Complaints Procedure
Complaints Process for Externally Advertised Competitions
HRConnect manage all recruitment competitions on behalf of the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS). If your complaint is in relation to recruitment policy please refer to section 2.
1. HRConnect Standards
What can you expect from HRConnect?
HRConnect will carry out all our work in line with NICSHR policies and procedures, as defined in the Recruitment Policy and Procedures Manual. Our aim is to ensure that the treatment you receive meets the customer service standards you would expect of the NICS.
Feedback
We welcome any comments on any aspect of our service. If you want to comment you can contact us be phone, email or in writing, using the following contact details:
PO Box 1089
Beacon House
27 Clarendon Road
Belfast
BT1 9EX
If you wish to submit a complaint you can find out more on how to register a complaint and what you can expect in this guide to the Complaints Process.
Our Commitment to Customers
We are committed to providing the highest standard of service to all our customers. Our aim is to get things right first time. However, if something goes wrong or you are dissatisfied with our service, please let us know so we can put things right as soon as possible.
We want to:
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Make it easy for you to raise your complaint
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Listen to your concerns
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Treat complaints seriously and deal with them efficiently
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Apologise when we have got it wrong
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Make sure you are satisfied with how your complaint was handled
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Learn from complaints and take action to improve our service
We guarantee that any comment or complaint will not prejudice any services we provide to you in the future.
Making a Complaint
When should you complain?
You can make a complaint when you are dissatisfied with any aspect of the service you have received from HRConnect.
How to raise your complaint
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By email - contact HRConnect at nics@hrconnect.nigov.net placing 'Complaint' in the subject of your email.
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In writing - contact HRConnect at the following address, addressing your letter to the 'Complaints Administrator'.
HRConnect
PO Box 1089
Beacon House
27 Clarendon Road
Belfast
BT1 9EX
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By phone - contact HRConnect on 0800 1300 330, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and talk to an advisor.
When can you expect a response?
If you contact us by phone we will normally try to resolve any issue during the phone call and offer you a verbal response. If you wish to log a complaint we will record the details of your complaint and confirm your preferred method of response.
If you email or write to us we will provide you with an immediate acknowledgement to tell you we have received your complaint. If you contact us by email an auto acknowledgement will be sent immediately and a further acknowledgement from the complaints administrator will be sent within 24 hours. If you write to us we will acknowledge receipt within 1 working day.
We will investigate the issues you raise and provide a response to you within 5 working days. If the investigation required is complex or we require further time to provide you with a complete response we will reply to you by the 5th working day to update you on the progress of your complaint and tell you how much longer we expect it will take.
What if you are not happy with our response?
Our aim is that your concern should be resolved as quickly as possible by staff who have the right experience and knowledge. If you are not satisfied with our action or explanation you can ask for your complaint to be reviewed by a higher level manager by noting your unique Service Request Number (SR) which will be on your acknowledgement receipt and contacting HRConnect by the following methods:-
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By email- contact HRConnect, placing 'Escalated Complaint' and the associated SR number in the subject of your email.
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In writing- contact HRConnect, addressing your letter to the 'Complaints Administrator' and referring to the associated SR number.
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By phone - contact HRConnect, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday and talk to an advisor.
What happens if you are not satisfied with our final response?
If you are not satisfied with the final response to your complaint provided by HRConnect you can contact the NICSHR using the following contact details. NICSHR Service Management Office will review the response given by HRConnect and liaise with the NICSHR Competition Lead as necessary to further investigate your complaint.
All complaints will be acknowledged and you can expect a full response within 10 working days from the date of receipt. If a full reply cannot be issued within this time, (e.g. if further information is required) an interim reply should be issued which will include an indication as to when a final reply can be expected.
The Service Management Office will expect that you have exhausted the internal HRConnect complaints process before reviewing your complaint.
Step by Step Guide to the Complaints Process
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Step 1
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Initial complaint - email, write or phone HRConnect to raise your complaint. You will receive an acknowledgement within 1 working day and a detailed response within 5 working days.
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Step 2
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Your complaint has been investigated but you are not satisfied - ask for your complaint to be reviewed by a higher level manager within HRConnect. This will take up to 5 working days.
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Step 3
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If your complaint has not been resolved to your satisfaction by HRConnect you can contact NICSHR who will review the response given by HRConnect and investigate further where necessary. You can expect to receive a response within 10 working days.
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If you are still not satisfied with our explanation you can write to the Director of NICSHR as detailed below. You will receive a full response within a further 15 working days.
If you are still unhappy with our response you can contact the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman:
Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman
Progressive House
33 Wellington Place
BELFAST
BT1 6HN
The Ombudsman will not normally investigate a complaint unless the HRConnect/NICSHR internal complaints procedure has been exhausted.
Details on how to complain to the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman can be found on the Ombudsman's website(external link opens in a new window / tab).
2. How to raise a complaint in relation to Recruitment Policy
HRConnect manage and administer recruitment competitions in line with NICS policy and procedures. The Department of Finance is responsible for NICS recruitment policy. Should you have a complaint in relation to the content of the NICS’ recruitment policy please put your complaint in writing to:
All complaints will be acknowledged and you can expect a full response within 10 working days from the date of receipt. If a full reply cannot be issued within this time, (e.g. if further information is required) an interim reply should be issued which will include an indication as to when a final reply can be expected.
What if you are not happy with our response?
Stage 1: If you are not satisfied with the initial response you should ask for your complaint to be referred to the Head of Resourcing Policy Branch for further investigation. We take all complaints about the quality of our services seriously and will endeavour to provide a full and fair investigation of your complaint, respecting your right to confidentiality.
Stage 2: If you are still not satisfied with our explanation you can write to the Director of People & Organisational Development as detailed below. You will receive a full response within a further 15 working days.
Should you wish to make a complaint of unlawful discrimination, you may contact the Equality Commission.