You can make an equal opportunity complaint directly to the Office of the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity.

They will try to resolve your complaint through their conciliation process.

When complaints come to SACAT

Complaints will only be referred to SACAT when the Commissioner for Equal Opportunity:

• is of the opinion the matter cannot be resolved by conciliation
• has not been able to resolve the matter through conciliation
• is of the opinion that the matter should be transferred to SACAT whether a conciliation has been attempted or not
• has declined to recognise a complaint and the person making the complaint asks for it to be referred to SACAT.

What happens next

Once we receive a complaint from the Commissioner, SACAT will schedule a short directions hearing.

The purpose of the first hearing is to:

• hear from the parties about the state of the application
• determine what steps need to be taken and set a timetable for those steps to occur
• determine if the matter should go to a conference or hearing
• schedule dates for future conferences or hearings.