Ombuds Office
 What is an Ombudsperson?
Ombudsman provide confidential, impartial, informal assistance to the variety
of ISKCON members who have concerns, conflicts, complaints, or disputes arising
from or affecting their participation in ISKCON. The primary goal of the Ombudsman
is to enhance your ability to deal effectively with the situation and to seek
a timely, fair, and equitable resolution. ISKCON's Ombudsman are trained professionals.
Whom do we serve?
The ISKCON Ombuds Office welcomes all members of any kind-congregation, temple inmates, leaders, rank and file, etc. The Ombuds Office welcomes any kind of ISKCON-related concern or problem.
What do we do?
The ISKCON Ombudsman can:
- Listen to people, offer information about institutional policies and procedures.
- Accept suggestions and data from people who seek a confidential channel
for surfacing responsible concerns.
- Help to work for orderly and responsible systems change.
The ISKCON Ombudsman are a good source of support for those in the ISKCON community
who want to examine their options for dealing with a particular concern or who
may wish to consider learning how to deal with problems directly on their own.
How do we function?
The ISKCON Ombuds Office is completely confidential. The Ombudsman will take action only with the permission of the visitor-except for the unusual situation of imminent risk of serious harm; where there appears to be no other responsible option except to act without permission.
The ISKCON Ombudsman keeps no formal written records. The Ombudsman may serve as shuttle diplomats or mediators, and may help to see that problems are brought to the attention of appropriate managers and/or leaders, if there is agreement between the Ombudsman and the visitor that this would be helpful. Ombudsmen have no power to make, change or set aside administrative decisions or ISKCON policy.
How can an Ombudsperson help you?
- Helping to clarify and to resolve conflict.
- Helping you to develop and to evaluate your options or courses of action,
and assisting you in pursuing them.
- Identifying your dispute resolution alternatives and referring you to appropriate
services, as well as arranging contact meetings.
- Conducting a discreet fact-finding inquiry and, when appropriate, present
recommendations to you/ or to the party you are in conflict with.
- Providing "shuttle-diplomacy," individually talking with the parties
involved, going back and forth between them until they are either able to
talk together or they have a better understanding of the dispute so that an
agreement between them can be reached.
- Mediating disputes by bringing together the parties involved in order to
assist them in reaching their own settlement.
When should you see an ombudsperson?
- You want to talk over a situation confidentially with someone knowledgeable
about ISKCON and its policies to decide whether you should take action and
if so, what to do.
- You need more information about such issues as management decisions, ISKCON
policies, or your rights and responsibilities.
- You want to know what your alternatives are for resolving a problem.
- You intend to file a formal complaint or appeal, but you want to know how
to do so; or you want a second objective opinion (reality check) of your case;
or you want to try to resolve your dispute in an informal way.
- You want to learn how to resolve a dispute yourself. You want to know what
resources are available to you.
Possible Issues
An ombudsperson can assist you with concerns or disputes related to a wide range of issues, including:
- ISKCON policies, procedures, and practices
- Safety problems
- Discrimination
- Unfair Treatment
- Ethics and ISKCON values
- Violation of the Law
- Fear of Retaliation
- Service Conditions
- Harassment
- Internal Justice issues
- Avoiding litigation
- Seeking health and other benefits
|
 |
