At Hireup, we genuinely care about the safety of our community. For us, this means actively listening when we are asked questions, hearing when we receive feedback or complaints and acting in the best interests of our community now and into the future.
Principles
We apply the following principles to the management of complaints and feedback:
Openness
Hireup is open to receiving complaints and feedback, and we endeavour to ensure that all users feel comfortable in providing feedback and making complaints. We welcome feedback and complaints as opportunities to improve the way that we provide services to our community.
Proactivity
Hireup values your insights and from time to time will actively seek feedback from our users through surveys, phone check-ins and online features.
Confidentiality
To the fullest extent permitted, Hireup will address all complaints in a confidential manner in line with our Privacy Policy. Only the people directly involved in making, investigating or resolving the complaint will access information about it.
Responsiveness
Hireup will respond promptly to any feedback or complaint. We will communicate effectively with the relevant people throughout the process.
Fairness and Equity
Hireup will ensure fair, consistent and proper procedures are followed in addressing complaints and feedback.
What is a Complaint?
A complaint is an expression of dissatisfaction from a user about Hireup, its employees, operations or reputation. A complaint could be made by any service user, community member, family member, or advocate and may relate to a service you are unhappy about or to an allegation of abuse or neglect.
What is Feedback?
Feedback is information which is provided with the intention of improving something e.g. a product, service, support worker’s performance. Feedback can be positive or negative and Hireup encourages you to share your thoughts with us. Feedback can provide opportunities for Hireup to improve the way we do things as individuals and as an organisation.
How to give feedback
From time to time Hireup will reach out to proactively request your feedback and insights.
We may contact you via:
- Emails or calls from Hireup Support Office;
- Post Booking Feedback Forms
- Feedback Forms; or
- Net Promoter Score Survey.
Alternatively, you can provide feedback by contacting us at hello@hireup.com.au, phoning between 9:30am and 4pm on (02) 9113 5933 or get in touch via our social media channels:
How to report a complaint?
If your complaint is about someone you are working with on Hireup and you feel comfortable doing so, we recommend you attempt to contact them first to discuss your concerns; Hireup can assist you with this. Tackling issues early can help to build stronger, more effective relationships. If this doesn’t address your concern or contact with the person is not appropriate, please contact Hireup. If you would like to raise your concerns with the person involved but require some support to do this, please don’t hesitate to contact Hireup.
Contact Hireup
If you wish to make a complaint, please complete the below Complaint Form, or phone us between 9:30am and 4pm on (02) 9113 5933. The Complaint Forms are monitored 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. If you or another person is in immediate risk of harm, please contact 000 for assistance.
Other ways to make a complaint
While we encourage you to raise concerns directly with us, if you do not feel comfortable making a complaint to Hireup, you can contact an external agency at any time for any reason. Please see a list of external agencies at the end of this statement.
You may also make a disclosure which may be protected under relevant laws in accordance with Hireup’s Speak Up Policy. Disclosure made under the Speak Up Policy will be managed in accordance with the terms of that policy.
It is important that any concerns are communicated with Hireup or another agency as soon as possible, so they can be addressed quickly.
What happens once you make a complaint?
- Hireup will begin taking action as soon as practicable upon receiving your complaint where there appears to be a high risk of harm, abuse or neglect. Otherwise, Hireup will acknowledge receipt of your complaint as soon as possible after it is received. A record of your complaint will be made in our user contact system.
- Hireup will make contact with you shortly after receiving your complaint to gather any further information that may be required, and give you information on what to expect from the process. We may also seek additional information from you or other stakeholders to assist us to understand the nature of your complaint.
- Hireup will attempt to resolve your complaint within 21 working days of the complaint being made. However, it is important to note that this may take longer depending on circumstances or for complex complaints e.g. complaints with multiple issues, however, this will be communicated to you. You have the right to have a support person or advocate to assist or represent you during the complaints process.
- Hireup may decide an issue raised in a complaint is better dealt with through an investigation. This may include issues where we identify serious concerns and risks to people with disability, such as allegations of abuse, assault or neglect. Unlawful conduct and criminal matters will be referred to the appropriate police authorities in each state, and we will continue to handle the non-criminal elements of the complaint. Hireup will inform you where appropriate if your complaint is being managed this way.
- Once the complaint has been resolved, Hireup will communicate the outcome to you to the extent that it is appropriate for us to do so. This may include a summary of the process, confirmation as to whether the complaint was substantiated or not, confirmation on whether action has been taken in response to a substantiated policy or code of conduct breach (however, we will not share the details of the action), and any steps that have been taken to ensure any problem that has been identified does not happen again. Hireup will confirm this in writing.
- If you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you can request for it to be reviewed. We will communicate the anticipated timeframes for the review. The outcome of the review will be final.
If you are not comfortable with any part of the Hireup complaints process, or you are not satisfied with the outcome of your complaint, you may wish to approach an external agency (listed below).
External Agencies
Fair Work Ombudsman
NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission
Office of the Australian Information Commissioner
Australian Human Rights Commission
Australian Capital Territory
Office of Quality, Complaints and Regulation
Disability and Community Services Commissioner at the ACT Human Rights Commission
New South Wales
NSW Ombudsman (For non-NDIS Funded Clients)
Northern Territory
Health and Community Services Complaints Commission NT
Queensland
Department of Communities, Disability Services and Seniors
South Australia
Department of Human Services SA
Tasmania
Department of Communities Tasmania
Western Australia
Health and Disability Services Complaints Office WA