When an employee contacts the Council to request assistance, a staff person or member has a preliminary discussion with the employee to assess whether the concern is within the Council’s scope and capacity to assist. Generally speaking, the Council addresses concerns related to health, safety, or environmental issues that may have the potential to cause injury or illness and may also be combined with allegations of inappropriate management reactions, such as harassment or retaliation.

The Council is not able to handle every request for assistance, and its decision not to take a case does not mean the concern is without merit. If the concern is not within the Council’s scope, the Council can provide general information about other possible avenues for assistance.

If the concern is one that the Council can help with, the staff or member that first talked with the employee briefs the full Council without revealing the employee’s name or specific work location, and the Council decides whether it will take the case.