2023-10-17 20:23:08
In the City of Geneva, the former director of the Department of Social Cohesion obtained six months’ salary, or more than 100,000 francs, in exchange for his resignation this summer, according to information from RTS. This case is not unique and illustrates the difficulties in dismissing senior executives.
According to the official version, this senior official left this summer to “give a new direction to his career”.
But according to information from RTS, the collaboration would not have been optimal between this senior executive and Christina Kitsos, the magistrate responsible for the Department of Social Cohesion. So much so that the administrative advisor reportedly demanded his departure.
This departure was therefore negotiated amicably via an agreement. She grants him six months’ salary in addition to the notice period. This agreement binds both parties to confidentiality. They refused to answer RTS’s questions.
Strong protection once morest dismissal
In the City of Geneva, the custom is to say that civil servants benefit from “the best personnel status in the world”. This is said regarding salary but also for job security: once appointed, following a trial period of two years, a civil servant can only be dismissed “for an objectively justified reason”. An administrative investigation must even be carried out beforehand.
The process can be extended by a possible appeal or termination due to illness. The procedure can therefore take a very long time and be expensive.
The last time the City of Geneva tried to fire a department director was at the beginning of 2022 and the procedure is still not completed
Another case in progress
Marie Barbey-Chpuis, administrative advisor in charge of security, also had trouble with her department director. According to information from RTS, there quickly arose disagreement in the collaboration between the magistrate and the senior manager. The elected official allegedly criticized the civil servant for “problems in her attitude” which lasted for months. Marie Barbey-Chpuis declined to comment on a particular case for reasons of personal protection.
Before pronouncing his dismissal, an agreement with 14 months of salary would have been offered to the department director. Convention which she would have refused. According to his lawyer, Me Robert Assael, the reasons for dismissal were tinkered with. It will be challenged in court.
Difficulties denounced politically
The right and the center, including administrative advisor Marie Barbey Chappuis, are in favor of a relaxation of the status of civil servants whoever they may be. For Kevin Schmid, president of the PLR, it is a scandal that public money is used to convince a civil servant to resign. For him, “we are walking on our heads”.
On the socialist side, we are not commenting on possible relaxations of the status of senior civil servants.
The Greens, on the other hand, are not closed to the question. Omar Azzabi, president of the Greens in the City of Geneva, believes that given the importance of department directors in implementing the policy of the elected magistrate, the latter should be able to choose them. He even imagines specific mandates for these positions, which would last the time of a legislature.
Mohamed Musadak/juma
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