Not all employment conflicts are the same, and therefore they should not all be handled in the same way. This is why the World Bank Group offers staff different types of services to assist in the resolution of their concerns, from the informal (Respectful Workplace Advisors, Ombuds Services and Mediation) to the formal (Peer Review Services and Administrative Tribunal).

The Conflict Resolution System has an “open door” policy that gives staff direct access to its units, offering them multiple points of entry without unnecessary restrictions. Faced with multiple options, it is not uncommon that staff ask: where do I start?

Start informal:
The best advice is to start with the most informal services, so speak with your Respectful Workplace Advisor or one of the Ombudsman.

Why start here?
Two reasons. First, RWAs and the Ombudsman practice strict confidentiality. You can speak to them and be assured that they will not discuss your case with anyone. It won’t go in your personnel file, they won’t speak with your manager, and they won’t report your concerns to another CRS office. You remain in control of what happens with your concerns.

Second, you can obtain advice from an RWA or Ombudsman about all of the other conflict resolution services and then decide whether you want to use one of the other offices, or none at all. Either way, you will have benefitted from the advice of someone who is knowledgeable about the different CRS services and can explain how they work.

But note: Confidentiality works both ways. Speaking to an RWA or the Ombudsman does not “put the organization on notice” of your concerns because both the RWA and the Ombudsman are bound to maintain confidentiality and will not discuss your concerns with anyone else unless expressly authorized to do so.

Can I go to the wrong place?
Not really. If you go first to Peer Review Services or Mediation, the staff there can also explain to you the different options that you have to pursue your concerns. Often, Peer Review Services will refer cases to mediation to see if they can be settled before they go to a hearing. So, CRS personnel can suggest to staff that they might benefit from starting at a different service, at least as a first option.

The only place where it is not appropriate to start is the Administrative Tribunal, with a few limited exceptions. Typically, staff are required to file a matter with Peer Review Services before they can take a case to the Administrative Tribunal. But termination cases, misconduct cases, and cases challenging the validity or implementation of a memorandum of understanding may be filed directly with the Administrative Tribunal without going to Peer Review Services first.

What if I want to report misconduct by a staff member?
The Office of Ethics and Business Conduct is the appropriate place to report allegations of staff misconduct, except for allegations of fraud or corruption, which should be reported to the Integrity Vice Presidency.

How do I get advice about possible conflicts of interest?
The Office of Ethics and Business Conduct responds to questions about potential conflicts of interest.

What about deadlines?
Be aware that staff have 120 days from receiving notice of the decision, action, or inaction that they wish to challenge to file a request for peer review with Peer Review Services. Consulting an RWA or the Ombudsman does not stop the clock from ticking on this deadline. Similarly, for cases that may be filed directly with the Administrative Tribunal, staff have 120 days to file an application with the Tribunal from the date of the occurrence of the event that the staff member is appealing. Requesting mediation of the dispute will stop the clock ticking on Peer Review Services cases, but not on Tribunal cases unless a stay is requested and then granted by the Tribunal.