Process
Any person who feels aggrieved at the way recruitment and selection has been handled should, in the first instance, submit their complaint in writing to the Chief Governance Officer, within 3 months of the appointment decision being notified to the individual. The complaint should state the specific post, appointments procedure or employment policy against which the comments are being made, the substance of the complaint and give clear detail of the complainant's background, such as qualifications and experience relevant to the post in question.
The Chief Governance Officer will, as appropriate, arrange for the complaint to be investigated and, following consultation with the appropriate Service Director, will provide a response within 7 working days of the initial receipt of the letter of complaint. The initial response may be confirmation that the investigation will be undertaken, as it is not always possible to undertake a full investigation within short time-scales. However, the process will be undertaken as soon as possible and the reasons for any delay will be provided to the complainant.
Possible outcomes
The outcome from the investigation can vary. It is important to note that if, as a result of the recruitment and selection process, a formal offer of employment has been made to a candidate, this is legally binding and an investigation will not result in an offer of employment being withdrawn.
Potential outcomes of the process are:
- More detailed feedback to the complainant
- Training issues identified and actioned
- Disciplinary action
If a complainant continues to have concerns after receiving the outcome of the complaint, they can request a meeting with Human Resources to discuss the initial finding or to request further information.