Policy

The following grievance procedure is available to employees to provide them with an opportunity to address any concerns or complaints they may have related to alleged violations of College policy or the employee’s legal rights.  Employees are encouraged to attempt to resolve concerns or complaints they may have informally by addressing the issue with the person(s) involved and/or through discussions with the employee’s supervisor prior to submitting a grievance.  

Please be advised, however, that complaints or concerns related to harassment, discrimination or retaliation related to a complaint of harassment or discrimination that fall under the College’s Title IX policies should be addressed through the reporting procedures contained within those policies. 

Any retaliation against employees who participate in good faith in the grievance procedure is strictly prohibited and may result in appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including discharge from employment. 

Procedure

The College’s grievance procedure is as follows:

1. Step 1 - The employee must prepare and deliver a written grievance to the employee’s supervisor and copy Human Resources within 15 days of the action, condition or other circumstance giving rise to the grievance. The written grievance must (1) detail the issue(s) of concern; (2) identify the specific policy/policies and/or legal rights that are alleged to have been violated; (3) explain any prior informal resolution efforts; and (4) state the desired remedy sought by the employee. The supervisor will respond to the grievance in writing within 14 days of receiving the employee’s written grievance unless additional time is necessary to respond (which shall be communicated in writing to the employee).  

An employee may bypass Step 1 and proceed directly to Step 2 only if the employee is uncomfortable addressing the grievance with the supervisor because the concern which serves as the basis for the grievance involves the supervisor.

1. Step 2 – If the employee is dissatisfied with the supervisor’s Step 1 response, the employee may appeal the grievance by submitting a written Step 2 grievance to the next step of management in the employee’s chain of command and copy Human Resources within 7 days of the supervisor’s response.  The employee’s written Step 2 grievance must include (1) a copy of the Step 1 grievance and response; and (2) an explanation of the basis for the appeal of the Step I decision.   

If the employee bypassed Step 1 because the concern raised in the grievance involved the employee’s supervisor, the employee shall have 15 days following the action, condition or other circumstance giving rise to the grievance to submit the written grievance to the next step of management in the employee’s chain of command.  In that circumstance, the employee’s written Step 2 grievance should (1) detail the issue(s) of concern; (2) identify the specific policy/policies and/or legal rights that are alleged to have been violated; (3) explain any prior informal resolution efforts; and (4) state the desired remedy sought by the employee. 

The manager will respond to the Step 2 grievance in writing within 14 days of receiving the employee’s written Step 2 grievance unless additional time is needed to respond (which shall be communicated in writing to the employee).   

1. Step 3 (Final Appeal) – If the employee is dissatisfied with the Step 2 decision, the employee may make a final appeal by submitting a written Step 3 grievance to the Office of the President and copy Human Resources within 7 days of the issuance of the Step 2 decision.  The employee’s Step 3 grievance must include (1) copies of the Step 1 and Step 2 grievances and responses; and (2) an explanation of the basis for the appeal of the Step 2 decision.   The President or the President’s designee will review the Step 3 grievance and will respond to the grievance in writing within 21 days of receiving the Step 3 grievance unless additional time is necessary to respond (which shall be communicated in writing to the employee).  The Step 3 grievance decision of the President or the President’s designee shall be final.