General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG) Complaints Office
The AGG Complaints Office at HAW Hamburg is responsible for accepting complaints regarding discrimination, harassment and violence. The basis of its work is the General Act on Equal Treatment (Allgemeine Gleichbehandlungsgesetz, AGG).
It accepts complaints regarding discrimination based on one or more protected characteristics as outlined in the AGG, reviews these complaints, and communicates recommendations for measures or sanctions to the appropriate organisational unit when an incident is considered to represent discrimination pursuant to the AGG.
The AGG Complaints Office serves a review function only. It can therefore be worthwhile to seek support from HAW Hamburg's counselling and support services both before and during the complaints process.
The AGG Complaints Office is obligated to maintain confidentiality. As part of the investigation of a complaint, the AGG Complaints Office may consult with counselling and support services/organisations and other experts if necessary.
Who is entitled to submit a complaint?
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All HAW Hamburg students, employees and doctoral students have the right to submit a complaint to the AGG Complaints Office regarding discrimination, harassment or violence.
The following groups are also entitled to submit complaints: sessional instructors, tutors, guest professors, honorary senators, senior professors, retired professors, retired HAW employees, guest auditors, members of the University Council and external members of appointment committees.
Additionally, third parties have the right to submit complaints if they have experienced discrimination, harassment or violence on university property. Third parties include, for example, cleaning and security staff, visitors at events, and staff from Studierendenwerk Hamburg.
On what grounds can I submit a complaint?
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Discrimination on the following grounds is forbidden at HAW Hamburg:
- Ethnic background, citizenship and racist ascriptions
- Gender identity (including trans and intersex individuals)
- Religion and worldview
- Disability and chronic illness
- Age
- Sexual orientation
Where can I submit my complaint?
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Students can submit complaints to:
aggbeschwerdestelle (dot) studierende (@) haw-hamburg.de
Employees can submit complaints to:
aggbeschwerdestelle (dot) beschaeftigte (@) haw-hamburg.de
How do I submit my complaint?
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Please submit your complaint in writing per email to the appropriate AGG Complaints Office. Your complaint should describe the incident in detail and list possible witnesses and evidence. In addition, you should provide information about what other people have been informed of the incident and whether measures have already been initiated in response.
If it is not possible to submit your complaint in writing, you can make an appointment with the AGG Complaints Office to submit your complaint verbally. The AGG Complaints Office will then take down your complaint in writing.
The person submitting the complaint has the right to withdraw their complaint or to request the suspension of the complaints process at any time.
Important: In cases of imminent danger, all counselling and support services are obligated to act to prevent such danger (e.g. by contacting the police, informing the Executive Board).
Please note: There is no deadline for submitting your complaint, unless you as the complainant would like to keep open the possibility of legal action pursuant to the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG). In this case you need to submit your complaint to the AGG Complaints Office within two months.
How does the complaints procedure work?
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The HAW Hamburg complaints procedure consists of up to four elements (depending on the case):
- Submission of the complaint to the AGG Complaints Office: The complaint must be submitted in writing, or made verbally at the AGG Complaints Office and taken down in writing.
- Review of the complaint by the AGG Complaints Office: The Complaints Office determines whether the facts of the case constitute discrimination under the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG).
- Recommendation regarding further action: If the Complaints Office considers the facts of the case to constitute discrimination, it will submit this finding together with a recommendation for further action to the responsible parties (e.g. supervisor, Executive Board, dean). The measures and sanctions recommended are intended to serve as guidance for the implementation of measures and sanctions by the responsible parties. The complainant will also be informed of the result of the evaluation.
- Internal evaluation of the complaint process
Please note: There is no deadline for submitting your complaint, unless you as the complainant would like to keep open the possibility of legal action pursuant to the General Act on Equal Treatment (AGG). In this case you need to submit your complaint to the AGG Complaints Office within two months.
