Sometimes complainants and members of the public make unjustified demands, are rude and argue unreasonably, make personal attacks and are abusive towards Ombudsman staff.
While members of the public have the right to complain, both the public and Ombudsman staff are obliged to adhere to certain standards of conduct. When those standards are not met, a number of options may be exercised by the Ombudsman's office.
Future complaints about the same issue will not be acknowledged or responded to unless new information is provided that warrants further action.
If the complainant continues to communicate, they may be told that their calls will only be taken during restricted times and then only by a specific person, or even that no future calls will be accepted or interviews granted about the same matter.
As a last resort, a complainant's access to our office and services may be restricted. This decision will only be taken following careful consideration, as an absolute extreme and only in consultation with the Director and/or the Ombudsman.
- no access to office, offsite meetings only
- communications by telephone only
- communication by correspondence only
- two staff present for all interactions
: an expression of dissatisfaction related to a service or program
: a person or organization that is personally affected
: bringing the same complaint forward again even though it has already been well considered; reframing the same complaint; unwilling to accept the final decision
: expecting unattainable outcomes; demanding apology when not warranted; seeking revenge, retribution or discipline; giving instructions on how the complaint should be handled
: presenting large volume of
unorganized information; withholding information; changing complaints
: holding unsupported theories; illogical arguments; irrational interpretation of facts
: aggressive conduct; making threats; being manipulative
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