Complainants may request the Commission keep their identity confidential.

• A. False
• B. True
• C. Only if the complaint is filed anonymously
• D. Never

Answer: (B)

Confidential handling of a complainant’s identity is an option many commissions provide to protect privacy and reduce the risk of retaliation. A complainant can request that their name and identifying details be kept confidential, and staff will try to honor that request to the extent allowed by policy and law. This often means redacting names in reports or limiting access to sensitive information to those who need it for processing the complaint.

However, there are limits to confidentiality. If the investigation requires revealing the complainant’s identity to gather facts, or if law, court orders, or specific agency rules require disclosure, the identity may be disclosed. The complainant may also be asked to consent to certain disclosures as part of the process. So while confidentiality is commonly possible and encouraged, it isn’t absolute in every circumstance.