“I’m very grateful for your efficiency and urgent assistance you have provided to me. My voice would not have been heard without the Human Rights Commission.” • A person complained they were discriminated against because of their tā moko13 during pre-employment training. They said the prospective employer later commented the job may not be for them. The parties met in mediation and the complaint was resolved with an apology, financial compensation, and systemic change in practice to recognise religious and cultural tattoos. Sexual harassment discrimination • An employee complained of sexual harassment against their employer. A mediation meeting resulted in the employer agreeing to review and update its process for responding to sexual harassment claims, including providing training to first responders, supervisors, and managers on best practice for handling initial complaints. • An employee complained of sexual harassment and discrimination on the grounds of their sexual orientation and disability. They said they endured months of harassment and homophobic comments in the workplace, and did not feel safe to raise complaints. They said the issues began to significantly impact their mental health, but they did not receive the level of support expected from their employer. With the risk of dismissal from their role, the employee contacted the Commission. The parties met in mediation and reached a resolution involving acknowledgment and apology, financial compensation, and sharing the outcomes with the wider organisation for the purpose of culture change. 13 14 36 Religious belief discrimination • A representative complained their family member was discriminated against because of their religious belief when they were declined entry into an event because of the ‘no headwear’ policy. The mediator resolved the complaint quickly without the need for a formal mediation. The outcomes included a written apology and a systemic change in policy to benefit all people who wear religious headwear. Sex (gender) discrimination • A person alleged their employer treated them differently compared with another male employee. The parties had tried extensive engagement before contacting the Commission but had been unable to resolve the complaint themselves. The parties met in mediation where there was an apology and agreement to continue a review into an antidiscrimination programme or policy. Dispute Resolution service satisfaction The Commission is committed to excellence in handling enquiries and complaints under the Act. Most complaints of alleged unlawful discrimination are resolved without the need for a formal mediation meeting, particularly in the private sector. We facilitated 152 mediation meetings during the year. Our mediation satisfaction survey told us that 82% of people who engaged in mediation were ‘satisfied’ or ‘very satisfied.14 While this is based on a small sample size, the results are encouraging and the Commission is working to improve the response rate so we can be more confident that results are representative of all users. Tā moko are traditional tattoos as practised by Māori. 88 surveys were sent to complainants and respondents that provided an email address. 17 responses received. Pūrongo ā-tau Annual Report 2023