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STAFF EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES (WITH PROVISION FOR CERTAIN HOURLY EMPLOYEES) | No. 3-31 | Rev. 10-6-87 |
| Date 8-17-77 | |||
I. PURPOSE
To ensure fair treatment for non-faculty staff members who seek to resolve work-related
grievances.
II. REFERENCES
PPM 3-32, Discrimination Complaint
PPM 3-14, Hourly Employment (Non-Teaching Personnel)
PPM 3-2, Personnel Definitions
III. DEFINITIONS
A. Staff Member
A classified or professional/administrative employee in a non-faculty position who
receives compensation for work or services from funds controlled by the institution,
regardless of the source of the funds, the duties of the position, the amount of
compensation paid or the percent of time worked.
B. Employment Grievance
A grievance concerning interpretation or application of personnel policies or
practices, working conditions, employee-supervisor relationships, termination or
non-retention or other personnel matters. Grievances filed under this policy are to relate
to non-faculty employment. Staff members who hold tenure from previous faculty employment
may choose to file grievance under Section 9 of the Policy and Procedures Manual if the
personnel action in question affects that tenure status. If the personnel action in
question does not affect the tenure status, it will be regarded as a "staff"
issue and will be dealt with under PPM 3-31. In the case of a Section 9 grievance, no
action will be taken under PPM 3-31.
C. Final and Binding Decision
A final administrative decision. The complainant cannot take the matter any further
administratively.
D. Final and Binding Decision-Maker
The president of Weber State University.
E. Immediate or First-Level Supervisor or Supervision
The lowest level of exempt salaried supervision of the employee as defined in the Fair
Labor Standards Act and Department of Labor regulations.
F. Office of Personnel Administration
That office or individual charged with the administration and record maintenance of
personnel matters, or such other person as may be specially designated by the institution
president to administer the grievance procedures of this policy.
G. Personnel Relations Committee
A committee established by institutional policy with membership from the staff,
administration and faculty as a cross section of the college or University community. Such
members are to be selected for their objectivity and fairness in personnel matters and
will serve staggered terms. Where possible, a chair is selected who has knowledge of
general employment practices, with perhaps a background in business, law or social work.
IV. POLICY
A. Problems or complaints involving a claim of discrimination on the basis of race,
color, national origin, religion, sex, age, handicap or veteran's status are processed
through the provisions of PPM 3-32.
B. Staff members should first attempt to resolve employment grievances through informal
discussions with their immediate supervision. A staff member may contact the Office of
Personnel administration to assist in the informal resolution of the problem. Employees
may not be subjected to intimidation or reprisal for assertion of the employment
grievance.
1. A staff member may be accompanied by a friend, fellow employee or relative during
informal discussions of an employment grievance.
2. If a staff member insists on representation in the informal process by an employee
organization representative, legal counsel or other similar professional, the institution
may either proceed with the meeting between the staff member, such representative and the
first level supervision, or determine that the parties should proceed directly with the
formal employment grievance review process.
C. A formal employment grievance review process is available to all staff members who
are not satisfied with the results of an informal discussion. A staff member has the right
to be accompanied by another employee or a person of his or her choice during the formal
grievance process. Employees may not be subjected to intimidation or reprisal for
initiating a formal grievance review.
D. Staff members still within the initial 90-day probationary period and hourly wage
employees and hourly student employees have access to the employment grievance policy up
to and including formal Step 2 in V, B, 2 above. The Step 2 solution becomes the final
binding decision for such employees.
E. The Office of Personnel administration serves in an advisory capacity with respect
to procedural questions which may be asserted by either the complainant or the supervisor.
The Personnel representative designated by the Office of Personnel administration monitors
the employment grievance procedure and gives particular attention to the avoidance of
unreasonable delays at each level of the process.
F. If any steps provided for in V, B, 2 above. are impractical for any reason, the
Office of Personnel administration, normally after consultation with the staff member, may
prescribe an alternative process which, to the maximum practicable degree, assures to the
aggrieved staff member the fair and adequate consideration of the problem or complaint
provided, however, that a staff member's right to a hearing before the Personnel Relations
Committee is not denied nor abridged.
G. Reasonable time off with pay during scheduled working hours are provided to the
employee, the employee's representative, or any witnesses called to give information, for
time spent participating in proceedings leading to resolution of the complaint. Time spent
by the employee or representative in such activities outside scheduled working hours is
non-compensable. Neither time-off with pay nor compensation is provided for time or money
spent in preparation for such proceedings.
