Who is the Ombudsman?
The NCUA Ombudsman is appointed by the NCUA Chairman to facilitate better stakeholder understanding of NCUA’s processes and more effective resolution of issues. The Ombudsman does not have authority to overturn agency decisions.
What does the NCUA Ombudsman do?
The Ombudsman offers opportunities to ensure a transparent, equitable, and fair process when interacting with NCUA, by:
- Receiving and answering inquiries from the public
- Conducting independent reviews
- Assisting with information requests
- Defining options for informal resolution
- Performing Outreach (external stakeholders) In-reach (internal stakeholders)
- Making recommendations to the Executive Director and Board of Directors
How can the Ombudsman help?
Inquiries
- The Ombudsman welcomes the opportunity to answer questions or receive feedback about NCUA rulemakings, regulations, policies, and related activities. DISPUTE
Resolution
- The Ombudsman informally assists with complaints from credit unions, consumers, trade groups and other stakeholders about NCUA process issues.
- We also facilitate communication amongst parties and help explore options for solutions. The Ombudsman does not address matters in litigation.
Referrals
- The Ombudsman refers stakeholders to the appropriate NCUA Office that provides direct assistance for an applicable inquiry.
Recommendations
- The Ombudsman makes recommendations to the NCUA Board based on systemic issues, to ensure transparency and fairness within agency processes.
What are the Ombudsman Standards of Practice?
- Impartial - The Ombudsman remains objective in the treatment of people and issues and does not act as an advocate for any party.
- Confidential - The Ombudsman takes reasonable steps to maintain confidentiality of communications.
- Independent - The Ombudsman is independent from NCUA program offices and reports to the NCUA Board.
How do you contact the Office of the Ombudsman?
Visit NCUA’s Contact Us page for information about how to contact the Office of the Ombudsman.
What is the Ombudsman’s role in the Post Exam Survey?
The post examination survey establishes a mechanism to solicit feedback directly from federal credit unions and Examiner-In-Charge (EICs) about their views of the NCUA’s examination processes. The survey is administered by a third party vendor and the NCUA Ombudsman collects results to provide aggregate survey data to NCUA leadership.