Mandatory Vaccinations A key question arising out of the COVID-19 pandemic is whether international organisations (IOs), like domestic governments, may legitimately pursue mandatory vaccination policies. Despite their name, mandatory vaccinations are not truly compulsory. In cases of non-compliance, governments cannot force individuals to comply or use criminal sanctions to change their minds. However, mandatory vaccination policies can […]

Last month’s blog was part one on our harassment series, where we gave you an overview of the different types of workplace harassment and examined what staff members can do when they are considering filing a formal complaint. In this second part of the series, we will review the standard procedures for investigating harassment complaints and the […]

Everyone deserves to work in an environment free of harassment. However, the significant number of complaints lodged every year proves that this is still a serious problem. This two-part blog it’s all about recognising and addressing workplace harassment. In this article, we will give you a general overview of the different types of misconduct that […]

We have previously discussed the principle of nemo iudex in causa sua (Latin for “no one should be judge in their own cause”) on our blog and how a series of ground-breaking UNAT judgments were challenging the systems that many international organisations have in place to adjudicate disputes between them and their employees. One year on from those judgments, […]

What is sick leave? For many years, health and safety management has been a fundamental element of employer responsibilities in the wider context of staff welfare, which goes beyond the physical working environment and includes various services, facilities and benefits provided to employees for their intellectual and social betterment. Sick leave (or medical leave) is […]

A famous fairy tale our parents used to tell us when we were children tells the story of a frog immersed in a pot of lukewarm water placed over a fire. The frog, unaware of the danger, finds the water pleasantly warm and continues to splash around happily. After a while, the frog begins to […]

The opportunity to work is a fundamental right that makes people independent, contributes to their professional and human development and, above all, allows them to feel like they are useful and fully contributing members of society.   This opportunity should be given to all individuals and particularly to disabled persons, who, as stated in the […]

The Administrative Tribunal of the International Labour Organization (ILOAT) deals with cases commenced by international employees against the international organisations they are employed with and that have recognized its jurisdiction. Nearly 60,000 international civil servants from 57 different international organisations rely on the judgements of this Tribunal in case of a labour dispute. The volume […]

The legal considerations of an organisation leaving the UN Common System or the UN Joint Staff Pension Fund This article was first published in the FICSA Magazine, Edition 2, May 2020 “We don’t talk anymore” The UN common system (UNCS) applies common standards across a number of UN agencies. A key benefit to the system is […]