University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

NON-INSTRUCTIONAL ACADEMIC STAFF (NIAS)

GRIEVANCE INFORMATION

 

In working together from day to day, it is normal for employees to occasionally have problems or complaints affecting their work-related activities. It is important to work out a solution to these problems as quickly as possible. It is the University’s view that most problems can be resolved through informal discussions between employees and supervisors in their worksite.  You are encouraged to talk about work-related problems with your immediate supervisor. If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you may wish to use a more formal process--the grievance procedure if you are a non-instructional academic staff employee (NIAS)--to seek a solution. You are encouraged to talk with a member of the Academic Staff Council (ASC) and Human Resources (HR) before filing a grievance.  The NIAS grievance process is to be used as a last resort in the event that all other remedies are exhausted.

 

AN NIAS GRIEVANCE is a personnel problem[1] involving the NIAS employee’s expressed feeling of unfair treatment or dissatisfaction with aspects of his/her working conditions within UW-L that are outside his/her control. A grievance relates to such matters as salaries, promotions, assignments of duties, working conditions, and propriety of conduct claimed to harm the petitioner substantially whether the claim alleges unethical or improper action by colleagues or by an administrator. A grievance is a matter other than one involving dismissal proceedings and other than a complaint proceeding involving (other) severe sanctions. See UWS/UWL Personnel Rules Chapter 13.

 

ONLY CURRENTLY EMPLOYED NIAS who remain UW-L employees to the conclusion of the grievance process are eligible to use this process.  If a NIAS employee files a grievance but ends employment prior to resolution of the grievance, this grievance process ends.  A grievance is expected to be dealt with expeditiously, without unnecessary delays.

 

THE WRITTEN GRIEVANCE sets forth in detail the nature of the grievance and the previous attempts to resolve the issues.  It must cite all data that the NIAS petitioner deems pertinent to the situation.  The person(s) about whom the grievance is being filed will be named.  The attached form provides structure for the grievance.

 

TO FILE A GRIEVANCE, a NIAS employee at UW-L who feels there is cause for a grievance must document the grievance in writing and deliver it to the Chair of the ASC, or the Vice Chair if the Chair is not available.  The Chair (or Vice Chair) will deliver it to the chair of the NIAS Grievance Committee (NIASGC) within 2 days of receipt.  The NIASGC will acknowledge receipt of the grievance within 2 days with a written notice to the grievant, ASC Chair/Vice Chair and HR.  Within 10 days thereafter the NIASGC will meet to determine whether or not the facts merit an investigation.  Academic Staff Personnel Rule, UWL 13.02(5) indicates, “Submission of a petition shall not automatically entail investigation or detailed consideration thereof.  The committee [NIASGC] shall have the right to decide whether or not the facts merit a detailed investigation.”

 

PROCESS CHART--the NON-INSTRUCTIONAL ACADEMIC STAFF GRIEVANCE COMMITTEE (NIASGC) PROCESS chart shows the process.

 

SOURCE:  Resource Packet Materials Developed by Academic Staff Council Work Group on NIASGC process, May 16, 200 7 and approved by Academic Staff Council October 25, 2007.

 

 To view a flowchart of the grievance procedure, click here.

 

 

 

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

NIAS GRIEVANCE COVERPAGE

 

________________________                _______________________ ___         _______________________

      Employee(s) name(s)                                      Employee’s Dept/Unit                    Your Official Job Title

 

_________________@uwlax.edu                     ______________________        ______________________           

EMAIL                                                                       CAMPUS PHONE                                    HOME PHONE                          

Are you currently employed by UW-L in an NIAS Position (circle answer)?    

Yes        No—only currently employed NIAS can use this process

Person(s) office/dept(s) Named in Grievance ____________________________________________________________________________________

 

Has this grievance been filed with any other University Office (circle answer)?   

 

No          If yes, please list the offices contacted _____________________________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________________________

 

REQUIRED SIGNATURES AND STEPS	DATE (mm/dd/yyyy)
_____________________________         ________________________ Grievant’s Signature                             PRINT NAME CLEARLY	Date Delivered to ASC:
_____________________________          __________________________ ASC Chair/Vice Chair Signature                        PRINT NAME CLEARLY	Date Received:   Date Delivered to NIASGC (2 days):
____________________________           __________________________ NIASGC Chair’s Signature                     PRINT NAME CLEARLY	Date Received from ASC:   Date Acknowledgement Snt (2 days):
NIASGC Makes Decision Whether to Investigate or Not Meets within 10 days of Acknowledgement Being Sent; Makes Decision Yes/No with 10 days of First Meeting NIASCG Meeting Date:                                 Decision Date:
IF YES:   Date Decision Sent:________________ (within 2 days of decision) (to grievant, ASC, HR, Respondent)   Date(s) of NIASGC investigation met: _______________   Date Recommendation Sent to Chancellor:__________________ (w/copy to grievant, respondent, ASC, HR)	IF NO   Date Decision Sent:__________ (within 2 days of decision to grievant, ASC, HR)      HR retains grievance file with all documentation and communication from process; all ASC, NIASGC official documents will be delivered  to HR at the time the decision not to investigate is made by NIASGC       Date to Purge File:___________
CHANCELLOR’S FINAL DECISION   Date Notice Sent:____________________________ (to grievant, respondent, ASC, NIASGC, HR)   0 HR retains grievance file with all documentation, communication  from process, final decision.   Date to Purge File:____________________

Abbreviations Used:

ASC—Academic Staff Council, governance for NIAS                                

NIAS—non-instructional academic staff employee

Grievant—NIAS filing a grievance under UWS/UWL 13.02                       

NIASGC—ASC committee that hears NIAS grievance

HR—Human Resources                                                                    

Respondent—person or unit identified in the grievance

 

SOURCE: Developed by a work group and approved by Academic Council October 25, 2007.