If you feel that one of your rights has been violated — at work, in the healthcare system or in your dealings with a public institution — there are institutions you can contact, often free of charge. Here is who you can contact depending on the situation and what steps you can take.
Which institutions can you contact
- Labour Inspectorate / County Labour Inspectorate (ITM) — for problems involving your employment contract, salary payments, working hours, working conditions or undeclared work. You can submit a complaint to the ITM office in your county or online.
- General Inspectorate for Immigration (IGI) — for situations involving danger, exploitation or problems with your right to stay or work. The law requires the authorities to check such a report, and reporting abuse should not automatically put your visa or residence permit at risk.
- CNCD (National Council for Combating Discrimination) — for discrimination based on nationality, ethnicity, language, religion or health status (see section 5).
- Ombudsman (Avocatul Poporului) — an institution that protects the rights of everyone, including foreign citizens, in their dealings with Romanian state authorities.
- Police or Prosecutor’s Office — for acts that may be crimes: labour exploitation, human trafficking, violence or threats.
- Trade unions — if there is a trade union at your workplace, it can represent you, provide advice and support you with a complaint.
- NGOs specialising in migrant rights — many provide free legal advice and sometimes translation or mediation with an employer or authorities.
What you can do, step by step
- Document the situation — keep your employment contract, payslips, messages, photos or any other evidence related to the problem.
- If it is safe for you, first talk directly to your employer or the person involved to see whether the problem can be resolved informally.
- Submit a written complaint to the institution responsible for your problem (ITM for work issues, CNCD for discrimination, IGI for danger or exploitation, police/prosecutor for possible crimes).
- Ask for proof or a registration number for your complaint — you have the right to know that it was received and to be able to follow what happens next.
- Ask an NGO or lawyer for free support if you need help understanding the steps or writing the complaint.
- If necessary, you can also take the matter to court — some institutions, such as CNCD, may also refer the case further.
Source: Labour Inspectorate — inspectiamuncii.ro; General Inspectorate for Immigration — igi.mai.gov.ro; Ombudsman — avp.ro; CNCD — cncd.ro