Valders Area School District
Bylaws & Policies
 

4340 - GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

This grievance procedure is designed to insure adequate consideration and appropriate resolution of grievances, and hereinafter defined, at the lowest possible administrative level. Nothing in the procedure should be construed to inhibit the continuation of rapport and reasonable informal discussion between support staff member and the District Administrator and her/his staff.

Definitions:

A grievance is defined as any dispute arising out of interpretation or application of Board policy with regard to terminations, employee discipline, or workplace safety. The term "days" shall mean work days other than weekends and holidays. A grievant may be a support staff member.

Procedures:
 

Step 1
   
 

Within ten (10) days after facts upon which the grievance is based or should have reasonably become known, the grievant shall arrange to meet with his/her immediate supervisor. An effort shall first be made to settle grievances by informal discussions between the grievant and the supervisor. If the matter is not satisfactorily resolved, the grievance shall be reduced to writing and submitted to the immediate supervisor within ten (10) days. The written grievance shall state as clearly as possible the facts on which it is based, the issue, the persons involved, if there be any the requested remedy, and shall refer to any policy(s). The immediate supervisor shall give a written answer within five (5) days of receipt of the grievance, with a copy to the District Office.
   
 

Step 2
   
 

If the grievance is not satisfactorily resolved, it shall be submitted to the District Administrator within five (5) days after having received the answer in the Step 1. Within ten (10) days after receipt of the written grievance by the District Administrator, s/he or the designated representative of the District Administrator will meet with the grievant in an effort to resolve it. Within five (5) days after the meeting, the District Administrator shall respond to the grievance in writing.
   
 

Step 3
   
 

If the response of the District Administrator at Step 2 is not satisfactory, at the request of the grievant, the grievance will be referred to an impartial hearing officer. The impartial hearing officer will be designated by the District Administrator. Any costs assessed by the impartial hearing officer will be paid by the School District. The impartial hearing officer will convene such hearing as the officer determines necessary, and render a written decision on the grievance within thirty (30) days of receipt of the grievance. The time for decision may be extended by the impartial hearing officer upon a request by or with the authorization of the grievant.
   
 

Step 4
   
 

If the decision in Step 3 is not satisfactory, the grievance may be submitted by either party, in writing, within ten (10) days of the decision of the impartial hearing officer, to the Board of Education. Within twenty (20) days after presentation of the written grievance to the Clerk of the Board of Education, a review of the decision, together with any further written comment by the grievant, shall be conducted by the Board during a closed session. Within ten (10) days following the closed session review, the Board shall issue a final written answer.

An employee who has been notified of discharge may process the grievance commencing at Step 3.

If the District fails to give a written answer within the time limits prescribed for any step, the employee may advance the grievance to the next step. Grievances not processed to the next step by the grievant within the prescribed time limits, shall be considered dropped.