What to expect

If you make a report of wrongdoing or reprisal to our office our office will contact you to clarify the details of your report.

Once you have submitted your report, you can expect the following from us:

Review & Assessment

We will review the information provided to determine if there is a reasonable basis to launch an investigation. This includes assessing whether, if proven, the allegations meet the threshold of wrongdoing or reprisal. Not all allegations will qualify.

Your identity will be kept confidential during this process.

You will be informed of our decision to investigate your report.

Investigation

Our investigations are conducted in a timely and fair manner. This includes providing any person who is the subject of an investigation with notice of the allegation and the opportunity to respond.

If your report is investigated, additional contact with you will depend on the individual circumstances of the investigation.

All investigations are completed as quickly as possible.

Report & Recommendations

Following an investigation, we will issue a report containing any findings and recommendations to the public organization involved.

If it is in the public interest, we may report publicly on the outcome.

Please contact our office immediately if you experience any threats or acts of retaliation or if you believe that retaliation against you may take place.

For a more detailed explanation of our investigative process, please use the interactive graphic below.

Assessment of the report

Every report made to our office will be assessed on its merits to determine if an investigation is warranted. When we receive a report, our office will conduct a two-stage assessment to determine:

1. Do we have jurisdiction over the allegations?
2. Are we otherwise barred from investigating the matter or is there another valid reason not to investigate?

Reports must meet specific criteria to be eligible for investigation under the Act:

– the person making the report is a current or former employee covered
– the allegation relates to a public organization covered under the Act
– the allegations meet the threshold of wrongdoing or reprisal as defined in the Act

Decide whether to investigate

If the report meets the criteria for investigation, we will assess whether we can investigate. The Act prevents our office from investigating:

– a dispute between an employee and his or her employer about the employee’s employment
– a matter relating to law enforcement or the conduct of members of a police force
– a matter relating to the prosecution of an offence
– the decision making function of a court, tribunal or other statutory decision maker

Our office may also decline to investigate if we do not have enough information to assess the report or where the allegations are being, or have already been, appropriately investigated through another process.

We will notify you before we begin an investigation. If we decide not to investigate, you will be provided with written reasons for our decision.

Determine when the investigation should commence

Investigation

Our office conducts investigations fairly and impartially. We will gather evidence to determine whether wrongdoing or reprisal has occurred. Our office can obtain evidence in the manner we consider appropriate, including gathering documents and other records and interviewing witnesses under oath.

We take precautions to protect the identity of employees who make reports. Information which may identify the employee will only be disclosed with the employee’s consent or where it is essential to carry out a function under PIDA or for another lawful purpose.

Refer the report
Our office may refer a report of wrongdoing if we determine that it could be more appropriately investigated by another organization.
The report may be referred to:

– the Designated Officer within the employee’s ministry or office
– another officer of the legislature with authority

If we decide to refer the report, you will be notified of our decision.

Discontinue Investigation
Our office may discontinue an investigation if we determine that further investigation is not warranted. If we decide to discontinue an investigation, you will be provided with written reasons for our decision.

What to expect

What is wrongdoing?

How to report reprisal

What to expect

Whistleblowing resources

What to expect

Review & Assessment

Investigation

Report & Recommendations

Assessment of the report

Decide whether to investigate

Determine when the investigation should commence

Investigation

Investigation Report

Monitoring Recommendations