Procedure for filing a complaint
Each natural and legal person shall have the right to file a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson concerning a violation of equal rights.
The complaints shall be submitted in writing. The complainant or an authorised representative can file a complaint with the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson by:
- post (S. Konarskis st. 35, Lt-03123 Vilnius). Discrimination Complaint Form;
- email (lygybe@lygybe.lt);
- filling in the electronic complaint form;
- delivering the written complaint directly to the registry of the Office of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson (S. Konarskis st. 35, Lt-03123 Vilnius). Discrimination Complaint Form.
Anonymous complaints are not investigated, unless the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson decides otherwise.
A complaint shall be filed within three months from the date of the decision or action against which the complaint is filed. Complaints filed after the expiry of this time limit are not examined, unless the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson decides otherwise.
Before filing a complaint it is essential to assess if the provided information is attributed to the competence of the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson: has the experienced discrimination been based on grounds of discrimination as provisioned by laws and have the contested actions happened in one of the forbidden discrimination domains (see picture below).
A complaint must contain the following:
- the addressee – the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson;
- the complainant’s forename and surname (or the name of the institution); address of residence (or address of the institution), email address, phone number, fax number (if applicable); also, if a complaint is filed by complainant’s authorised representative, representative’s forename and surname, email address, phone number, fax number (if applicable);
- the names of the institutions or the forenames and surnames of the persons against whom the complaint is filed, their functions and the institution in which they are employed; if known, their email addresses, phone and fax numbers;
- certain contested action (inaction), administrative act or decision as well as date, time and circumstances of its execution (adoption);
- circumstances on which the complainant founds its claim and corroborative evidence, forenames, surnames and addresses of residence of witnesses as well as place of other evidence;
- an application to the Equal Opportunities Ombudsperson;
- the date of writing the complaint and the complainant’s signature.
If a complaint is submitted by an authorised representative, written authorisation shall be attached to the complaint as prescribed by laws.
The following may be attached to the complaint:
- a copy of the contested administrative act or decision;
- the available evidence and its description.
Failure to adhere to the requirements for a complaint or failure to provide the particulars may not serve as a basis for refusal to examine the complaint.