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OSLA is an integral part of the Secretariat of the United Nations and that its decisions are taken under the umbrella of the Secretary-General. OSLA¡¯s decisions may be challenged to the extent that they are strictly administrative decisions and are not related to the giving of advice to litigants or the conduct of cases before the ±¬ÁÏÍøDT. It must be noted however that the scope and jurisdiction of the Tribunal is not limited to the author of the decision but most importantly to its nature. In order to establish that the administrative decision impacts on the contract of employment or terms of...

Allegations of domestic violence and conflicts over child custody, maintenance or paternity are properly matters for a criminal court and family court to entertain. The Organization has no business using its administrative procedures to involve itself in a personal dispute when other appropriate legal channels were available to the parties to sort out their rights and responsibilities. The unilateral extension of the Applicant¡¯s temporary assignment to Addis Ababa beyond the agreed one month amounted to bias, abuse of authority and a breach of the Applicant¡¯s due process rights.The Applicant...

The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found that the Applicant failed to provide any explanation to the Tribunal as to the reasons for filing the present application 25 calendar days after the email of 28 October 2011 and nine working days before the examination. The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found that the urgency in the present matter was created by the Applicant, who did not act timeously in filing the present application with sufficient urgency.

The Applicant filed an application, ostensibly under art. 12.2 of its Statute (regarding corrections), in relation to Di Giacomo ±¬ÁÏÍøDT/2011/168, by which the ±¬ÁÏÍøDT dismissed his case as falling outside its jurisdiction. With regard to the present application, the ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found that the Applicant, in fact, sought revision of Di Giacomo under art. 12.1 of the Statute, as well as correction under art. 12.2 of the Statute. The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found that it had no jurisdiction to consider the present application as Di Giacomo was under appeal before the ±¬ÁÏÍøAT, which was therefore seized of the matter.

The Tribunal awarded: (a) two years¡¯ net base salary at the P-5 level and step which she had at the date of the non-extension of her appointment on 31 March 2010, plus the applicable post adjustment and the value of any quantifiable monetary entitlements and benefits to which she would have been entitled, plus the amount corresponding to the contributions that the Organization would have made to the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund and to a sum which represents the difference between what she would have paid in medical insurance at the United Nations and the medical insurance she...

Execution of ±¬ÁÏÍøAdT judgments: The ±¬ÁÏÍøAdT had, and by virtue of the transfer of cases to it, the ±¬ÁÏÍøDT has, power to order execution of judgments of the former ±¬ÁÏÍøAdT just as it has power to deal with applications for execution under its own Statute and Rules. Time limit for applying for execution of judgment: no time limit is set out in the rules and no party should be without a remedy where execution of judgments is in issue. In this case the Applicant had done all he could to bring the matter to early resolution, it was not his fault that his earlier requests had been ignored. Damages for non...

Abolished posts: The onus is on the Respondent to show that the Organization acted correctly towards the Applicant as a permanent appointee on an abolished post and to demonstrate what good faith steps it took, in accordance with its legal and policy obligations, to assist her with finding alternative employment.Manifest abuse of process: A withdrawal of an admission of liability upon which the parties have relied may result in a finding of manifest abuse of process warranting award of costs.Outcome: Relied ordered: (i) 9 months¡¯ net base salary (breach of rights and loss of chance of...

The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT identified several deviations in the performance evaluation procedures, but found that some of them resulted from the Applicant¡¯s actions. The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found that no harm warranting compensation was caused to the Applicant, including to her career, by the identified deviations in the performance evaluation process as the Applicant separated from service for medical reasons. The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT further found that the decision to reassign the Applicant within the same department was lawful. The application was rejected.

Consultations: ¡°Consultation with the appropriate staff representative bodies¡± does not mean that for an administrative instruction to enter into force, it must necessarily meet the agreement of the staff representatives.Acquired right: An acquired right is breached only when an amendment adversely affects the balance of contractual obligations by altering fundamental or essential terms of employment.Irreparable damage: Mere financial loss is not enough to satisfy the test of irreparable damage. Harm to professional reputation and career prospects, or harm to health, or sudden loss of...

The ±¬ÁÏÍøDT found the requirement of prima facie unlawfulness to be satisfied on two issues¡ª(i) whether the implementation of the contested decision would have the prejudicial effect of unilaterally altering the Applicant¡¯s contract by introducing a new provision that is detrimental to her acquired rights; and (ii) whether the short notice given to the Applicant of the imposition of the 31-day period of ineligibility for re-appointment was in violation of the principles of due process, good faith and fair dealing, and the Organization¡¯s obligation to regularly inform its employees concerning the...