Appeal of an insured person against a refusal of benefits by the cantonal employment office

Facts

Victor W., born in 1952, receives unemployment benefits intermittently and has performed various occasional gainful activities. In 1986 and 1987, he submitted requests for approval to the Geneva Cantonal Employment Office to attend a computer science and accounting course, but received no formal decision from the office. In 1988, Victor W. filed a "complaint for denial of justice and unjustified delay" with the Federal Court, alleging that the office had never ruled on his requests despite his reminders.

Considerations

The Federal Insurance Court ruled that, in the field of unemployment insurance, the Federal Office of Industry, Arts and Crafts and Labour (OFIAMT) is competent to hear an appeal for unjustified delay or refusal to rule by an unemployment insurance fund or a cantonal authority responsible for the implementation of the unemployment insurance scheme. This competence stems from OFIAMT's supervisory power over the enforcement of the Unemployment Insurance Act,…