A grievance may exist when an employee believes there has been a breach, violation, misinterpretation, misapplication, inequitable application of or deviation from, the substantive provisions of one or more University policies, other than those involving appointment, termination, dismissal, or suspension from employment. All grievances shall be presented and addressed by the following procedure.
Step One
To initiate a grievance, the employee shall submit the grievance to the employee’s supervisor. The grievance should be submitted in writing with a copy to the Vice President, Human Resources. The supervisor shall discuss the grievance with the employee and respond to the grievance within fifteen business days, copying the Vice President, Human Resources on the response.
When the grievance concerns an academic matter or one within the authority of the Executive Vice President and Provost, the employee shall raise the grievance with the Executive Vice President and Provost. The Executive Vice President and Provost shall discuss the grievance with the employee and make every effort to respond to the grievance within 10 business days.
In any case where the initial grievance concerns a Vice President or the President, in whole or in part, the Step One response may not be appealed.
Step Two
If the employee determines that the grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved under Step One, the employee may appeal in writing to their area Vice President within ten business days of the decision made pursuant to Step One.
Within ten business days, the area Vice President shall schedule a conference to discuss the grievance with the employee at a time convenient for both. The Vice President’s decision on the grievance shall be communicated to the employee, with a copy to the Vice President, Human Resources, within fifteen business days after the conference.
Step Three
If the employee determines that the grievance has not been satisfactorily resolved under Step Two, the employee may make a final appeal in writing to the Vice President, Human Resources within ten business days of the decision in Step Two. Within ten business days, the Vice President of Human Resources shall schedule a conference to discuss the grievance with the employee at a time convenient for both. The decision of the Vice President of Human Resources will be issued within fifteen business days after the conference, and shall be final.
If the grievance originates within Human Resources, and the Vice President, Human Resources is the Step Two decision-maker, a Step Three appeal would be made in writing, within ten business days, to the Executive Vice President and Provost. Within ten business days, the Executive Vice President and Provost shall schedule a conference to discuss the grievance with the employee at a time convenient for both. The decision of the Executive Vice President and Provost will be issued within fifteen business days after the conference, and shall be final.
An employee’s failure to appeal a decision from one step to the next within the designated ten business day time period shall constitute a withdrawal of the employee’s complaint and shall bar further action under this policy by the employee on that grievance.
The employee may withdraw the grievance at any time.
Reasons that an appeal response may exceed the stated time limits include events such as inclement weather, University schedule issues, serious illness, or vacancy in position. If the party responding to the appeal has not issued their response within the stated time limit, the appellant should contact the Vice President, Human Resources for an explanation.
(Approved March 2025)