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Complaints
Only the best recruitment companies can become and stay APSCo members. Here at APSCo we take our badge of quality very seriously. If we receive a complaint we will investigate any allegation thoroughly and transparently.
To make a complaint please click here to contact APSCo.
APSCo Complaints Procedure
1. Purpose
To provide a mechanism for people (including clients and contractors) to complain that APSCo members have broken the APSCo code of conduct;
To ensure that all complaints received are properly investigated and a decision taken in good time as to whether the complaint, in whole or part, should be upheld or rejected;
To ensure that, where complaints are upheld, appropriate disciplinary and corrective action is taken to rectify the mistake and to help prevent recurrence.
2. Applicability
All APSCo members are bound by APSCo’s code of conduct. This procedure applies to any complaint received by APSCo from any person that a member has broken the APSCo code of conduct. Complaints must be made to APSCo no more than 3 months after the date of the alleged breach of the code.
3. Responsibility
The Chief Executive is responsible for the implementation of this procedure.
4. Complaints
Complaints that an APSCo member has breached the APSCo code of conduct can be raised by:-
4.1.1 a client, contractor or third party in relation to a member.
4.1.2 another APSCo member.
When a complaint is received APSCo shall,
4.1.3 record the complaint using a unique reference number
4.1.4 write to the complainant acknowledging the complaint, asking for further details (if necessary) and explaining to the complainant what action it will take.
All correspondence, whether by letter or email, is forwarded to the APSCo Administrator who issues a Complaints Form and Corrective Action Report and keeps a numerical log of all reports issued on a spreadsheet.
The APSCo Administrator shall enter details of the complaints electronically onto the Complaints Form and Corrective Action Report, specifying the area of non-conformity, and record them onto a spreadsheet.
On receipt of full details from the complainant, APSCo shall contact the APSCo member about whom the complaint has been received and advise them of the details and ask them to state briefly the current state of any discussion between the relevant parties.
Where the complainant and the member are still in discussion about the complaint, APSCo may, at its discretion, suspend this procedure until such discussions have come to an end. If APSCo does suspend this procedure, it shall inform the parties to the complaint that :
4.1.5 the procedure has been suspended pending outcome of their discussions
4.1.6 it will resume when such discussions come to an end
4.1.7 the parties must keep APSCo informed of the progress of such discussions
4.1.8 either party may write to APSCo during a period of suspension and ask that APSCo resume the procedure; such request to be granted at APSCo’s discretion.
APSCo shall log and record all communications relating to the complaint.
The original letters, memoranda or e-mails are maintained by the Administrator in a Complaints File. Electronic copies of emails and other correspondence are kept in a folder on the APSCo server.
In the event of a complaint being received against the Chief Executive, the copy correspondence should be passed to the Chairman of the Executive Committee who then performs the role of the Chief Executive outlined in this procedure.
In the event of a Committee Member or other officer receiving a complaint which has not been recorded by the Chief Executive, that Committee Member or other officer must pass details of the complaint to the Chief Executive as soon as possible.
5. Stage 1 – informal resolution
In the first instance, APSCo shall appoint one of its company Directors to use reasonable endeavours to resolve the complaint informally. In so doing, that Director may speak to and request information from the complainant, the APSCo member about whom the complaint has been made and any relevant third party.
If the complaint is resolved informally, APSCo shall write to the complainant and the member about whom the complaint was made to confirm the outcome.
If the complaint is not resolved informally, APSCo shall escalate the complaint to Stage 2 and shall confirm in writing to the complainant that it has done so.
6. Stage 2 – formal resolution
The Chief Executive shall appoint an Investigatory Committee comprising:
6.1.1 The Chief Executive
6.1.2 Three independent industry advisers who are in no way connected with the complaint.
6.1.3 If the Chief Executive deems it necessary: an external professional organisation with relevant knowledge, skills and experience.
The Investigatory Committee shall be responsible for investigating the complaint and shall disband at the conclusion of the investigation.
The Investigatory Committee shall investigate the complaint fairly and promptly.
In carrying out its investigation, the Investigatory Committee may:
6.1.4 ask questions in writing of any relevant party
6.1.5 ask any relevant party to supply relevant documentation and information
6.1.6 interview the parties to the complaint
The Investigatory Committee shall record the work undertaken on the Complaints Form and Corrective Action Report.
When the Investigatory Committee has concluded its investigation, it shall draft a report to the Executive Committee setting out its findings and making recommendations for disciplinary action.
The Executive Committee may request that the Investigatory Committee carries out specific, further investigation before it makes a final decision.
The Executive Committee may decide to uphold or reject all or parts of the complaint.
If the Executive Committee upholds all or part of a complaint, it may make any or a combination of the following sanctions:
6.1.7 Imposition of a fine, to be given by APSCo to charity. The fine may not exceed the price of a year’s APSCo membership.
6.1.8 Warning that further breaches of APSCo’s code of conduct may result in further disciplinary action, including expulsion from APSCo
6.1.9 Suspension from APSCo for a specific period or until remedial action is taken to the reasonable satisfaction of the Chief Executive.
6.1.10 Expulsion from APSCo.
The Executive Committee’s decision shall be recorded on the Complaints Form and Corrective Action Report. The Administrator will then record the outcome onto the relevant spreadsheet.
At the conclusion of this procedure, APSCo shall write to the relevant parties setting out in full the Executive Committee’s decision.
July 2009
To make a complaint please click here to contact APSCo.
