Employee Grievance/Governance Board

Rockie

Hi Guys: Need your thoughts on this.

Do any of you have a grievance board where employees can take issues if they feel somehow they were not treated fairly and consistently? I hesitate to have employees get involved in any way, shape or form in the administration of policies, procedures or discipline.

If any of you have such an animal residing in your workplace, could you give me some parameters as to what can and cannot be discussed at these type meetings.
Also, maybe who makes up this type board.

I am not at all sure we even want to get into this.

Thanks for your input!

System

We have an Appeal of Disciplinary Action. If an employee feels that they have been disciplined incorrectly ( Co.Violated existing policies, Co. inconsistent in its application of policy, Co. has been biased.)Once an appeal has been submitted to the Ombudsperson an Ad Hoc commitee is created. The GM selcts a random person from staff and the Ombudsperson and that one choose a third and the appeal is heard and considered.
In my time in HR here (3yrs) it has never been used except by me and it was so long ago I don't remember why I was threatened with disciplinary action. I remember that it involved a Senior Manager with a fiery temper. He threatened to discipline me in front of my boss and I quickly responded that I would appeal any action against me. I was met with two stunned faces and an immediate withdrawal of the threatened action.
I think our current management and staff are unaware of it's existence even though it is in the ee handbook.

Don D

Don't form such a group or give birth to such a process unless you are being made to. In that event make somebody tell you in detail why they want such an albatros. It smacks of union to me and the message is 'we rule by committee' and 'decisions here are made by democracy'. It may sound good in a touchy feely world and a totally politically correct world; however, I can see nothing good coming from it in the long term..........unless of course nobody knows about it and its never used.

Theresa Gegen TX

It's called a union. I think that the labor laws prohibit you from setting up an internal "company owned and controlled" union, which is considered any organization which exists to resolve employee grievances. This would be unlawful domination of a union.

Some companies use a peer review process as part of a process to review negative employment actions (the problem solving process), in which the employee initiates the process, and a peer review may be one step in resolution. I have known of one employer who did this for its management/non-bargaining unit personnel, so they did not have to worry about the labor law issue.

Otherwise employees should not be allowed to bring "complaints" or grievances to peers. Such complaints or grievances should be brought to and addressed by HR and management.

Good Luck!

HRsage

Ditto Don's post. Don't do it.

Zanne

Rockie:

Don't do it.

I worked for an employer that had about 3000 employees and we did have a grievance procedure.

The employee would put their grievance or concern in writing and give it to their department supervisor who had 5 days to reply in writing.

If they were satisfied with the answer, the employee could rewrite the grievance and send it to the manager's VP. The manager's VP needed to reply within 5 days in writing.

Finally, if still not satisfied, nine employees were selected out of a panel of trained employees to hear both sides and a final decision was made.

Sounds good, right? Wellllll.................

HR had to monitor the timeframes and chase people down to answer the employee's letters. HR also had to train the panel (who were people with 3 or more years experience and no disciplinary action on record) and set up the meeting. Then, when all was said and done, we found out that we had spent a lot of time on an issue, that usually didn't change in the outcome. It would have been a lot simpler to tell the employee "no" up front and invite them to leave if they didn't like something.

Of course I am assuming that in all issues the company is treating people legally and justly.

Zanne

Shawn

Don't do it. Establish an appeal process that goes from low level managers up to the head boss, with his/her decision being final.