Behaviour Policy

Introduction

We can all become upset or frustrated when under stress. In many cases, it will have been a distressing or traumatic event that prompted a constituent to get in touch.

My staff understand this and will do everything we reasonably can to help and support anyone who contacts us.

However, I have a zero-tolerance approach to abusive, threatening or discriminatory behaviour or language towards my staff or third parties.

I will also not tolerate any behaviour or actions that result in unacceptable or excessive demands on my staff. This could include actions or comments directed at a third party.

We will always give you a chance to change your behaviour before we stop helping you – unless your behaviour threatens the safety of our staff or other people.

Definitions of Unacceptable Behaviour

Aggressive or abusive behaviour

Behaviour or language (written or spoken) that could cause my staff to feel afraid, threatened or abused. This includes threatening emails, telephone calls, conduct at events or in meetings, and comments on social media or elsewhere.

For example:

• any form of physical violence or threats of physical violence
• harassment
• comments relating to disability, perceived gender, religion, belief, or any other personal characteristic
• derogatory, racist, sexist, ageist, homophobic or transphobic remarks
• making serious, malicious, unsubstantiated allegations that individuals have committed criminal, corrupt or perverse conduct without evidence
• insulting, degrading or patronising language

Unreasonable demands and vexatious complaints

Unacceptable demands may 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
• Demanding repeated surgery appointments
• Making repeated and unnecessary contact whilst we are handling a case, waiting for a reply from a third party or carrying out an investigation
• Raising the same issue when we’ve already helped you or we have told you we can’t help further
• Refusing to accept a decision when it relates to issues where I have no direct authority or where it would be inappropriate for him to be involved (e.g. court decisions).

Unacceptable or persistent levels of contact may include:

• Repeated telephone calls over a short period, for example, a high number calls in one day or week
• Lengthy telephone calls repeating the same point
• High volumes repetitive correspondence by email or post
• unnecessarily or excessively copying Jon into emails to third parties.

It is not acceptable to knowingly provide Jon with incorrect or false information, and doing so prevents his office from successfully dealing with your case.

Harassment

Examples include:

• recording telephone discussions and publishing the information online or via social media
• contacting staff using their personal details or social media presence including Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn
• publishing personal, sensitive, or private information about staff online or on noticeboards or newsletters.
• Making repetitive and or unreasonable demands

How will we respond to unacceptable behaviour

I will not, and do not expect my staff to tolerate unacceptable behaviour. When this happens on the telephone, by letter or email, my staff have the right to – and will:

• place callers on hold
• end the call (a warning will usually be issued first)
• not reply to an abusive letter or email.

At an advice surgery or at our office, we have the right to ask you to leave.

Before taking such action, we will always warn constituents that they are behaving in an unacceptable and give them the chance to change their behaviour. However, a warning will not be given in extreme cases to protect our staff, for example, when a serious threat is made.

Where these circumstances arise, we will take the following steps:

• We will explain why the behaviour is unacceptable and ask them to modify their behaviour.
• If the behaviour continues to be unacceptable, my team will remove themselves from the situation. If the communication is by telephone, the caller will be told that the call will be ended, an in-person appointment will end, and the constituent will be asked to leave.
• We will take a record of the incident. In all cases we will review the situation and decide what action to take. This could include limiting a constituent’s contact with us (see below)
• We will refer the matter to the police where a criminal offence has been threatened or committed.

Limiting contact may include:

• Appointing a specific sole point of contact for the constituent
• Communicating only in writing or via a representative
• No longer making surgery appointments for a constituent
• Deciding not to proceed in a case
• In extreme cases, ending all contact with a constituent.

Where a decision to limit contact has been made, the constituent will be informed in writing.

The Equality Act 2010

I ensure that my office meets the requirements of the Equality Act 2010. This includes making sure we consider adjustments for people with protected characteristics.

We understand that some people may have difficulty expressing themselves or communicating clearly and/or appropriately. We will always consider any needs and circumstances that we have been made are aware of, before deciding how best to manage the situation. This will include making reasonable adjustments.

Examples of reasonable adjustments might include:

• Using a different method of communication
• providing written communication in large print, coloured text, or translated to another language;
• giving clear warnings if conversations become unproductive and allowing constituents to opportunity to modify their behaviour before ending a call.

However, this does not mean we will tolerate abusive language, violence, shouting, or other unacceptable behaviour or actions.

If an individual with a protected characteristic becomes the subject of a restriction under this policy, we will consider whether the restriction may affect them more than someone without that characteristic. If this is the case, we may make different arrangements so they can still receive support from us.