Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT Held or Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT Pronouncements
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT considered the appeal by the Secretary-General. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that despite acknowledging that under Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT¡¯s jurisprudence, a rebuttal panel is not a technical body, Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT declined to follow its jurisprudence. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT had erred by waiving the management evaluation as a receivability requirement. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT held that Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT exceeded its jurisdiction, and made an error of law when it received an application, which was not receivable ratione materiae. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT upheld the appeal was upheld and vacated the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT judgment in its entirety.
Decision Contested or Judgment/Order Appealed
The Applicant challenged his performance evaluation for the period of 1 April through 31 December 2011. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT found that, despite the Applicant¡¯s failure to seek management evaluation, the application was receivable. Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT rescinded the Applicant¡¯s performance appraisal and ordered that its judgment be placed in his Official Status File.
Legal Principle(s)
Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµDT does not have authority to disregard the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT¡¯s jurisprudence, which is stare decisis and must be followed. Under Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµAT¡¯s jurisprudence, a rebuttal panel is not a technical body. It is the staff member¡¯s responsibility to ensure that he or she is aware of the applicable procedure in the context of the administration of justice at the United Nations. Ignorance cannot be invoked as an excuse.