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The Ombuds Office Does:
- Listen and discuss workplace questions, concerns and complaints
- Offer a SAFE place to discuss your concerns
- Open channels of workplace communication
- Informally investigate complaints
- Help evaluate various options to address workplace concerns
- Answer questions concerning appropriate channels
- Explain MCW policies and procedures
- Facilitate communication between people
- Advise individuals about steps to resolve problems informally
- Advise individuals about formal and administrative options
- Make appropriate referrals when informal options don't work
- Discuss patterns and trends of concern with MCW leadership
- Provide feedback regarding MCW policies
The Ombuds Office Does Not:
- Participate in formal grievance processes
- Conduct formal investigations
- Make administrative decisions for MCW administrators
- Determine "guilt" or "innocence"
- Assign sanctions to individuals
- Serve as witness in any administrative or legal proceedings, except in rare instances when compelled to do so
- Receive official "notice" for MCW about issues
- Maintain records that identify visitors to the office
How Might an Ombuds Help?
- By helping to develop and evaluate options or courses of action and by assisting visitors in knowing how to pursue an option
- By helping to clarify and address a workplace conflict
- By coaching visitors about how an issue or concern may be approached more effectively
- By helping to surface information when people are afraid to come forward in the workplace
- By looking into a problem informally (with permission) and, when appropriate, presenting options to the visitor or others
- By identifying dispute resolution alternatives for people who seek options and by referring individuals to appropriate services
- By assisting in dispute resolution by bringing together the parties involved in order to assist them in reaching their own agreement
- By recommending systems change to appropriate individuals
