Making a complaint about staff

If an employee is engaging in misconduct, you can contact the following bodies to make a formal complaint: 

If a student is engaging in misconduct, please see Making a complaint about a student.

How to make a formal complaint

The nature of a complaint and its consequences depend on the situation and the gravity of the incident/allegation. The following provides an overview of the available procedures.

Possible course of action if a member of staff violates the harassment ban:

  • When personnel management becomes aware of an incident, the person affected is promptly invited to an initial meeting. If desired, they can be accompanied by a person of trust from within the university (a colleague, a member of the Works Council or the Equal Opportunities Working Party).
  • Personnel management then contacts the accused person and summons them to a meeting.
  • Interviews may also be requested with people from within the working environment.
    • These meetings serve to gain an understanding of the incidents and to determine possible consequences.
  • On the basis of these interviews and the collected documentation (e.g. chat histories or emails), personnel management then decides if and how to proceed in line with the principle of proportionality. If disciplinary action is appropriate, this is coordinated with the Rectorate team.
    • Written warnings are recorded in the personnel file.
    • If the employee is dismissed, the Works Council is informed and given the opportunity to consent or object to this disciplinary action.
  • Communicating with those affected:
    • Personnel management keeps the people or person who reported the incident informed about the start (expected duration) and conclusion of the investigation.
    • Information on individual steps taken as part of the investigation as well as on disciplinary action taken against the person accused is not disclosed for privacy reasons.