University of North Carolina Ombuds Reports Continued Case Growth

UNC Ombuds Wayne Blair and Laurie Mesibov are reporting increased traffic to their office during the past year. This increase follows a a four-fold increase in cases in the prior year.

Blair attributes the demand for Ombuds service to higher stress levels among employees because of the threat of job loss. (UNC saw its state funding cut about 5% for 2010-11, on top of a 10% cut last year.) Not only are there more cases, Blair said, but they have become more complicated and involve more people over a longer period of time.  Blair established the UNC Ombuds Office in 2005.  (UNC University Gazette, Budget Info.)

Related posts: University of North Carolina Ombuds: Employee Visits Up Fourfold; 2009 ACR Conference Features Ombuds; Study Shows Ombuds Mitigate Hidden Costs of Downsizing.