Complaints Policy
NAATI is committed to providing a quality service as part of its mission to set and maintain high national standards for the translating and interpreting sector. Feedback is an important part of reviewing NAATI’ policies and processes and maintaining and improving NAATI’s standards and performance.
NAATI invites feedback in the form of comments or complaints about the services provided by NAATI, and certain complaints about translators or interpreters certified by NAATI, endorsed language service providers (LSPs) and endorsed qualification providers.
This policy is intended to:
- provide guidance on how NAATI handles complaints; and
- ensure that NAATI handles complaints fairly, efficiently and effectively.
What is a complaint?
- dissatisfaction with NAATI’s services, service delivery and any other performance matters relating to NAATI or its staff;
- allegations of a serious breach of the relevant Code of Ethics (AUSIT, ASLITA or NZSTI) by a NAATI-certified translator or interpreter;
- allegations of a breach by a NAATI-endorsed LSP relating to their requirements for endorsement, including but not limited to any breach of the LSP Code of Conduct; and
- allegations of a breach by a NAATI-endorsed qualification provider relating to their requirements for endorsement.
Other complaints
You should contact the business directly or consumer affairs or fair trade in your state or territory or country of residence. NAATI cannot resolve complaints relating to other businesses.
If you have undertaken a NAATI test and are dissatisfied with your test results, you may request a paid review of your test results through your myNAATI account. Dissatisfaction with results is not grounds for complaint and NAATI will not enter into correspondence about test or assessment results outside of this process.
Making a complaint
If this is not possible you can make an appointment with a NAATI office where staff can record your complaint in writing or via a video call.
Complaints can be made confidentially but this may prevent us from investigating and resolving the complaint. NAATI will not normally investigate complaints that are based on hearsay or do not contain specific information or evidence. If we need more information to support the resolution of your complaint, we will contact you to discuss further.
How does NAATI treat complaints?
- Accessibility: NAATI aims to have an easy-to-use complaints process.
- Confidentiality: NAATI will protect the identity of people making complaints where this is practical and appropriate. Personal information that identifies individuals will only be disclosed by NAATI as permitted under the relevant privacy laws and any other relevant confidentiality obligations.
- Fairness: Complaints will be considered fairly and handled in accordance with NAATI’s core values of respect, integrity and professionalism. Importantly, where a complaint is made against a NAATI staff member, the complaint will not be handled by that staff member.
- Responsiveness: NAATI will keep the complainant informed of progress in relation to the investigation of the complaint.
- Efficiency: NAATI aims to resolve complaints as efficiently and promptly as possible.
- Integration: Complaints reporting forms part of NAATI’s review of its procedures and policies.
What happens after I make my complaint?
- send you a written acknowledgement (via email) that we have received your complaint
- identify whether:
- NAATI is the most appropriate organisation to handle the complaint or whether it should be referred elsewhere, and/or
- there is a need to gather more information before responding to the complaint; and
- classify the severity of your complaint according to the categories listed below.
If we believe we cannot resolve the complaint within the specified resolution timeframe, we will provide an estimate of when the complaint might be resolved.
Where disciplinary proceedings occur following a complaint, NAATI will ensure procedural fairness is accorded to that person or organisation. In most cases, NAATI will not provide details to the complainant of exactly what disciplinary action is taken – only that NAATI is satisfied the matter is resolved.
The dropdowns below details the categories used to classify complaints and our timeframes for resolving them.
A Level 1 complaint is a complaint that can be resolved by reference to NAATI’s own records and does not need any further investigation.
Examples include:
- NAATI policy (e.g. when refund requests must be refused)
- Recertification criteria or process
- Test date or application assessment waiting periods
- Test conditions (e.g. background noise in test room)
- Outcome of an application for endorsement of an LSP or qualification
- Minor complaints about NAATI (e.g. delays in responding to emails)
Resolution timeframe: within 15 business days.
A Level 2 complaint requires NAATI to undertake additional investigative steps. These may include:
• revisiting previous action taken by NAATI
• informing a certified translator or interpreter about the complaint and seeking their response
• assessing the conduct of a translator or interpreter against the AUSIT, NZSTI, or ASLITA Code of Ethics, and/or
• considering whether there is a need to make any changes to NAATI practices and procedures.
Examples include:
Conduct of an endorsed qualification institution
• Conduct of an endorsed LSP
• Quality of services provided by a certified translator or interpreter
• Unethical conduct by NAATI or a NAATI-certified translator or interpreter
• Invalidation of a test or application
Resolution timeframe: within 60 business days.
A Level 3 complaint is a complaint where the issues are of such seriousness that they:
- warrant the involvement in the investigation of senior executive managers of NAATI
- require the appointment of an external investigator
- require referral to an external agency (e.g. Australian Federal Police, Department of Home Affairs), and/or
- require disciplinary action such as suspension or revocation of NAATI credentials.
Examples include:
- Complaint alleging illegal conduct, or multiple instances of unprofessional conduct, by a NAATI-certified translator or interpreter, endorsed LSP or endorsed qualification provider
- Significant misconduct by NAATI or its examiners or reviewers (e.g. racial discrimination, significant conflict of interest)
Resolution timeframe: within 100 business days.
What if I am not satisfied with NAATI's response?
If you have made a complaint and are dissatisfied with the outcome of NAATI’s review of your complaint, you may seek an external review of NAATI’s decision by contacting the relevant regulatory body.
What does NAATI do once a complaint has been resolved?
NAATI maintains a register of complaints that is regularly analysed by senior management to monitor trends, measure the quality of our services, and make improvements. Reports on complaints are provided to the NAATI Board for review at least annually. NAATI is committed to continuous improvement and will implement appropriate changes arising from NAATI’s analysis of complaints data and continual monitoring of NAATI’s handling of complaints.
Where a complaint has been made by a certified translator or interpreter, NAATI may also record information about the outcome of the complaint on NAATI’s other operational systems (including our credentialing management system). This information is not publicly accessible.
Policy review
This policy will be reviewed every three years in accordance with the NAATI Schedule of Policies or as often as required. Any changes to this policy must be approved by the Board.