Unacceptable Behaviour Policy

Statement to General Public:

We know that when you contact us, the things you want to tell us are very important to you. They are important to us too.

And at times, we know that issues being discussed can be frustrating or distressing for you. To help us understand and deal with your issue, please be polite to our staff, they deserve to be treated with good manners, and respect. We will not tolerate abusive or unreasonable behaviour towards them, and it may affect how effectively we can communicate with you.

Our policy sets out what we consider to be abusive or unreasonable behaviour and the actions we might take if we consider your behaviour to be unacceptable.

Abusive Behaviour:

We care about our people and will always protect their personal safety and wellbeing while at work. We will seek to understand and try to resolve matters to your satisfaction but recognise that not everyone will agree with our decisions. While that can be frustrating, we will not accept or tolerate behaviour that we consider to be insulting, threatening or violent towards any of our staff such as:

Offensive language
Aggressive or threatening behaviour
Racist, sexist, or homophobic language
Any form of discrimination

Unreasonable behaviour:

We want to be as open and accessible as possible, and we will provide appropriate and adequate responses in a timely manner. But we also need to use our resources in an efficient and effective way. Occasionally, some types of communication or behaviour can put excessive or unreasonable demands on staff time. This affects our ability to help other people.

Examples of unreasonable behaviour include:

refusing to cooperate, or clarify an issue or matter, despite our offers of help.
Making excessive contacts, whether by frequent calls, i.e., daily, frequent emails, or sending detailed letters every few days, and expecting immediate responses.
Making unjustified complaints against our people who are trying to help.
During a call, insisting on speaking to someone else, when we have explained that you are speaking to the appropriate person.
Pursuing complaints on the same issue, at the same time, with multiple organisations.
Raising many detailed questions that are not central to the issue(s), and insisting they are all answered.

Actions we might take:

We will explain what we see as unacceptable and ask people to change their behaviour. If it continues, we may:

End the call
Stop communicating about an issue or compliant that we feel we have already answered.
Stop communicating directly with someone over the telephone and only communicate in writing.
Terminate our service with the client and refer to alternative organisation.

Policy

Dundee Law Centre believes that clients and visitors have the right to express their views and ask questions about the services of the Law Centre. DLC believes clients comments and suggestions are important in helping to shape and improve our services it provides. We also recognise that in times of trouble or distress people may act out of character when they approach us. DLC does not view behaviour as unacceptable simply because someone is reasonably forceful or determined in their approach. Unfortunately, on occasion, some clients or public may choose to behave in a manner towards DLC employees or place demands on our services that are unacceptable. This policy sets out the Law Centre’s approach to the minority of clients/potential clients whose behaviour that Law Centre has accessed as being unacceptable. It also set out the various actions we may take to manage any instances of such behaviour. This policy applies to administrative staff, solicitors and advisors or others that are providing services on the Law Centre behalf.

Dundee Law Centre wants to have a reputation for putting clients/potential clients first and to deliver a consistent approach that we have developed over time with our Dundee clients.

Our customer care standards can be viewed using the Dundee Law Centre website.

Defining unacceptable behaviour

Abusive or offensive behaviour:

Dundee Law Centre employees have the right not to suffer abusive, offensive, or threatening behaviour even when a client is under stress.

Some examples of unacceptable behaviour might include:

Abusive or offensive language; remarks of a sexual nature; racist language; homophobic or other discriminatory remarks
Shouting
Offensive gestures
Verbal or physical threats
Puncing, kicking, head butting, spitting
Bullying or intimidating behaviour
Attempting to assault someone
Using, brandishing, or throwing weapons or objects aiming to inflict harm
Stalking or other forms of harassment
Publishing unacceptable information on our social media and website

Unacceptable demands on our services:

Some clients may make unacceptable demands on our services due to the amount of information they ask for, the nature and scale of service they expect and the number of approaches they make in relation to an issue(s). Dundee Law Centre recognises that in some cases this may be unintentional and what amounts to unacceptable demands will depend on the circumstances surrounding the issue(s) and the client’s behaviour.

Examples of unacceptable demands might include:

Demanding responses within an unreasonable timescale
Insisting on seeing or speaking to a particular member of staff
Sending the same or similar request to several member of staff
Refusing to end a telephone call-and/or insisting on speaking to someone who is either not available or not the appropriate person.
Requiring responses to correspondence where the content is malicious

Dundee Law Centre can view these and other types of contact to be unacceptable if it impacts significantly upon workloads and/or the capacity to deliver an effective service.

How we manage unacceptable behaviour

“Face to face contact

Dundee Law Centre employees are empowered to ask a client to leave the law centre premises if they feel the client is being aggressive, abusive, or offensive. The staff member that is dealing with the client has the right to make this decision. In most cases the person involved will advise the client that their behaviour is unacceptable and ask them to leave if it does not stop.

“Telephone Calls”

The use of abusive and offensive language towards a solicitor, advisors or any staff member will not be tolerated. DLC employees will end any telephone call if they feel the caller is being aggressive, intimidating, abusive or offensive. The person taking the call is empowered to make this decision. The caller will be advised that their behaviour and/or language are unacceptable and that the call will be politely ended if it continues. The call may also be ended if the client/public refuses to conclude the conversation and persists in staying on the line. There may be rare occasions when the person involved is unable to give a warning that the call will be ended if the caller’s unacceptable behaviour/language continues, in which case they are empowered to end the call immediately.

“Correspondence”

Dundee Law Centre will not process any correspondence (email or letter) that is abusive. If communications of this nature are received, we will tell the client that their communication is considered inappropriate and offensive. The client will be asked to stop corresponding in this way and state that if they do not stop, that Dundee Law Centre may stop any further communication.

Restricting client access

Where there is a concern about the behaviour of clients that may fall within the scope of this policy, the solicitor will in the first instance ask the client in writing to modify their behaviour.

If a client’s behaviour continues to cause concern after being given an initial warning, then Dundee Law Centre will look to restrict access. This may mean that solicitor/client communication can only be carried out by telephone or in writing. If a face-to-face appointment is required, an additional staff member may have to be present.

Where a client’s behaviour is so extreme that it poses an immediate threat to the health, safety and well-being of staff, the client may not receive warning that access to Dundee Law Centre services may be restricted. Dundee Law Centre will however provide written communication of its decision to the client, where possible.

If Dundee Law Centre does decide to restrict a client’s access, it may decide to adopt one or more of the following actions (or any other action deemed appropriate):

Restrict communication to telephone or in writing only
Restrict communication to in writing only
Require a second member of staff in attendance at all closed room face-to-face meetings
Require face-to-face meetings to be conducted with an additional staff member and an open door
Terminate service with the client and refer to an alternative organisation.