Options
- I do not know if I want to submit a complaint. Is there someone I can talk to confidentially?
If you are uncertain about filing a PADHR Complaint, you are welcome to contact confidential UVA resources to discuss your options. These resources include CAPS, FEAP, and The Women's Center. In addition, you may contact the UVA Ombuds, who acts as a trusted navigator for current faculty, staff, and students seeking guidance, information, insight, and potential options to overcome an existing conflict or concern. The UVA Ombuds is also a Confidential Employee and offers assistance in an impartial, independent, informal, and confidential manner.
Confidential Resources
- UVA Ombuds (available to students, faculty, and staff)
- Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) (available to students)
- Faculty and Employee Assistance Program (FEAP) (available to faculty and staff)
- The Women's Center (available to students, faculty, and staff)
- What are my options for resolution?
EOCR offers two types of resolution under the Preventing and Addressing Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation (PADHR) Complaint Procedures: 1) Informal resolution and 2) Formal resolution.
Examples of informal resolution include a facilitation meeting with the assistance of a neutral third party. Formal resolution is a fair, impartial, and thorough investigation conducted by a trained EOCR investigator.
Supportive measures are available with or without filing a complaint.
You may file a written complaint. We strongly encourage use of the online PADHR Complaint Form, which is structured to gather the information we need to evaluate the complaint.
Submitting a Complaint
- How do I submit a complaint?
If you are ready to seek resolution and/or harassment retaliation prohibited by the Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment (PADHR) Policy or retaliation under the Preventing and Addressing Retaliation (PAR) Policy, we encourage you to use the online PADHR Complaint Form. You may also submit a written complaint that contains the information listed in Section III(A) of the PADHR Complaint Procedures.
- Who may file a PADHR complaint?
Any person (e.g., faculty, staff, student, parent of a student, campus visitor, hospital patient, etc.) may file a complaint if they believe they have experienced discrimination, harassment, and/or retaliation by a current UVA faculty member, staff member, or student.
- What is the time limit to file a PADHR complaint?
Complaints must be filed within 300 days of the last alleged act(s) of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation absent extenuating circumstances. If you are uncertain if your complaint will be timely, please contact the Senior Compliance Director for Equal Opportunity and Civil Rights at [email protected] or (434) 924-3200.
- What happens after EOCR receives a PADHR Complaint Form?
- EOCR is notified that a complaint has been submitted. The individual who has submitted the complaint is called the Complainant.
- EOCR emails the Complainant to confirm receipt of the PADHR Complaint Form and provide information about UVA resources to current students, faculty, and staff.
- EOCR will evaluate the information provided in the PADHR Complaint Form and supporting documents. If EOCR needs additional information, EOCR will email the Complainant to request the information or schedule a meeting to request the additional information.
- Depending on what resolution option the Complainant requests (if any), the nature of the reported misconduct, the amount of information available and the relationship of the parties to the University, ECRT will take appropriate action to address the matter. There are a variety of resolution options, supportive measures, and other remedies that may be available, and ECRT will communicate with the parties involved about these options and keep them informed as appropriate throughout any resolution process.
Formal Resolution (Investigation) Process
- What happens during the formal resolution process?
Formal resolution is an investigation conducted by a trained EOCR investigator or an external investigator.
- How long does the formal resolution process take?
The PADHR team strives to complete the formal resolution process within 60 days but a number of factors may increase the length of the process, such as the availability of witnesses. The assigned investigator will provide status updates to the parties throughout the process.
Prohibition on Retaliation
- If I file a complaint, am I protected from retaliation?
The Preventing and Addressing Retaliation ("PAR") Policy prohibits retaliation against individuals who submit good faith complaints of discrimination or harassment under the Preventing and Addressing Discrimination and Harassment ("PADH") Policy or retaliation under the PAR Policy, as well as individuals who assist or participate in the process to resolve complaints — for example, investigative witnesses.