Purpose and Objectives
This Policy sets out Company‘s legislative obligations and approach to managing, handling and reporting on complaints.
Scope/Coverage
This Policy is applicable to all Company staff, volunteers and contractors.
This Policy does not apply to complaints made under the Right to Information Act 2009 or the Information Privacy Act 2009. Complaints made under these pieces of legislation are managed under Company‘s policies:
- Right to Information Policy
- Information Security Policy
- Privacy Complaint Handling Procedure
Policy Statement
Company is committed to providing a healthy and safe workplace and continuously improving its work health and safety performance and management system by:
- developing, implementing and maintaining a systematic work health and safety management system that ensures
- compliance with applicable work health and safety legislation, Codes of Practices, Australian Standards and other prescribed requirements.
- establishing measurable objectives and targets aimed at eliminating by prevention or effectively controlling hazards that may cause injury or illness and demonstrating work health and safety leadership.
At Company we are committed to promoting excellence in work health and safety leadership through:
- encouraging and supporting innovative, healthy and safe work practices.
- allocating sufficient financial and human resources for the effective implementation of the work health and safety
- management system.
- communicating information and consulting with employees and other persons about work health and safety matters.
- integrating health, safety and well-being into all aspects of our business.
- implementing work health and safety risk management principles and practices
- promoting a work health and safety reporting and learning culture.
- evaluating and reviewing Company‘s work health and safety management system practices, including policy implementation.
- providing our employees with the necessary training to achieve better practice health, safety and wellbeing outcomes.
Context
Complaints about Company Services
- Company takes all complaints about its services seriously and is committed to responding quickly and efficiently. Complaints may be lodged by an affected person either in writing or verbally. The department referred to in the complaint will be responsible for the initial investigation.
- Company will follow the Actionable Communications Procedure to investigate complaints initially.
- Complainants not satisfied with the outcome of the investigation conducted by the department may appeal the decision to the CEO for investigation under the Administrative Action Complaint Management Procedure.
Complaints about Company Staff
- Complaints about the behaviour or actions of Company staff may be made either in writing or verbally. Company section People, Performance and Wellbeing (PPW) are responsible for the initial investigation and will follow their approved policies and procedures.
- Once PPW has finalised the investigation, the staff member may be able to appeal the decision. The appeal investigation will be undertaken by the Ethics and Integrity Unit.
Complaints about the CEO
- Complaints about the behaviour or actions of the CEO may be made either in writing or verbally. The Ethics and Integrity Unit is responsible for the investigation of the complaint.
- The Ethics and Integrity Unit will adhere to all relevant State legislation in conducting the investigation and report to ‘Company Name’ the outcome of the investigation.
Complaints about Management
- Complaints about the behaviour or actions of Management may be made either in writing or verbally.
- The CEO maintains responsibility for investigating these complaints.
- The CEO is responsible for completing or delegating any follow-up actions arising from the investigation.
Referrals from Outside Agencies
- Company may receive complaint referrals from outside agencies such as the Queensland Ombudsman, Crime and Misconduct Commission, the Public Sector Commission, etc. These referrals will be made to the CEO. The CEO may refer the complaint to an outside Agency for investigation.
- The outside Agency will investigate the complaint and apply all relevant Company policies, procedures and State legislation. The outside Agency will report the outcome of the investigation to the CEO. The CEO is responsible for completing or delegating any follow-up actions arising from the investigation.
Communications with Complainants
- Company is committed to transparency in its operations.
- Company will keep a complainant informed of the progress of the complaint investigation; however,
- Company does not consider the release of personal information to complainants as appropriate.
Role of external Agencies
External Agencies are responsible for:
- Providing advice to Company departments investigating complaints about Company services under the Actionable Communications Procedure;
- Investigating all complaints referred by the CEO;
- Coordinating other Company units assisting in the investigation of complaints. The external Agency is solely responsible for generating reports in relation to investigations where another unit has provided assistance/consultation, e.g. where the external Agency requests assistance from Internal Audit, the Ethics and Integrity Unit is the only unit able to report on the investigation;
- Updating the Public Interest Disclosure database;
- Being the Central Registrar for Company complaint registers;
- Reporting to the CEO and Company as required on Complaints.
Reporting on Complaints
- Company will report on complaints as per the relevant State legislation.
- The External Agency will report on complaints at the CEO’s discretion.
Documentation
Approved Feedback and Complaints form