D. PRELIMINARY INFORMAL PROCEDURE
A supervisor may orally present and discuss a grievance with his/her manager or immediate supervisor. At the supervisor’s option, he/she may request the presence of a Union representative. If the supervisor exercises this option, the manager or immediate supervisor may determine that such grievance be moved to the first formal step.
Informal discussions shall not serve to extend the time within which a grievance must be filed, unless such is mutually agreed upon in writing.
If an informal discussion does not produce a satisfactory settlement, the grievant may move the grievance to the first formal step.
E. FORMAL STEPS
Step One:
All disciplinary grievances must be signed by the individual grievants prior to the filing of the Step 1 (or Step II) appeal or within two (2) workdays of the filing of the appeal.
The grievance shall be reduced to writing and submitted to the department head within fourteen (14) calendar days, excluding holidays, from the date upon which the bargaining unit member first gained or should reasonably have gained knowledge of the alleged violation of the Agreement or policy took place. The grievance shall be signed by the grievant and/or Union representative, and shall set forth the nature of the dispute, the relief sought and the specific provision of the Agreement/policy alleged to have been violated.
The department head shall answer the grievance in writing within seven (7) calendar days, excluding holidays, after its receipt.
Step Two:
The grievance may be appealed by written notice to the Vice President for Human Resources of the University or his/her representative within seven (7) calendar days, excluding holidays, after the Step One decision was rendered or due.
The grievances filed initially at Step II pursuant to the fifth paragraph of 14.02C, must be filed within twenty-one (21) calendar days of the date upon which the bargaining unit members first gained or should reasonably have gained knowledge of the action which is the subject of the grievance.
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