Complaints vs. Inquiries

The following describes the difference between a complaint and an inquiry:

Complaints

Complaints are differentiated from an “inquiry” only to the extent that the contact involves a clearly-identifiable allegation of maladministration on the part of the Agency, misconduct or inefficiency on the part of a staff member, or fraud or misconduct on the part of client or alleged client.

Inquiries

An inquiry is defined as a contact by anyone, including agency personnel, the client, the client's representative and other members of the community to:

• Give information
• Request information
• Request action.

Note: Inquiries in which the client is requesting information about his or her own case are referred to the case-carrying worker or their supervisor, if they have concerns about contacting the worker.

Related Topics

Complaints/Inquiries Objectives