affords grounds for this complaint."
Keywords:
candidate; cause of action; competition; internal candidate; procedural flaw; procedure before the tribunal; receivability of the complaint; staff member's interest; staff regulations and rules; vacancy notice;
Judgment 1351
77th Session, 1994
International Labour Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 11
Extract:
"The Organisation's failure to have the appraisal of the complainant's performance [...] available when it decided not to renew his contract was a procedural flaw which had the effect of excluding an essential fact from consideration."
Keywords:
administrative delay; contract; disregard of essential fact; material damages; non-renewal of contract; performance report; procedural flaw; work appraisal;
Judgment 1350
77th Session, 1994
United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 10
Extract:
"A decision as important as termination before expiry of a fixed-term appointment on other than disciplinary grounds must scrupulously observe due process and the safeguards that an appointment with an international organisation affords, whether under the contract or under the rules. In this case the procedure was flawed and the safeguards were not observed. The impugned decision to terminate the complainant's appointment therefore cannot stand, and UNESCO must pay him damages in an amount equivalent to the pay he would have been entitled to had his appointment expired" on the date it was due to run out.
Keywords:
contract; due process; fixed-term; procedural flaw; safeguard; staff regulations and rules; termination of employment;
Judgment 1324
76th Session, 1994
European Patent Organisation
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 5
Extract:
See Judgment 525, consideration 4.
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 525
Keywords:
abuse of power; amendment to the rules; decision-maker; discretion; disregard of essential fact; exception; executive head; formal flaw; home; home leave; judicial review; mistake of fact; mistaken conclusion; misuse of authority; procedural flaw;
Judgment 1317
76th Session, 1994
International Telecommunication Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 24
Extract:
Several recent rulings [...] sharply define the ambit of such review in line with the case law affirmed from the outset: see Judgments 956 [...] under 2 and 3; 1262 [...] under 4; and 1273 [...] under 8.
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 956, 1262, 1273
Keywords:
abuse of power; case law; contract; decision; discretion; due process; duty to substantiate decision; fixed-term; flaw; formal flaw; judicial review; mistake of fact; misuse of authority; non-renewal of contract; notice; organisation's interest; procedural flaw; right to reply;
Judgment 1292
75th Session, 1993
Universal Postal Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 6
Extract:
"When the Director-General asks the Swiss government to confer diplomatic status, he is exercising his discretion. [...] So the Tribunal will not interfere with his decision unless he has committed some procedural or formal error or a mistake of law or of fact, or applied some wrong principle, or drawn illogical conclusions from the evidence before him."
Keywords:
discretion; executive head; flaw; judicial review; mistake of fact; mistaken conclusion; privileges and immunities; procedural flaw; status of complainant;
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;
Judgment 1281
75th Session, 1993
International Telecommunication Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 2
Extract:
"According to the case law the grading of posts is a matter within the discretion of the executive head of an international organisation. So the Tribunal will not interfere with the decision impugned in this case unless it was taken without authority or shows some procedural or formal flaw or a mistake of fact or of law, or overlooks some material fact, or is an abuse of authority, or draws a clearly mistaken conclusion from the facts. Moreover, the Tribunal will not substitute its own assessment of the facts for the Secretary-General's."
Keywords:
abuse of power; case law; competence; decision-maker; discretion; disregard of essential fact; executive head; flaw; formal flaw; judicial review; limits; mistake of fact; mistaken conclusion; misuse of authority; post classification; procedural flaw;
Judgment 1262
75th Session, 1993
European Southern Observatory
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
"The case law has made it consistently plain that a decision not to renew a fixed-term appointment, being discretionary, may be set aside only if it was taken without authority, or in breach of a rule of form or of procedure, or was based on a mistake of fact or of law, or if some essential fact was overlooked, or if clearly mistaken conclusions were drawn from the facts, or if there was abuse of authority. Moreover, when the reason given for non-renewal is unsatisfactory performance, the Tribunal will not replace the organisation's assessment of the complainant's fitness for his duties with its own."
Keywords:
abuse of power; case law; contract; decision; discretion; disregard of essential fact; fixed-term; flaw; formal flaw; grounds; judicial review; mistake of fact; mistaken conclusion; misuse of authority; non-renewal of contract; procedural flaw; qualifications; unsatisfactory service;
Judgment 1246
74th Session, 1993
International Labour Organization
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Considerations 14-15
Extract:
"The purpose of Article 6.7.3 of the Staff Regulations is that the lapse of time between first and second reports should be long enough - the period prescribed is nine months - to give the probationer a proper opportunity of showing his mettle before the second report has to be made. The period of less than three months that the complainant was allowed was far too short to allow of any substantial improvement. [...] The procedural flaw caused the complainant injury."
Keywords:
cause of action; date; delay; due process; flaw; performance report; probationary period; procedural flaw; qualifications; staff regulations and rules;
Consideration 15
Extract:
"The procedural flaw caused the complainant injury. As to the relief she is entitled to on that account, the Tribunal holds that it is not advisable to grant her the redress that would ordinarily be the consequence of quashing the impugned decision, namely reinstatement. The Tribunal therefore exercises the discretion vested in it by Article VIII of its Statute and instead awards the complainant damages for the breach of procedure. It sets the amount at the equivalent of one year's salary and allowances."
Reference(s)
ILOAT reference: ARTICLE VIII OF THE STATUTE
Keywords:
allowance; compensation; decision; due process; flaw; iloat statute; material damages; procedural flaw; reinstatement; right; salary; tribunal;
Consideration 3
Extract:
"As the Tribunal has held on several occasions, for example in Judgment 1183, a decision by the Director-General not to confirm the appointment of a probationer 'is a discretionary one. Its power of review being limited, the Tribunal will set the decision aside only if it finds a mistake of fact or of law, or a formal or procedural flaw, or a clearly mistaken conclusion on the evidence, or neglect of an essential fact or abuse of authority.'"
Reference(s)
ILOAT Judgment(s): 1183
Keywords:
abuse of power; case law; decision; discretion; disregard of essential fact; extension of contract; flaw; formal flaw; judicial review; mistake of fact; mistaken conclusion; misuse of authority; probationary period; procedural flaw; refusal;
Judgment 1228
74th Session, 1993
Universal Postal Union
Extracts: EN,
FR
Full Judgment Text: EN,
FR
Consideration 4
Extract:
The complainant's case was the subject of disciplinary proceedings. The resulting report, which contained certain adverse comments on him along with a recommendation from the Disciplinary Committee, was referred to the Joint Appeals Committee but not shown to the complainant. "The report having been put to the Appeals Committee, it had the duty to communicate its contents to the complainant and so to afford him the opportunity of challenging it or commenting on it. The Appeals Committee's failure to observe that elementary rule of due process is an essential procedural flaw and constitutes a breach of the complainant's right of defence."
Keywords:
disciplinary procedure; due process; internal appeals body; procedural flaw; right to reply;
