People may reasonably act out of character in times of trouble or distress. There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances leading up to a constituent approaching my office.
However, I will not tolerate unacceptable behaviour nor actions that result in unacceptable or excessive demands on my staff in that it prevents them from carrying out their duties effectively.
It is these behaviours and actions that I aim to manage under this Policy.
I understand that many constituents are often upset and angry about the issues they have raised in their complaint. If that anger escalates into aggression towards my staff, I consider that unacceptable. Any violence, threats or abuse towards staff will not be tolerated.
Violence is not restricted to acts of aggression that may result in physical harm. It also includes behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused.
I will judge each situation individually and appreciate individuals who come to my office may be upset. While I accept that those who contact me may feel angry, it is not acceptable to shout or swear at anyone in my office.
I may decide that comments aimed not at my staff but at third parties are unacceptable because of the effect that listening or reading them may have on my staff. Examples include rudeness, offensive comments, derogatory remarks, making inflammatory statements, or raising unsubstantiated allegations made towards these third parties.
All threats against either my staff will be taken very seriously and if staff feel scared or threatened.
Sometimes the volume and duration of contact made to my office by an individual causes problems. This can occur over a short period, for example, a number of calls in one day or hour.
It may occur over the life-span of a complaint when a constituent repeatedly makes long telephone calls to us or inundates us with copies of information that has been sent already or that is irrelevant to the complaint.
I consider that the level of contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a constituent on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence impacts on my offices’ ability to deal with that complaint, or with other constituents’ complaints.
My staff have the right to carry out their duties free from harassment or threats of harassment. I ask everyone to respect that my staff are delivering a service on my behalf and therefore this may not reflect their own views or preferences.
Examples of behaviours I consider to be harassment against my office include:
A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to (or when complying with the demand would) impact substantially on the work of my office.
An example of such impact would be that the demand takes up an excessive amount of staff time and in doing so disadvantages other constituents and prevents their own complaint from being dealt with quickly.
Sometimes the volume and duration of contact made to our service by an individual causes problems. This can occur over a short period or over the lifespan of a complaint.
I consider that the level of contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a constituent on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence impacts on our ability to deal with that complaint, or with other constituents’ complaints.
When looking at a complaint, my office will need to ask the individual who has contacted us to work with us. This can include agreeing to provide us with further information, evidence or comments on request; help us by summarising their concerns; or agreeing to allow us to contact a third party needed to progress their case.
Sometimes, an individual repeatedly refuses to co-operate and this makes it difficult for us to proceed. My office will always seek to assist someone if they have a specific, genuine difficulty complying with a request.
However, it is unacceptable to bring a complaint to my office and then not respond to clear and appropriate requests by staff, and we may then have to inform you that we are unable to intervene to support you as a result.
I understand that some constituents may find it difficult for them to express themselves or communicate clearly, especially when they are anxious or upset. In order to do this, we ask that they explain what adjustments they’re looking for and how this will ensure they can access the service my office offers.
My office will always consider making reasonable adjustments for a constituent asked to do so.
I may still use the policy if there are actions or behaviours which are having a negative effect on our staff or our work even where a reasonable adjustment has been made.
When my office experiences behaviour or demands which are unacceptable, I may consider taking more formal action. The actions I will consider can include the following:
Where it is decided that formal action must be taken to manage someone’s behaviour I or my office, will inform them of the decision in writing. A note will be placed on our records to this effect.
