The Equality Ombudsman (DO) is a Government authority against discrimination and for equal rights and opportunities for everyone. The authority is also tasked with supervising compliance with the Discrimination Act. The Equality Ombudsman is a supervisory authority and hence, responsible for making certain that KI (and other educational institutions) operates in compliance with the Discrimination Act. The title ‘Equality Ombudsman’ refers both to the authority itself and its Director.

You can submit a complaint to DO about:

having experienced discrimination
having been subjected to reprisals (punishment)
having been disadvantaged in connection with parental leave
an employer or education provider having failed in their efforts to prevent discrimination (active measures)

The information or complaint that is received by DO is important to their efforts to tackle discrimination. With the help of the information received, DO can identify problems within various parts of society where they need to take action in order to drive improvements, provide guidance and increase knowledge about risks of discrimination, or where DO need to take action in order to influence legislation. The received information and complaints is not primarily used to resolve situations for individual people. The information may be included in what is known as a supervisory investigation and, in a limited number of cases, lead to court proceedings. Only a small proportion of the information and complaints received lead to investigations and decisions or end up being brought before the Court.

If you have been discriminated against, you can contact your union if your question concerns working life. According to the law, the union has the right to represent its members in discrimination cases and in cases involving disadvantages related to parental leave.

You can make a complaint to the Equal Ombudsman if you think that

you or someone else has been subjected to discrimination or retaliation
you have been disadvantaged in connection with parental leave
an employer or education provider has not fulfilled its obligation to investigate and implement measures against harassment or sexual harassment
an employer or education provider has failed to promote equal rights and opportunities or does not do enough to prevent harassment and sexual harassment
the work methods or practices used by an employer may lead to discrimination.

Prohibition of reprisals

You can also make a complaint if you think that you have been subjected to so-called reprisals, for example, if you are punished for:

making a complaint about discrimination
participating in an investigation into discrimination
pointing out that someone is violating the Discrimination Act
rejected or given in (agreed to against their will) to harassment or sexual harassment

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Submit information and complaints DO