Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT Held or Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT Pronouncements
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT preliminarily held that the Appellant had not identified any exceptional circumstances justifying the need to file observations in reply to the Secretary-General¡¯s answer. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that the observations would not be taken into consideration. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT had correctly observed that it was not able to substitute itself for the Administration or to declare that the Appellant should have been promoted to the P-5 level. Regarding the Appellant¡¯s contention about the quantum of compensation, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT was in the best position to decide on the level of compensation given its appreciation of the case. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT was correct in determining the measure of compensation under Article 10. 5(a) of its statute and that the amount set was reasonable. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT dismissed the appeal and affirmed the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT judgment.
Decision Contested or Judgment/Order Appealed
The Applicant contested the decision not to promote him to the P-5 level. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT found that the Appointments, Posting and Promotions Board¡¯s (APPB) consideration of gender parity was not in accordance with the Procedural Guidelines or the Methodological Approach. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT found that the APPB did not follow the order established under the rules for the application of criteria when listing staff to be recommended for promotion. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT concluded that the irregularity vitiated the entire promotion process and the decision to deny the Applicant a promotion. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT ordered the rescission of the decision not to promote the Applicant to the P-5 level. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT also set an amount of compensation, 8,000 Swiss Francs plus interest, that the Secretary-General might elect to pay as an alternative to rescission.
Legal Principle(s)
Compensation must be set by Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT following a principled approach and on a case-by-case basis. In cases such as this, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT should be guided by two elements. The first element is the nature of the irregularity that led to the rescission of the contested administrative decision. The second element is the chance that the staff member would have been recommended for promotion had the correct procedure been followed.