Step 1: Complaint Inquiry
- APPI’s registrar will ask the parties if they would agree to “mediation” to work towards a resolution outside of the formal and written complaint process.
Step 2: Formal Written Complaint
- Formal complaints of alleged professional misconduct made to APPI must be in writing, and signed by an identified complainant (or complainants). The Institute cannot receive anonymous complaints.
- Any formal complaint must identify the member (or members), and should provide sufficient specificity regarding the alleged misconduct and be further supported by additional information or evidence, to enable the Institute to be able to reasonably undertake the review of the complaint. The only documentation that can be considered when determining to proceed with a hearing on a complaint before APPI, are the materials submitted by the complainant and the documents submitted by the member named in response to the complaint.
- Where possible, any formal complaint should attempt to cite or identify the section (or sections) of the Code that the allegation(s) relate to. Prospective complainants are strongly encouraged to review and consider the Code when considering a formal complaint.
Step 3: Complaint Review by APPI Discipline Committee Designate
- As part of its duty to serve the public interest and uphold the Code, the Institute must undertake an initial review into any formal complaint, at a minimum. The receipt of a formal complaint and initiation of an initial review does not reflect the Institute's support of or agreement with the merits of any particular complaint. The process will ultimately determine the merits (if any) of a complaint.
Step 4: Decision by the APPI Discipline Committee Designate to either:
- dismiss a complaint that is found frivolous or vexatious
- refer the complaint to a Tribunal of the APPI Discipline Committee for a formal hearing
Notes:
- The complaint process, and specifically the Professional and Occupational Associations Registration Act neither obligates, nor gives APPI any authority to investigate or pursue testimony from anyone other than the complainant and the member named in the complaint.
- At any point during the process, the member named may request a consent discussion towards taking responsibility for the allegations in the complaint. Any agreement negotiated is documented in a Consent Order which shall include an admission of professional misconduct and the agreed to sanctions. The Consent Order must be ratified by a Tribunal of the APPI Discipline Committee, via a Consent Hearing. If the Discipline Committee does not accept the Consent Order, the matter proceeds to a formal hearing.
- APPI Council is the appeal body on a complaint that is dismissed, via the preliminary review or via a formal hearing process.
- Once the Discipline Committee makes a discipline decision, APPI informs all parties involved. APPI ensures that all sanctions and orders are carried out and will include publication of a summary of the decision on a named or no-named basis.