H. A proposed resolution of a complaint that involves an exception to an applicable
institutional policy or regulation requires the prior approval of the supervising vice
president.
I. Time limits provided for the conduct of the grievance procedure are guidelines and
may be extended by (1) mutual agreement between the Office of Personnel administration and
the aggrieved employee or (2) extraordinary circumstances that make it inadvisable or
impossible to meet the time limits. Time limits stated refer to normal work days.
V. PROCEDURE
A. Informal Review
1. All persons involved in an employment grievance should attempt to resolve their
differences in an informal manner at the lowest level of supervision.
2. To facilitate the informal settlement of the grievance, staff members and
supervisors are encouraged to discuss with the Office of Personnel administration, on an
informal basis, any employment problems or questions pertaining to personnel policy and
practice.
3. The complaint should be presented orally by the staff member to his or her immediate
supervisor within twenty (20) days of the event of action prompting the grievance. If the
matter cannot be prudently discussed or resolved with the immediate supervisor, an
exception to this procedure may be approved by the Office of Personnel administration.
B. Formal Review
1. A formal complaint is filed in writing by a staff member when the issue cannot be
resolved through informal discussions.
2. The following steps, procedures and time limits shall be observed by the aggrieved
staff member and by administrative personnel in processing a formal review of the
complaint:
Step 1
The immediate supervisor has seven (7) days from the last informal review or discussion
with the aggrieved staff member to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement. If by that
time a mutually satisfactory agreement cannot be reached, then the aggrieved staff member
may refer the grievance, including the remedy sought, to the next level of supervision by
putting it in writing and delivering it to the appropriate office within an additional
seven (7) days. The second-level supervisor should normally schedule a meeting in which
the staff member and first level supervisor are present. The second-level supervisor
conducts the meeting in a manner deemed beneficial in determining the facts. Both the
employee and supervisor should be allowed to bring witnesses on their behalf if so
desired. The employee and first-level supervision should bring forth all known material
facts relevant to the events or occurrences complained of. A written decision by the
second-level supervisor is given to the aggrieved staff member within seven (7) days of
receipt of the written grievance or the Step 1 meeting, if one is held. Copies of the
written grievance with the remedy sought, and the decision are forwarded to the Office of
Personnel administration.
Step 2
If the second-level supervisor's decision resulting from Step 1 is not satisfactory to
the aggrieved staff member, he or she personally reviews the case, within seven (7) days
of receipt of such decision, with the Office of Personnel administration or with the
person specially designated by the institution president to hear Step 2 employment
grievances.
The Office of Personnel administration or the person designated by the institution
president to hear Step 2 employment grievances within seven (7) days of the personal
review with the aggrieved employee, prepares a written summary of the issues, and a
proposed solution.
This is the final and binding decision for a grievance of a part-time, temporary or
probationary staff member. The solution is deemed acceptable by the staff member and his
or her supervisor unless written notice to the contrary is received by the Office of
Personnel administration in accordance with Step 3 procedures.
Step 3
If the staff member or other party to the grievance is not satisfied with the solution
proposed as per Step 2, the dissatisfied party respond to the Office of Personnel
administration in writing within seven (7) days, setting forth the reasons why the
proposed solution is not acceptable. The Office of Personnel administration, within three
(3) days, refers the case to the Personnel Relations Committee chair. The Personnel
Relations Committee schedules hearings on the case within a reasonable time, generally
twenty (20 days) except in unusual circumstances. Each party to the complaint is notified,
has the right to be accompanied at the hearings by a person of his or her choice in an
advisory capacity, has the right to hear the presentations of the other parties and the
right to be heard by the Committee.
A Committee member is excused from participation in any grievance deliberation where he or she may be influenced by personal relationships with the parties, by bias concerning the circumstances giving rise to the complaint, or by any other material influence which would appear to inhibit the member's
ability to render an unbiased judgment. The chair shall decide on any questions
regarding a Committee member's participation.
Within twenty (20) days after the conclusion of the hearing, the Committee submits a
written report of its findings and recommendations to the final and binding
decision-maker. The final decision-maker may refer the grievance back to the Personnel
Relations Committee if he/she feels that the Committee needs to consider additional
factors. In such a circumstance, the Committee has an additional (7) days to submit a
written report of its findings and recommendations to the final and binding
decision-maker.
Step 4
The final and binding decision-maker reviews the written report and the findings and recommendations of the Committee. Based upon such review and without conducting further hearings, he or she, within ten (10) days informs all parties of the final decision.