Grievance Procedures Policy

Policy Statement:

The College provides each employee with a process for resolving a work-related complaint. To ensure this occurs, the College has established this grievance procedure for disputes between the College and non-union employees over work-related issues. Complaints against faculty and staff of discrimination and harassment should follow the Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures.

Faculty members not otherwise covered under the Faculty Grievance Procedure may also use this procedure. Union employee grievance procedures for disputes involving wages, hours and working conditions are provided by the contracts between the Unions and the College.

Procedures:

Step 1. In most cases, the employee should first attempt to resolve the difficulty informally by discussing it with the immediate supervisor. If the matter is not informally resolved to the employee’s satisfaction, a description of the problem should be submitted in writing to the immediate supervisor. The written complaint should include an explanation of the problem, a listing of all facts related to it, a summary of any action or attempted resolution undertaken by the employee, and a description of the desired resolution. The written complaint should be presented to the immediate supervisor with a copy to the Director of Human Resources within ten (10) working days since the last occurrence of the problem. The supervisor or his/her designee should respond orally or in writing within five (5) working days, unless more time is needed.

Step 2. If the matter is not resolved to the employee’s satisfaction at step 1, or the employee believes it is inappropriate to raise the issue with the immediate supervisor, the employee may present the grievance in writing to the Director of Human Resources within ten (10) working days after the receipt of the response from the immediate supervisor or his/her designee or the last occurrence of the problem, if step 1 was skipped. The Director of Human Resources or his/her designee may make inquiries as necessary to obtain a full understanding of the facts. The Director of Human Resources or his/her designee should respond in writing to the employee within five (5) working days after notification by the employee of his/her desire to proceed to step 2 unless more time is needed. In some cases, it may be necessary to extend the time frame in which the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee may respond in order to thoroughly investigate the facts pertaining to the grievance. In such a case, the employee should be notified of this need for extension in writing.

Discrimination and Harassment Appeal Process: When charges of discrimination and harassment are not resolved through the Discrimination and Harassment Complaint Procedures, step 3 of this grievance procedure serves as an appeal process for staff members and for students when students are the complainants. Employees shall not be discriminated against, or disciplined because they have availed themselves of this procedure.

Step 3. If the matter is not resolved to the employee’s/student’s satisfaction at step 2, the employee/student may take the matter to the third and final step. The employee/student may notify the President in writing of his/her intention to proceed to step 3 of the grievance process within five (5) working days after the receipt of the step 2 determination from the Director of Human Resources or his/her designee or an adverse determination of a discrimination or harassment complaint. The Director of Human Resources should receive a copy of such notification. The Director of Human Resources will provide the President with a copy of the employee’s written grievance and a statement regarding the Director’s efforts to resolve the grievance at step 2, or the record of the discrimination or harassment investigation and determination. The President or his/her designee may make inquiries as necessary to obtain a full understanding of the facts surrounding the grievance. The President or his/her designee should give a written decision within fifteen (15) working days following notification to proceed to step 3 unless more time is needed. This decision shall be final and binding on all parties.

In some cases, it may be necessary to extend the time frame in which the President or his/her designee may reply in order to thoroughly investigate the facts pertaining to the grievance. In such a case, the employee/student should be notified in writing of the extension.

If the employee fails to initiate the grievance procedure or advance the matter through the steps within the specified time limits, s/he generally forfeits the grievance and the determination of the matter by the College is final.