Labor Relations Fundamentals for Community College Districts

4. Formal Grievance – Step 3: Chancellor (or College President if Single Campus District)

The grievant may file a formal grievance at Step 3 with the District Chancellor (College President) if satisfactory resolution is not reached through the Step 2 mediation process, or if satisfactory resolution is not reached through the Step 2 mandatory settlement conference process where the parties do not agree to voluntary mediation. Timeline: The grievance must be filed at Step 3 within seven (7) calendar days of exhaustion of the mediation process. The mediation process is exhausted upon completion of at least one mediation session without successful resolution of the grievance, and no agreed-to, follow-up mediation date. Investigation: The Chancellor (College President) or designee has fourteen (14) calendar days within which to investigate the grievance, meet with the grievant, and attempt to reach a satisfactory resolution of the grievance. Decision: If a satisfactory grievance is not reached, the Chancellor (College President) or designee will issue a written response within fourteen (14) calendar days of meeting with the grievant to attempt to resolve the grievance.

The decision of the Chancellor (College President) will be final and binding.

General Conditions:

All proceedings under this grievance procedure until a final resolution is reached will be private and confidential.

If it is asserted that a grievance is outside the scope of the procedures or definition contained herein, such assertion will be evaluated and ruled upon at each step. Such claim will not halt further processing of the grievance until Step 3 is reached. The District’s failure at any step of this procedure to communicate the decision on a grievance within the specified time limits will permit lodging of an appeal to the next step of the procedure, within the time allotted. Failure by the grievant or Association to appeal a decision within the specified time limits will be deemed an acceptance of the decision and forfeiture of the right to appeal the grievance.

Time limits as specified herein can be extended only by mutual agreement in writing.

Grievances can be amended only by mutual agreement of the parties.

The grievant is entitled to be present at all formal meetings and conferences pertaining to the grievance. The District will provide a reasonable amount of release time for processing grievances.

Labor Relations Fundamentals for Community College Districts © 2019 (c) Liebert Cassidy Whitmore 59