Fair Treatment & supervisors

TinaL

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 02-17-05 AT 02:53PM (CST)[/font][br][br]We are updating our "Fair Treatment" (grievance) policy and it currently states that it only applies to nonsupervisory employees. The policy is old and we don't remember why supervisory ee's are excluded since in the past we've used the same process for them as other ee's.

It is a three-step process and each step takes them up the chain of command. If there is no one left in the chain of command, I (HR) am the Step 2 person and the Executive Director is Step 3. Step 3 responses are always reviewed by the ED regardless.

Does anyone know of a legal reason to exclude supervisors from such a policy? (We don't have union employees.)

Don D

Tina: I can't think of a good reason to restrict access to the grievance procedure. Supervisors deserve the same avenue to address grievances. Probably whoever wrote the policy thought allowing them to file grievances might cast the light HIS way on occasion.

System

I would not include supervisors in a grievance policy. I'll assume for this post that they're exempt employees. Exempt employees are not treated the same as non-exempt employees with respect to pay, hours of work, evaluations, and expectations. They are also 'at will.' The only grievable issues should be poor working conditions, unfair application of discipline, unfair interpretation or work rules. These are issues supervisors have control of.

Don D

Unless you have a collective bargaining agreement, all of your workforce is 'at will', not just supervisors. Supervisors are not exempt from having an asshole for a boss either.

System

Apparently I've been in public sector too long. You're right about a workforce being 'at will' in the private sector. In public work, classified employees (non-policy makers) can be terminated for cause only and are entitled to a 'hearing' (or due process). Unclassified employees - policy makers and department heads - are 'at will.' And you're right. Supervisors can have a jerk for a boss. There may be several layers in the chain of command, but at the top end, I think policy-makers should be excluded from the grievance process.