Background.
Jack.org is committed to providing an environment which facilitates open, honest discussions and accountability. We encourage everyone to come forward and voice concerns regarding any wrongdoing in any aspect of Jack.org. The following policy encourages our community to come forward and voice serious concerns, and is closely linked to our Whistleblower Policy, which applies specifically to concerns raised by employees, Directors, volunteers, and contractors. This policy aims to ensure that serious complaints are properly raised and addressed within Jack.org and are recognized as a key tool in enabling the delivery of good governance practices.
Guiding Principles
- It is in the interest of Jack.org and our community that complaints are managed promptly and resolved as quickly as possible.
- Review of complaints is fair, impartial, and respectful to all parties.
- Updates are provided to complainants during the review process.
- Complainants are provided clear and understandable reasons for decisions relating to complaints.
- Complaints are used to assist in improving organizational practices, policies, and procedures.
Types of Complaints.
Definition
A complaint is an expression of serious dissatisfaction about the work, actions, or lack of action by Jack.org as an organization or a staff member, Director, or volunteer acting on behalf of Jack.org.
Examples (not definitive)
- Failure to observe policies or procedures;
- Unprofessional conduct or below recognized, established standards of practice;
- Unfair or discourteous actions in the course of employment or programmatic offerings
Complaint Procedures.
Responsibility
Any staff member or volunteer may receive a complaint and has a duty to initiate the process of resolution, including reporting the complaint to their supervisor. Supervisors are in turn required to appropriately address complaints in a timely manner, to ensure complainants are kept informed where possible, and to document the complaint. It is the responsibility of the Board, management, all employees, and all those who work with Jack.org to uphold this policy and to follow all procedures around complaint resolution.
Complaint Resolution & Reporting
All staff members and volunteers are required to raise complaints (whether received in person, by mail, by email, by phone, or via the website) to their supervisor, who are in turn required to take the necessary steps to address the complaint, ensure the complainants are kept informed, and document the complaint in a timely manner. All complaints are to be addressed and documented, even if raised anonymously. Details of how to address and report a complaint, including complaints related to senior leadership, the President & CEO, or a Board Director, will be made available in Jack.org’s internal Complaints Procedure.
A summary of complaints received, anonymous or not, including number and nature will be reported to the Jack.org Board of Directors annually via the risk report.
Other Considerations.
Prevention of Recriminations, Victimization, or Harassment
Jack.org will not tolerate an attempt on the part of anyone to apply any sanction, penalty, or other form of disadvantage to any person who has reported to the organization a serious complaint.
Confidentiality and Anonymity
Jack.org will respect the confidentiality of any complaint that is received where the complainant requests that confidentiality. However, it must be appreciated that during the course of an investigation or other formal proceedings, anonymity and confidentiality may not be able to be afforded as it may interfere and/or jeopardize due process.
False and Malicious Allegations
Jack.org is proud of its reputation of upholding the highest standards of honesty. It will therefore ensure that appropriate resources are dedicated to investigating any complaint that it receives.
However, it is important to realize that Jack.org will view very seriously any allegations that prove not to be substantiated or which prove to have been made maliciously or knowing them to be false.
