Respondents

My organization has been notified of a complaint.  What does this mean?

If a complainant files a complaint against you or your organization, s/he is alleging that you or your organization has discriminated against him/her based on an area and ground in the NWT Human Rights Act.

The Director of Human Rights is responsible for the complaint process. By accepting the complaint, the Director does not assume any wrongdoing on anyone’s part.

When the Office of the Director receives a complaint, it is reviewed by the Director to see if the alleged discrimination is covered by the Act.

The Director does not take sides and provides equal service to both parties. The Director is required to:

• Notify the respondent of the complaint
• Provide the respondent with an opportunity to settle the complaint
• Provide the respondent with an opportunity to make submissions and respond to the complainant’s submission

What does it mean to settle a complaint?

Settlement is a voluntary and confidential process. It allows parties to a complaint to talk through the situation and try to resolve the complaint.

The Director appoints an independent person (the “mediator”) to help the parties to settle the complaint.  The mediator ensures that the process is fair to everyone and helps the parties to try and reach an agreement.

Settlement is possible at any stage in the complaint process.

If a complaint is not settled, what happens next?

If the parties cannot resolve a complaint, the Director may:

• Dismiss the complaint
• Defer the complaint if there is another legal proceeding dealing with the same allegations
• Investigate the complaint to gather further information
• Refer the complaint to the NWT Human Rights Adjudication Panel for a hearing

→ View the Complaint Process Flow Chart.

→ For more information on responding to a complaint, settling a complaint, and on the possible outcomes of a complaint, read the Respondent Guide.

→ To learn more about the types of complaints accepted by the Commission, visit Your Rights or Publications.