GRIEVANCES 26.1A
TEQUESTA POLICE DEPARTMENT
GENERAL ORDER
TITLE: GRIEVANCES
GENERAL ORDER: 26.1A
EFFECTIVE: March 1, 2007
RESCINDS: 26.1
PAGES: 3
CONTENTS:
This order consists of the following numbered sections:
I. GRIEVANCE COORDINATOR
II. GRIEVANCE PERMISSIBLE MATTERS
III. NON-APPLICABLE MATTERS
IV. REPRESENTATION
V. GRIEVANCE PROCESS
VI. APPEAL
VII. FINAL AUTHORITY
VIII. RECORDS
IX. GLOSSARY
PURPOSE:
To establish a process and guidelines for the expeditious and equitable resolution of personnel
grievances.
SCOPE:
This order applies to all Police Department members.
DISCUSSION:
Due to the many procedures involved in the administration of the Police Department, there may be
occasions when differences arise regarding the spirit and intent of particular directives or actions. This grievance
procedure will allow each member to contest a directive or action in a formal manner. It also will allow the
administration to clarify the directive or action, if necessary.
POLICY:
It is the policy of the Police Department to strive to resolve, fairly and with minimum delay, all
complaints and grievances over job-related incidents or policies.
PROCEDURE:
I. GRIEVANCE COORDINATOR:
The Human Resources Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of
grievance procedures, the grievance process, and the custody and maintenance of all grievance records.
II. GRIEVANCE PERMISSIBLE MATTERS:
Situations where a grievance may be filed include, but are not
limited to, the following:
A.
Concern over interpretation of agency policies, procedures, rules, regulations, and directives.
G.O. 26.1A
B.
Acts of alleged reprisals because of using the grievance procedure.
C.
Discrimination or reprisals against a member for reporting improper or illegal activities.
D.
Discrimination or harassment with respect to age, color, creed, national origin, race, or sex may be reported by
procedures outlined in the general order indexed as Harassment in the Workplace, or the member may choose to use
the more informal process outlined in this procedure.
III. NON-APPLICABLE MATTERS:
Appeals of the following situations are not permissible under this general
order, but are covered by other procedures:
A.
Performance evaluations
B.
Corrective actions
C.
Informal discipline
D.
Formal discipline
IV. REPRESENTATION:
Members may utilize another member of the agency as a personal representative
anytime in the grievance process.
V. GRIEVANCE PROCESS:
When a member has a job-related grievance, every effort will be made to resolve the
matter informally at the first two levels of supervision. A formal grievance may be filed only after there is no satisfactory
resolution to the grievance at the first two levels.
A. Informal Grievance:
1.
Within five workdays of the occurrence to be grieved, the member will communicate the grievance to his
immediate supervisor. If there is no satisfactory resolution of the grievance with the immediate supervisor, the
member will request a conference, to be held within two days, with the next supervisor in the chain of command.
2.
If there is no resolution of the grievance at the conference with the second level supervisor, the member may
initiate a formal written grievance, which must be filed within three workdays of this conference.
B. Formal Grievance:
To file a formal grievance, the aggrieved member must prepare a Formal Grievance form
directed to the Chief via the chain of command. In the report, the member must state the grievance and the facts upon
which it is based, the allegation of the specific wrongful act and harm done, and the remedy or adjustment sought. The
completed Formal Grievance will be presented to the member’s immediate supervisor with a copy sent to the Village
(The member may withdraw the grievance anytime during the process.)
Manager’s Office.
1.
Each supervisor in the member’s chain of command will sign and note the date and time of receipt, review and
analyze the facts regarding the grievance, affirm or deny the allegations of the grievance in writing, and try to resolve
the grievance to the satisfaction of the agency and the member. If the grievance is resolved at any level in the chain
of command, the document will continue to be routed to the Chief, who will forward the original to Village
Manager’s Office, and a copy to the member.
2.
Within three workdays after receipt, each supervisor in the chain of command must identify any remedy or
adjustment they recommend, and forward the Formal Grievance form to the next level of supervision.
3.
The Chief is the final reviewing authority in the member’s chain of command with authority to resolve the
grievance. If the grievance has not been resolved at a lower level, the Chief must respond in writing to the grievance
within five workdays of receipt. If this time period cannot be met, or if additional investigation of the matter is
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G.O. 26.1A
needed, written notice will be made to the member within the five-day period.
VI. APPEAL:
A member, who is dissatisfied with the grievance decision made by the Chief, has the right of a final
appeal directly to the Village Manager. The member must submit a memo to the Village manager’s Office, detailing the
reason for the appeal, within three workdays after receiving the response from the Chief. The memo will be
delivered/routed to the Village manager along with all related documents.
VII. FINAL AUTHORITY:
The Village Manager will respond in writing within ten workdays, outlining his decision
on the grievance, unless the affected employee and the Village Manager jointly engage in seeking a suitable remedy. A
copy of the Village Manager’s decision, which is binding and final, will be forwarded to Administration for filing.
VIII. RECORDS:
At the conclusion of each case, all written records involved in the grievance process will be
forwarded to the Administrative Division for filing. They will be purged in accordance with current statutes governing
their disposal.
IX. GLOSSARY:
CORRECTIVE ACTION - Action taken to correct minor misconduct or inadequacies in a member’s job performance
including, but not limited to, counseling, training, written reprimands, loss of privileges, or other actions and sanctions
that do not meet the definition of disciplinary action.
DISCIPLINARY ACTION - Suspension, demotion, or involuntary termination of membership.
FORMAL GRIEVANCE - A form used to initiate formal action on a grievance through the chain of command.
GRIEVANCE - A dispute or difference giving rise to a material issue, and made through the chain of command,
involving a perceived job-related incident or happening.
WORKDAY - Administrative hours of the agency office are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. A workday,
as applied herein, is a day on which a member is scheduled for duty. For members on shift schedules, workdays could
include Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays.
INDEXING:
GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
DRAFTED:
DJR/March 1, 2007/Filed: Griev26.1A
APPROVED:
Pete Pitocchelli, Chief DATE: November 05, 2011
Tequesta, Florida
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