Service Standards and Complaint Process
Purpose
The Service Standards and Complaints Process sets standards of service that you can expect, no matter who you are, when dealing with the Appeals Commission for Alberta Workers’ Compensation. This process is for complaints about the service you received from the Appeals Commission Tribunal, Advisor Office or Medical Panels Program.
Other complaints:
- If your complaint is about your Appeals Commission decision, please see the website here for more information
- If your complaint is about your experience with the medical professionals on a medical panel, please visit the website here for more information
If your complaint is about the Workers’ Compensation Board, please visit the website here for more information
Service Standards
We are committed to providing a fair, client-focused experience in keeping with our values of respect, service, integrity and accountability.
Clients and stakeholders can expect us to:
- Understand their needs
- Offer user friendly resources
- Guide them through the process
- Create a safe and respectful place to be heard
- Provide timely service
If you file a complaint, we commit to providing a fair, consistent and transparent process.
Complaints Process
A complaint can be submitted by anyone who interacts with the Appeals Commission through any of its programs.
A complaint means you are unhappy with the service you received from us. This can be something we did or did not do during your interactions with us. It can be something specific you experienced when dealing with staff or appeals commissioners or some part of the overall process you did not like.
For example, complaints can relate to:
- A professional, safe and respectful environment
- A clear process
- A timely response
- Anything else related to your experience with us
Our complaint process is set up to respond to complaints in a transparent and timely manner. When you make a complaint, we will give you a clear and understandable response.
Sometimes, this process may not be the correct place for your complaint or is not the right solution. We will let you know where to make your complaint if this happens.
If you are still waiting for your decision or some other response from the Appeals Commission when you submit a complaint, we may take longer to respond. The complaint will not be investigated until after the decision or other matter is finished. Any appeals commissioner named in the complaint will not be notified until after the decision or other matter is finished. This is to make sure your pending decision or resolution is impartial, fair and independent. Also, appeals commissioners identified in the complaint will not be assigned to matters you are involved in until the complaint is resolved.
If you want to submit a complaint, please send the details via letter or fax, attention Chief Administrative Officer or email AC.Service@gov.ab.ca with the subject “Service Complaint”. Your complaint will not be made public by the Appeals Commission.
We are always looking to improve. Your complaint may be used to improve Appeals Commission training, services, policies and procedures.
Once we receive your complaint, we will
- Direct it to the right person to respond, specifically:
- The Chief Appeals Commissioner, for the Appeals Commission Tribunal; or
- The Chief Administrative Officer, for the Appeals Commission Programs
- Ask for more information, if needed
- Meet with any staff or appeals commissioners to help us respond to your complaint
- Respond to your complaint within 30 days, unless more time is needed. We will let you know if we need more time
- Consider the complaint against the Appeals Commission’s values
- Send you a written response with reasons
- If the complaint is supported, take action, up to and including rehearing the matter
Depending on the complaint, we may change this process as needed. If we change the complaint process, we will let you know.
If you are unhappy with the response to your complaint, you can contact the Alberta Ombudsman.