SKC administration will endeavor to respond to and resolve complaints without resorting to the grievance procedure and, if a grievance is filed, to address the grievance promptly and equitably. The Human Resource Director administers all grievances. Record of a grievance initiated by an employee shall not be made a part of his/her official personnel file. However, if the grievance involves a disciplinary action that disciplinary action shall be part of the official personnel file unless the final grievance decision includes an order to remove the disciplinary action record from the personnel file.
All employees subject to disciplinary actions shall have access to these grievance procedures. The following actions are not grievable:
- The contents of SKC Policies& Procedures.
- Non-selection for interview, hire or promotion.
- Termination during any probationary period
- Management decisions relating to benefit plans and packages
- Change in work schedule or duty station.
- Termination arising out of a reduction in force.
All grievances will begin at Step 1, a discussion between parties as the first attempt to resolve the dispute.
Direct reports of the President may file a written grievance to the SKC Board of Directors, if the Step 1 Initial Informal Grievance is not resolved.
If the grievance alleges a violation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or sexual harassment, the grievance should be submitted to the Title IX Coordinator, who will investigate the grievance as stated in Policy 261.30.
Step 1 Initial Informal Grievance
The objective of this step is to resolve the matter promptly and informally. An individual with a grievance must notify the Human Resource (HR) Director and complete the Grievance Process Form. The form must state 1) specifically and clearly the nature of the grievance; 2) the remedy requested; and 3) evidence of the grievance. An individual with a grievance must discuss it with present the grievance to the Human Resources Director within thirty (30) calendar days after the incident that gave rise to the grievance. Failure to present the grievance within the thirty (30) calendar days shall be an absolute bar to prosecuting a grievance.
The HR Director will meet with the grievant and the individual with whom the grievance is against within fourteen (14) calendar days of receipt of the Grievance Process Form. At the end of the meeting, the HR Director will ask both parties if the grievance is resolved. If the grievance is settled to the satisfaction of the individual, the matter will be considered resolved. If the grievance is not resolved, the grievant must provide the HR Director with written notice that the grievance is not resolved and the grievance will advance to Step 2, Formal Written Grievance.
Grievances involving complaints of sexual harassment are exempt from Step 1 and should be reported as specified under policy 261.30.
Step 2 Formal Written Grievance
In Step 2, the HR Director will investigate and attempt to resolve the grievance. The HR Director will notify the grievant and the individual with whom the grievance is against of the decision within fourteen (14) calendar days from the date of written notification of the move to Step 2. If either party is not satisfied with the HR Director’s decision, the grievance may be advanced to Step 3 by requesting in writing or in an email that the supervising Vice President review the Step 2 decision. Such a request must filed with the HR Director within fourteen (14) calendar days of receiving the Step 2 decision.
If the Supervising Vice President is the subject of the grievance, the Step 3 Grievance will be sent to the President.
Step 3
Upon receipt of the written request for review, the supervising Vice President will review documents from the HR Director’s investigation and conduct a further investigation if warranted. The Vice President will schedule a meeting between parties and render a decision in writing to the parties and the HR Director within fourteen (14) calendar days of the request. During the meeting the parties will be afforded the opportunity to either dispute or concur with the HR Director’s report. If the Vice President agrees with the recommendation of the HR Director, the recommendation will be implemented.
If the grievant is not satisfied with the Vice President’s decision, the grievance may be advanced to Step 4 by requesting in writing, with a copy to the Human Resource Director, within fourteen (14) calendar days that the President review the Vice President’s (Step 3) decision. A copy of the request to move to Step 4 shall be provided to the HR Director.
If the grievance is against the President, the Step 4 grievance shall move to the Board of Directors. The decision of the Board of Directors is final.
Step 4
Upon receipt of the written request for review, the President has up to thirty (30) days to respond. The President will schedule a meeting between the parties. The parties will be afforded the opportunity to either dispute or concur with the Vice President’s report. The President will decide the matter and will notify the parties and the Human Resource Director in writing of the decision within fourteen (14) calendar days of the meeting. If the President agrees with the Step 3 recommendation of the Vice President, the recommendation will be implemented. The decision of the President is final.
Legal References:
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, 20 USC 1681-1688
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act
§ 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
History:
Adopted: Policy has been in place prior to Sept. 2003
Revised: 8/2007, 2/13/13, 8/21/13, 5/11/2025
Reviewed May 2018