# What to expect Home / Whistleblowing / What to Expect 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 + The Ombudsperson may decide to postpone an investigation if: - we have identified an alleged offence and made a report to law enforcement - our office’s investigation may compromise another investigation - it is also being investigated for the prosecution of an offence 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. Investigation Report + At the conclusion of our investigation we will issue a report to the public organization involved. If we find of wrongdoing or reprisal has occurred, we will make recommendations for corrective measures. Where it is in the public interest, we will report publicly on the outcome of the investigation. Monitoring Recommendations + We monitor the progress of public organizations in implementing our recommendations.