HFI’s Removal of Membership, Complaints and Appeals Process
- Any complaints regarding the behaviour of members of the directory should be lodged in writing with the Secretary.
- Any person that is the subject of a written complaint or appeal shall be notified of the procedures to be followed by the relevant committee in reasonable time to prepare for any hearing.
- The Committee shall appoint a complaints sub-committee (“Complaints Sub-Committee”) who will meet to hear complaints within [21] days of a complaint being lodged. Any person requested to attend a Complaints Sub-Committee shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The Complaints Sub-Committee has the power to take appropriate disciplinary action on behalf of the Committee, including the termination of membership or exclusion from the online directory.
- The outcome of the disciplinary hearing shall be put in writing to the person who lodged the complaint and the person against whom the complaint was made within [14] days following the hearing.
- There shall be a right of appeal within 14 days of receipt of the disciplinary decision or decision to refuse membership:
- against the Complaints Sub-Committee’s findings or the sanction imposed or both; and
- against the Committee’s refusal to admit a new member In either case, the Committee shall appoint an appeals committee (“Appeals Committee”).
The Appeals Committee shall have a maximum of three members which shall not include members involved with the initial disciplinary hearing but may include non-members of the HFI Advocacy Group. The Appeals Committee shall consider the appeal within [21] days of the Secretary receiving the appeal. The individual who submitted the appeal shall be entitled to be accompanied by a friend or other representative and to call witnesses. The decision of the Appeals Committee shall be final and binding on all parties.