As part of its commitment to principles of equal opportunity in work and study, Özyeğin University provides internal procedures for complaint resolution. These procedures keep staff informed of what constitutes acceptable behaviour within the University environment. Any person may contact the University for advice and assistance with a problem which they feel has been caused by discrimination or by an abuse of human rights as well as harassment and for confidential conflict resolution There is no need for a complainant or respondent to have legal representation. In reading through the following material, we hope you will understand better the types of situations the University investigates.

Complaints about discrimination can be made under any relevant grounds of the Equal Opportunity
Article (no.5) of Turkish Labour Law (no. 1475).

A complaint may be made on the grounds of:
•    Race (colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin or descent, or the race of a relative or associate)
•    Gender
•    Marital status (single, married, separated, divorced, widowed, de facto)

•    Pregnancy
•    Impairment (current, past or of a relative or associate)
•    Religious or political conviction
•    Age (or of a relative or associate in some areas)
•    Sexual harassment and racial harassment
 

Procedure

1.    In case of a confidential conflict resolution requirement, before you initiate the written complaint procedure, talk directly with the person with whom you have a complaint. If you find this step too difficult to do by yourself, you may like to take a support person with you. Remind yourself that emotional outbursts will not help to resolve the concern. Before the meeting organize your thoughts and effectively express yourself and how you feel, and provide realistic alternatives to resolve the conflict.

2.    If your Complaint is not related to any of the following:

•    A Policy Decision
•    An Employment Decision
•    A Performance Management Concern
•    Workplace Procedures or Practices
•    Workplace Safety and Health Issues
you may consider seeking advice from LEAP Employee Asistance Program, which is 7/24 available to all Ozyegin University Employees free of charge, that may also provide some useful strategies for resolving your complaint.

3.    For the complaint to be officially processed, it must be made in writing. There is a standart complaint form that could provide a guideline, you can either use it or write a simple letter to the University. The complaint letter should include your name and contact details, give a brief explanation of why you are making a complaint and what happened and how it happened and how you have been affected If there is any wittnesses name them. Also, include some suggestion as to what you think a fair settlement of the complaint would be.

4.    Either via the official complaint resolution form or some other form of writing all complaints must be submitted to the HR Coordinator.

5.    A complaint can be made in one’s native language; the University can arrange a translation service if necessary and required.

6.    From the time the complaint is lodged, the time taken to finalise a complaint is one month on average. More complex complaints could take longer to finalise.

7.    For the University to investigate a matter properly, the respondent must be advised of the complaint. If the University decides to investigate the complaint, a copy of the complaint may be forwarded to the respondent within the knowledge of the complainant.

8.    Generally you will receive copies of all the documents provided to the University by other parties if they are relevant to your complaint.

9.    To help the inquiry process work the University encourages open sharing of information by both parties. However, inquiry proceedings are considered confidential.

10.    The University assesses each complaint according to the circumstances and evidence available. All complaints received by the University are assessed at a senior level.

11.    The University may contact the person who made the complaint for more information about the issues raised in the letter of complaint. This may be necessary before the University can decide whether or not to investigate a complaint, or it may take place after the University has decided to investigate. This information may be sought by mail, telephone or in a meeting

12.    Once the University has decided that the complaint requires investigation, it will contact the respondent (the person who the complaint is about) and ask for a response to the allegations. Sometimes the University may approach the issue in a less formal way. Initial contact may be by telephone to seek an immediate response and resolution. In more complex matters the University will seek a written response from the respondent. This process must be in line with the University’s Disciplinary Procedure based on the Higher Education Council (YÖK)’s regulations (law no.2547)

13.    Once an investigation is underway, the person making the complaint and the respondent should expect to provide further information to the University. The person making the complaint should be prepared to provide information that would help the University better understand the main parts of the complaint, the evidence to support the allegations, and the degree to which the complaint relates to an isolated event or a longer-term pattern. The person responding to a complaint will be asked for any evidence or witnesses to disprove the allegations. If the University seeks further information from a respondent it will typically ask for very specific information.

14.    Both parties may suggest witnesses who will support their position through a written or oral statement.

15.    In conflict resolution cases, the purpose of the inquiry process is to assist both parties in settling on an agreed set of arrangements. The inquiry process allows both parties to express their feelings and concerns. At the same time, it is a good opportunity to try to understand the position of the other party better.

16.    In cases where parties cannot reach an agreement, a report is prepared on the matter for the Rector to consider.

17.    No one will be threatened, harassed, or will be subject to detriment because they have made a complaint.

18.    The University may decide to terminate a complaint at any stage, especially if there is not sufficient evidence to support the claims being made. The University may also terminate a complaint if it cannot be conciliated. In both cases, the decision to terminate must be approved by the Rector.

19.    People sometimes change their minds about continuing with their complaints. You can withdraw your complaint at any time. You should write and advise the University that you do not want to continue with the complaint.

20.    Once the University decides that a complaint is resolved, either through a decision that the complaint is not/no longer valid or through some action, the University will inform both the complainant and the respondent of this decision in writing.