Guidance for the Responding Party during a Resolution Process

Being the subject of a complaint can be upsetting and may leave you feeling vulnerable and alone. 

It can be helpful to talk to someone about what is happening. Appropriate support is available through the DCU Employee Assistance Programme for staff and the DCU Counselling and Personal Development Service for Students. Staff who are members of a recognised trade union may also wish to speak to their trade union representatives.

If you are told that a person views your behaviour as offensive, inappropriate , or an act of victimisation, you could consider the following:

• You may wish to consult DCU People /Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Unit if you are the subject of an allegation.  This can be helpful by offering you the opportunity to talk through the issue and consider your options. The DCU People Team/EDI Unit may be able to help you find positive ways of resolving issues.

• Read the Dignity and Respect at Work and Study Policy in full and note your own obligations under the policy.

• Respect the right of all members of the DCU community to work and study in an environment that is free from harassment, victimisation or bullying.
• Remain calm and listen carefully to the complaint and to the particular concerns expressed – remembering that, in the first instance, it is the other person’s reaction to the behaviour which is important, not the reaction you think they should have had.
• Try to agree on how to deal with the situation productively, taking full account of this policy and the associated complaints procedures.
• Consider whether the complaint can be justified in any way and whether it is appropriate for you to change your behaviour.
• Make sure that, if you are in a position to change your behaviour or conduct easily, you do so immediately rather than persist with something that the other person considers unwanted.

You should also bear in mind that:

• The first indication you may have that there is a problem is when an individual tells you that they are offended or upset by certain aspects of your behaviour and want you to stop behaving in that way.
• All employees have the right to ask a person to stop behaving in a manner which is unwanted.
• If approached by someone informing you that an informal or formal complaint has been made against you, remember that the complainant does not have a responsibility to raise the issue with you first and may feel unable or unwilling to do so.
• Differences of attitude, background, or culture may lead to a misinterpretation of social signals, so what is perceived as offensive or degrading by one person may not be or seem so to another even though you may consider your behaviour harmless.  Ultimately, what is important is what a third person might reasonably consider the nature of your conduct to be.  
• If an allegation is found to be malicious and without foundation, the person responsible for such allegations, or any parties involved in the support of such allegations, are also likely to be the subject of disciplinary action further to this policy.