Ombudsman Standards

When it investigates a state agency, the Office of the Ombudsman uses written standards to determine whether the complaint against the agency is justified. State law (AS 24.55.150) empowers the ombudsman to investigate 16 types of inappropriate actions by state agencies. The ombudsman developed definitions for all 16 based on statute, case law, and administrative best practices. These definitions are called standards because ombudsman investigators measure agency actions against them. Click on any of the 16 in the list below to see its definition.

• Unreasonable
  
• Unfair
• Contrary to Law
• Performed Inefficiently
• Based on a Mistake of Fact
• An Abuse of Discretion
• Arbitrary
• Unsupported by an Adequate Statement of Reasons
• Performed Discourteously
• Unnecessarily Disriminatory
• Oppressive
• Capricious
• Based on Improper Grounds
• Based on Irrelevant Grounds
• No Grounds for Agency Action
• Otherwise Erroneous