Have you experienced harassment or discrimination in the workplace? We are here for you.
Contact via email:
You can reach us via the general e-mail address ombudspeople(at)vbc.ac.at or the personal e-mail address of the respective Ombuds person.
Viktoria Lanthier, our occupational psychologist, is also available as an external ombudsperson. To make an appointment, please contact v.monshi(at)vitalpsychologie.at
You can contact any Ombudsperson you feel comfortable talking to, internal or external.
Ombudspeople
The VBC has trained Ombudspeople who provide informal, confidential advice and information to staff and students on issues related to bullying, harassment, and sexual misconduct. All Ombudspeople are members of staff who volunteer to work to provide advice. If you feel you or someone you know is experiencing or has experienced bullying, harassment, sexual harassment or discrimination, you can contact any ombudsperson from the list below, regardless of your affiliation, and regardless of theirs. Ombudspeople are also available to staff who have been accused of bullying, harassment, sexual harassment, or discrimination.
- In the event of a "conflict of interest" with one of the ombudspersons, it is recommended to contact the external ombudsperson.
- The Ombudsperson provides independent, confidential, and informal support.
- The Ombudsperson holds all communications with those seeking assistance in strict confidence among ombudspeople and does not disclose confidential communications unless given permission to do so. The only exception to this privilege of confidentiality is when an involved party’s safety is in serious danger.
- The Ombudsperson, as an informal resource, does not participate in any formal adjudicative or administrative procedure related to concerns brought to their attention.
Case Flowchart
- Confidential discussions to listen to your concerns or inquiries.
- Help in identifying and evaluating your options, and deciding which option makes the most sense for you.
- Help with addressing issues that you are reluctant to raise within regular channels.
- Only upon request, active involvement in resolving problems and speaking with relevant parties in order to do so.
- Facilitating resolutions to disputes.
- Upon request, assisting with identifying a suitable mediator.
- Keeping a record of your case.
- Including your case anonymized in the ombudsperson report, thereby alerting management to systemic trends and issues that give rise to conflict.
They will not act as your personal advocate.
They do not make decisions about whether bullying or harassment has occurred.
They will not maintain confidentiality if they believe that there is risk of harm to you or other
They do not provide psychological counseling or crisis intervention. You can contact:
Kriseninterventionszentrum: every day between 10 and 17h
Social psychiatric emergency service (Psychosozialer Notdienst)
- Tel Nr: (01) 31330 (available 24/7)
- https://psd-wien.at/einrichtung/sozialpsychiatrischer-notdienst
Psychological counseling for students
- Lederergasse 35, 4th Floor, 1080 Vienna
- Phone: +43 (0)1-402 30 91
- Email: psychologische.studentenberatung(at)univie.ac.at
- Web: http://www.studierendenberatung.at/en
- Opening Hours: Monday through Friday 9:00am – 12:00noon, 1:00pm – 3:00pm (On Tuesdays, only available in the afternoon
Social services hotline for Vienna (Sozialruf der Stadt Wien)
- If you would like to speak to a social worker about problems you are facing in your life, contact the social services hotline for Vienna.
- Phone: +43 1 53377 77
- Email: sozialruf(at)m47.magwien.gv.at
- Opening Hours: daily from 8:00am – 8:00pm
Other resources:
- Psyonline.at (information around psychotherapy)
- Telefonseelsorge: www.telefonseelsorge.at, Tel: 142
