3-8. General Provisions

3-8.1. Procedures for Certain Grievances That Are Not Under the Jurisdiction of a Principal or Head Administrator. 

3-8.1(a).  Initial Processing. 

Any grievance based upon the action of an authority higher than the principal shall be initiated directly with the Office of Employee Engagement whose decision thereon shall be rendered within fifteen school days. The grievance must specify the complaint(s) and/or violation(s) alleged, a brief statement of facts sufficient to allow a response and any documentation which may expedite the resolution of the grievance. Within fifteen school days after receiving the decision of the Office of Employee Engagement, the grievant may then appeal the decision of said office to the Chief Executive Officer, by requesting, in writing, a meeting with the Office of Employee Engagement, acting as the representative of the Chief Executive Officer. Copies of the grievance and the decision shall accompany the appeal forwarded to the Office of Employee Engagement.

3-8.1(b).  Conference and Issuance of Decision. 

The Chief Executive Officer or the Director of Employee Engagement or his or her designee shall meet within ten school days with the concerned parties who will be given two school days’ notice of the time and place of the conference. The Chief Executive Officer or the Director of Employee Engagement or his or her designee shall make a written decision and communicate the same to the parties involved within ten school days after completion of the conference. Decisions of the Chief Executive Officer or the Director of Employee Engagement or his or her designee may be appealed to arbitration under Article 3-10.

3-8.2. Initiation at Higher Step. 

The UNION may initiate or appeal a grievance at any step of the grievance procedure.

3-8.3. Expedited Grievance and Arbitration Procedure. 

Where expedited grievance and arbitration is provided in this Agreement, the following shall apply: The Union may file the grievance at the highest step. If the grievance is not adjusted within fifteen (15) days, it shall automatically proceed to arbitration upon the Union’s written demand. The parties shall select an arbitrator and the grievance shall be heard by the arbitrator within thirty (30) days of the arbitration demand. The arbitrator shall issue a bench ruling and award at the conclusion of the hearing, but may subsequently issue a written ruling explaining the award upon request of either party.