Complaint and Appeal Process

For any complaints that cannot be resolved informally, any OTI student or employee may file a formal complaint in writing. Employees will be given an opportunity to present their complaints and to appeal decisions by OTI staff through a formal complaints and grievance procedure. All complaints or incidents will be reviewed, and pertinent documentation maintained in a file separate from the complainant’s file. The formal complaint process includes the following steps. 

 

Step I: Within five (5) working days of being aggrieved, the student is to discuss the matter verbally and informally with their instructor. The instructor will then provide a verbal reply to the student within five (5) working days. If there is a conflict between the aggrieved and the direct OTI staff, the complainant may follow “Step III” below. 

 

Step II: Should the informal attempt fail to resolve the reported issue; the student shall submit a written statement of the grievance to their instructor within five (5) working days of the verbal reply in Step I. The instructor will then provide a written reply to the employee within five (5) working days. 

 

Step III: Should the instructor’s reply be unacceptable to the student; the student shall submit a formal written statement of the grievance to the OTI Director or alternatively the CAPO Executive Director. The formal written statement shall include: 

• Complainant’s Information 

• Name, Address, Contact Information, Alternative Contact’s Information, relationship with OTI 

• Complaint Description 

• including the date of the event, a description of the prohibited activity, if you are filing the complaint on your own behalf or on the behalf of someone else, if you reported the event to anyone else, any witnesses of the events described and the perceived perpetrator(s) of the grievance 

• Complainant’s Signature and date of submittal of formal complaint 

 

Step IV: The OTI Director or alternatively the CAPO Executive Director will provide a written reply to the student within ten (10) working days. The types of interim and ultimate remedial measures during and after the complaint processing include: suspension of activities until written reply has been released, dismissal of parties found to be at fault, mediation or alternative dispute resolution. 

 

The above designated time limits may be extended by mutual written agreement. A student’s failure to meet the specific time limits or to make a timely request for extension shall terminate the student’s right to a hearing.