Who is a Complaints Officer and how do I approach them?
- Every establishment with 100 or more people (or 20 or more in healthcare) must appoint a senior person as a Complaints Officer (CO).
- You can file a complaint with them in person, by post, telephone, or email within 3 months of becoming aware of the violation (this can be extended by another 3 months).
- The CO must acknowledge your complaint, decide within 7 working days (on the same day for healthcare emergencies), and tell you the reasons for their decision within 10 days.
- If the Act has been violated, they can direct the establishment to rectify the violation, counsel the violator, or recommend disciplinary action for repeated violations.
- If you are not satisfied with their decision, you can go to the Ombudsman or court.