- What does reporting involve?
- Before submitting a report
- How to submit a report?
- What happens once you have submitted a report
- What happens when someone has reported you?
Procedure
The employer shall protect both parties when reports are submitted, i.e. both the person submitting the report and the person against whom the accusations have been made. The employer has a duty to investigate and follow up all reports. If you have been accused you should receive information about the contents of the report, and you should be given the opportunity to provide your side of the story.
Receiving report
- All reports received will be forwarded to the Internal Review Unit (EIR) which will set up a Report Board. The Report Board will decide which manager will be responsible for following up the case in question.
- The manager responsible for following up a case will initially talk to the person who submitted the report in order to obtain all the necessary information about the case.
- This manager will then normally invite you to have a meeting. The purpose of such meeting is to provide you with the opportunity to counter any allegations and provide your side of the story so that whoever is going to process the case can gain an insight into what happened.
Support
- Being reported can be experienced as being stressful and unpleasant. It might therefore be a good idea to talk to someone before you have your meeting with the manager.
- You can always contact your line manager, the Occupational Health Service or other people who provide support.
Meeting
- You have the opportunity to be accompanied to the meeting by someone who supports and advises you.
- Contradiction is a key principle which applies when investigating cases which have been reported. This means that you must have the opportunity to provide your side of the story so that the case is adequately investigated.
- During such meetings the person responsible for following up the case will also have the opportunity to ask follow-up questions.
- You will receive information about what happens next.
- Minutes of your meeting will be kept and you will have the opportunity to read them and provide input.
Obtaining documentation
- You will have the opportunity to present documentation. Relevant documentation may include e-mails, text messages, letters and photos, etc. which support your side of the story.
- You may be asked to provide witnesses who could shed light on your side of the story.
Concluding the case
- The processing of the the case shall be documented in writing and whoever handles the case shall ensure that it has been adequately investigated before a conclusion is drawn about whether or not any censurable condition or behaviour has occurred.
- You are entitled to know the conclusion.
- Even if it is concluded that no censurable behaviour has been committed which would provide grounds for a formal reaction, the employer will be able to follow up the case with you, and point out that such behaviour must not be repeated.
- If any censurable behaviour has been committed, the manager shall consider whether or not to initiate a personnel case. Any such personnel cases will be separate cases.
- The employer must consider whether or not measures will be required in order to reestablish a proper working environment.
Ban on retaliation
- The Norwegian Working Environment Act and the Norwegian Equality and Anti-discrimination Act ban any retaliation against whoever submits a report. This means that the person reporting something shall not experience any negative sanctions such as expulsion, deprivation or changes in their work duties, dismissal or suspension.
- You should not contact the reporter in order to discuss the case or explain yourself.
- Nor should you talk about the report with other colleagues.
Who will know if a report has been submitted against you?
- Your name will not be released to more people than those needed to process your case.
- Requests for transparency may be submitted in respect of such cases. Requests for transparency will be handled in line with the Norwegian Freedom of Information Act.
Reporting to the police
- If an incident is a crime it may be reported to the police.