Classification and referral exercises

1. Regulatory Concept & Core Standards

In this video we will consolidate a skill: justify triage decisions where information is incomplete. Use the case to test what you would do in a similar situation. We will explain the proposed response step by step so that you can understand each choice and recognise when more information would be needed. Initial classification selects the appropriate procedure without prematurely deciding the allegation. The course combines scope, urgency, preservation and impartial assignment. Referral requires a proper basis and limits information to what the recipient needs.

Good triage depends on consistent criteria, not identical answers for every case. A sound record sets out the subject, gaps, risks and reasons for referral. A decision may be provisional. Revising a classification when new facts emerge demonstrates diligence, provided the change is explained.

Apply the following rule: External reports may be submitted to the Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich, the Commissioner for Human Rights, or the competent public authority. Prior internal reporting is unnecessary. The Commissioner receives reports, conducts an initial assessment and forwards them where appropriate. The RPO portal explains that anonymous reports are accepted only exceptionally, considering the importance of the case and public interest.

2. Practical Implementation & Procedure

Assess three communications: a scheduling dispute, possible bid manipulation and an anonymous message without facts. For each, choose clarification, verification, referral or another reasoned decision under national law. Falling outside whistleblower protection does not remove possible obligations under other rules. Record the reason and limits of available information. Before moving on, turn this procedure into a sequence you could explain to a colleague. Identify the first check, the action that depends on its outcome and the record that allows the decision to be reconstructed. Follow the sequence on screen and identify the point where an error would change the result.

3. Case Study & Compliance Action

The channel receives a customer complaint, a procurement corruption concern and threats against a reporting person. The team assesses each separately and protects the information. Now read the case carefully. Separate established facts from information you would still need to confirm. Do not add motives or events that have not been described. This distinction matters when choosing a response proportionate to the information available.

The exercise is as follows: Does one folder shared with every department ensure proper referral? Choose an answer and write one sentence explaining it. During the pause, compare your choice with the criteria we have just considered. Also think about the material you would retain to explain the decision later.

It may disclose unnecessary information. Referral requires a specific recipient, basis and necessary scope, with a recorded decision.

One mistake to avoid is: treating the first assigned category as irreversible.

Now apply the national rule to a second decision. An advice webpage is listed as the sole destination for every report. What check is missing?

Check the recipient’s role and competence. RPO, competent public authorities, police and advisers do not have identical functions. Find the current dedicated route. An external report does not require prior internal reporting. Public disclosure needs a separate Article 51 assessment.