Steps of the Grievance Procedure All grievances shall be processed in accordance with the following procedure. Grievances over final counseling or dismissal will begin at Step Two. For all other grievances, the parties may agree to waive Step One. For grievances filed directly at Step Two, the grievant will have thirty (30) calendar days from the occurrence of the situation, condition or action that caused the grievant to file. Within thirty (30) calendar days of the occurrence of a situation, condition, or action that caused the grievance, the employee(s) affected and/or the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or Union representative shall present the grievance to the employee’s immediate supervisor for resolution. The Human Resources Consultant may also attend, if desired by the University. Presentation of the grievance shall include a short written description of the subject of the grievance and the contract Articles allegedly violated. If the grievance is directed against the employee’s immediate supervisor, the grievance may be presented to the next higher level of supervision. In the event the employee’s immediate supervisor does not have authority to resolve the grievance, the grievance will be presented at the level having authority to act as determined by the Employer. The Employer will respond within five (5) calendar days of the meeting. In the event an employee files a grievance outside the department in which the employee is employed and the grievance cannot be resolved at Step One, the grievance will be processed at Step Two by the level of management as designated by the University in the department which has been named in the grievance. If a satisfactory settlement is not reached in Step One, and the employee wishes to pursue the matter further, said grievance shall be put into writing on the agreed upon grievance form and referred to the department head or designee or to the next appropriate level of management and the Office of Labor Relations within fifteen (15) calendar days after the decision from Step One. The date of alleged occurrence of the grievance shall be specified. The parties shall attempt to meet to resolve the grievance within fifteen (15) calendar days following the date of written submittal. At this step, the Union agrees to cite all known sections of the Agreement and/or written policy or practice allegedly violated and to provide a copy to the Human Resources Office and Office of Labor Relations. The grievant may be represented by a ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ and a union staff representative. The University will be represented by the appropriate management official(s) or designee(s), a representative from the Office of Labor Relations, and a Human Resources Consultant, if desired by the University. The University will respond in writing within ten (10) calendar days.
Technical Objections to Grievances It is the intent of both parties to this agreement that no grievance shall be defeated merely because of a technical error other than time limitations in processing the grievance through the grievance procedure. To this end an arbitration board shall have the power to allow all necessary amendments to the grievance and the power to waive formal procedural irregularities in the processing of a grievance in order to determine the real matter in dispute and to render a decision according to equitable principles and the justice of the case.
Deviation from Grievance Procedure The Employer agrees that, after a grievance has been discussed at Step 2 of the grievance procedure the Employer or his representatives shall not initiate any discussion or negotiations with respect to the grievance, either directly or indirectly with the aggrieved employee without the consent of the ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ or the Union.
Grievance on Layoffs and Recalls Grievances concerning layoffs and recalls shall be initiated at Step 2 of the grievance procedure.
Discipline Procedure 1. Disciplinary action may be imposed for violation of written rules and regulations as set forth by the Board, incompetence, inefficiency, dishonesty, drunkenness, immoral conduct, insubordination, discourteous treatment of the public, neglect of duty, misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, any other failure of good behavior, or conviction of a felony.
2. No employee shall be disciplined without first having had the opportunity for a hearing, if the employee so requests, with an OAPSE representative of his/her choice present. The employee shall be given a written statement containing the charges and the time and place of the hearing. The written statement shall notify the employee of his/her rights to OAPSE representation. The employee must be given the opportunity to sign the statement acknowledging receipt of the statement and date received. Under emergency conditions as determined by the supervisor (including, but not limited to, health and/or safety of the employee or other employees; blatant insubordination; or refusal to work), the supervisor may immediately suspend an employee without pay for a period of up to three (3) work days without the formal hearing described above. An opportunity for a formal hearing with the supervisor must be provided within the suspension period. Failure to provide an opportunity for a hearing during the suspension period shall preclude the right of further discipline for the offense causing the initial suspension. Emergency suspensions will not be subject to Section 6 of this Article.
3. Disciplinary action of less than discharge should generally be progressive and corrective in nature.
A. Disciplinary actions shall be grievable. This Section shall supersede existing state law governing termination of employment (O.R.C. 3319.081).
B. In determining progressive and corrective action, just cause shall be construed and limited to the nature and seriousness of the offense, the effect the alleged conduct has on the Board’s operation, the discipline or lack thereof used in other similar situations known to the Board, and the appropriateness of the proposed penalty in view of the record and length of service of the charged employee. The enumeration of these factors is not intended to preclude either the exercise of good and sound business judgment or to minimize the importance of an employee’s property interest in his job.
