abusive or unacceptable behaviour policy
My policy on unacceptable or abusive behaviour
I am determined to be the most accessible and accountable Member of Parliament that the constituency has ever had, and I am pleased to be able to answer your queries and help with any problems that cannot be resolved elsewhere.
I aim to respond promptly to everyone who contacts me, but please remember that I receive a huge volume of enquiries. In the first six months since being elected I received more than 5,000 enquiries.
So, my team has to put constituents with the most urgent or pressing issues first. Campaign or policy issues may take a bit longer, as will correspondence that makes several unrelated points simultaneously.
I understand that this may be frustrating, but I will not tolerate unacceptable or abusive behaviour, or actions that result in unacceptable or excessive demands on my staff.
My policy in dealing with these behaviours and actions is outlined below.
The sections below cover the following points:
1. Before you get in touch with me
As your MP my job is to assist constituents who need help as a last resort.
This means that we wonāt take up a case with another organisation unless you have already contacted them about the issue. You will also need to follow that organisationās complaints process directly if you do not receive a suitable reply.Ā If you need help to do that, we can sometimes write on your behalf.
Itās important to remember that weāre not allowed to give legal advice, particularly about housing, benefits and immigration issues, where there are very strict rules on who is qualified to give advice. We can direct you to organisations that provide free legal advice, but we cannot advise you ourselves.
2. Aggressive or abusive behaviour
I understand that many constituents are often upset and angry about the issues they have raised in their complaint.Ā There may have been upsetting or distressing circumstances and people may act out of character in times of trouble or distress.
If that anger escalates into aggression towards my staff, I consider that unacceptable.Ā I will not tolerate any violence, threats or abuse towards staff.
āViolenceā includes acts of aggression that may result in physical harm and also behaviour or language (whether verbal or written) that may cause staff to feel offended, afraid, threatened or abused. This includes aggression or threats made via social media.
I will judge each situation individually and while I accept that those who contact me may feel angry, it is not acceptable to shout or swear at anyone in my office.
Unacceptable language is that which:
- is offensive, derogatory or patronising;
- is discriminatory in any way, including racist, sexist, homophobic or transphobic comments; or
- makes serious allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt or perverse conduct without any evidence.
I may also decide that comments aimed at third parties are unacceptable because of the effect that listening or reading them may have on my staff.Ā Examples include rudeness, offensive comments, derogatory remarks, making inflammatory statements, or raising unsubstantiated allegations made towards these third parties.
All threats against my staff will be taken very seriously and if staff feel scared or threatened at any point during a conversation with a constituent, the interaction may be ended at any time. I may report these threats to the police.
3. Harassment
My staff have the right to carry out their duties free from harassment or threats of harassment.Ā I ask everyone to respect that my staff are delivering a service on my behalf and therefore this may not reflect their own views or preferences.
Examples of behaviours I consider to be harassment against my team include:
- recording telephone discussions and publishing the information online such as through YouTube, Vimeo, Twitter or other social media;
- contacting staff using their personal details or social media presence, including but not limited to Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn; or
- publishing personal, sensitive or private information about staff online or other public domains such as noticeboards or newsletters.
4. Unreasonable or excessive demands
A demand becomes unacceptable when it starts to (or when complying with the demand would) impact substantially on the work of my office.
Examples of this behaviour include:
- repeatedly demanding a response within an unreasonable timescale;
- insisting on, or refusing to, speak to a particular member of staff, when that is not possible;
- repeatedly changing the substance of a complaint or raising unrelated concerns;
- making repeated or unnecessary contact during the course of us dealing with a complaint or carrying out an investigation; or
- refusing to accept a decision where explanations for the decision have been provided.
An example of such impact would be that the demand takes up an excessive amount of staff time and in doing so disadvantages other constituents and prevents their own complaint from being dealt with quickly.
5. Unacceptable and persistent levels of contact
Sometimes the volume and duration of contact made to our service by an individual causes problems. This can occur over a short period or over the life-span of a complaint.
I consider that the level of contact has become unacceptable when the amount of time spent talking to a constituent on the telephone, or responding to, reviewing and filing emails or written correspondence impacts on our ability to deal with that complaint, or with other constituentsā complaints.
Unacceptable or persistent levels of contact include:
- continuous contact while my office is in the process of considering a matter;
- repeated telephone calls over a short period, for example, a high number calls in one day or week;
- lengthy telephone calls repeating the same points of discussion;
- high volumes of information provided by email or post referencing the same issues;
- unnecessarily or excessive copying us into emails to other parties;
- repeatedly attending the constituency office without an appointment, especially when asked not to do so.
6. Refusal to co-operate
When looking at a complaint, my office will need to ask the individual who has contacted us to work with us.Ā This can include agreeing:
- the complaint we will look at;
- to provide us with further information, evidence or comments on request; or
- to help us by summarising their concerns.
Sometimes, an individual repeatedly refuses to co-operate and this makes it difficult for us to proceed.Ā My office will always seek to assist someone if they have a specific, genuine difficulty complying with a request.
However, it is unacceptable to bring a complaint to my office and then not respond to clear and appropriate requests by staff.
7. Reasonable adjustments
I understand that some constituents may find it difficult to express themselves or communicate clearly, especially when they are anxious or upset.Ā In order to do this, we ask that they explain what adjustments theyāre looking for and how this will ensure they can access the service my office offers.
My office will always consider making reasonable adjustments for a constituent asked to do so.Ā Examples of adjustments we can consider are:
- we could consider using different methods of communication;
- providing written communication in large print, coloured text, or in translation where possible;
- giving clear warnings if conversations become unproductive and allowing constituents to opportunity to modify their behaviour before ending a call.
However, I do not expect my staff to accept being subjected to aggressive, offensive, threatening or abusive actions, language or behaviour.
I may still use the policy if there are actions or behaviours which are having a negative effect on our staff or our work even where a reasonable adjustment has been made.
8. Actions I may take
When my office experiences behaviour or demands which are unacceptable, I may consider taking more formal action. The actions I will consider can include the following:
- warning the constituent about their behaviour and requesting that the constituent modifies their behaviour in future contact with us;
- appointing a specific point of contact for the constituent;
- communicating only in writing or via a representative;
- deciding not to investigate a complaint on the basis that it has been pursued in a way that is unacceptable.;
- stop all communication with a constituent for a period of time;
- restricting or limiting contact; or
- reporting the matter to the Police.
Where it is decided that formal action must be taken to manage someoneās behaviour I or my office, will inform them of the decision in writing.Ā A note will be placed on our records to this effect.
GET IN TOUCH
I would love to hear from you about what you think my priorities should be as your MP and what matters most to you.
I can also help you with issues such as benefits, housing, immigration, tax, the NHS and education. I aim to respond promptly to everyone, but please remember that I have to prioritise constituents with the most urgent or pressing issues. Campaign or policy issues may take a bit longer. There is also a list of other agencies that may help you here.
Please use the contact form to get in touch with me. Please remember to provide as many details as possible, including your name, address and full details of your issue. Donāt forget your postcode!
