A grievances is a complaint by a Life Essence Academy employee alleging a violation or misinterpretation, as to the employee, of any Life Essence Academy policy or regulation that directly and specifically governs the employee’s terms and conditions of employment. The term grievance shall not apply to any matter for which the method of review is prescribed by law, or the Governing Board is without authority to act. The discipline or dismissal of employees is covered by policies regarding appeals and, therefore, is not a grievable matter. Assignment, reassignment, or transfer of an employee to another position or duties is not grievable beyond the Principal unless there is a reduction in compensation or the Principal requests that it go to the Board.

A grievant shall be any employee of the Life Essence Academy filing a grievance.

Terms and conditions of employment means the hours of employment, the compensation therefore, including fringe benefits, and the employer's personnel policies directly affecting the employee. In the case of professional employees, the term does not include educational policies of the Life Essence Academy. As stated, a day is a calendar day. The immediate supervisor is the lowest-level administrator having line supervisory authority over the grievant.

Informal Level

Before filing a formal written grievance, the grievant must attempt to resolve the matter by one or more informal conferences with the immediate supervisor. The first of these informal conferences must be conducted within ten (10) days after the employee knew, or should have known, of the act or omission giving rise to the grievance. A second or any subsequent conference must occur within (5) days after the initial informal conference, or any subsequent conference.

Formal Level

Level I. Within fifteen (15) days after the employee knew, or should have known, of the act or omission giving rise to the grievance, the grievant must present the grievance in writing to the immediate supervisor.

The grievance shall be clear, concise statement of the circumstances giving rise to the grievance, a citation of the specific article, section and paragraph of the policy or regulation that directly and specifically governs the employee’s terms and conditions of employment that are alleged to have been violated, the decision rendered at the informal conference, and the specific remedy sought.

The immediate supervisor shall communicate a decision to the employee in writing within (5) days after receiving the grievance.

Within the above time limits either party may request a personal conference to attempt to resolve the matter.

Level II. In the event the grievant is not satisfied with the decision at Level I, the decision may be appealed to the Principal within five (5) days after receipt of the decision.

The appeal shall include a copy of the original grievance, the decision rendered, and a clear, concise statement of the reasons for the appeal. The Principal shall communicate a decision within (5) days after receiving the appeal. Either the grievant or the Teacher may request a personal conference within the above time limits.

Level III. If the grievor is not satisfied with the decision at Level II, the grievor may within five (5) days, submit an appeal in writing to the Principal for consideration by the Board. The Board may determine not to conduct a review, or to conduct a review at a designated or undesignated future date.

General Provisions

Section 1. Failure at any step of this procedure to appeal a grievance to the next step within the specified time limits shall be deemed an acceptance of the decision rendered at that step, and there shall have no further right of appeal. Failure to file a grievance within fifteen (15) days after the employee knew, or should have known, of the circumstances upon which the grievance is based shall constitute a waiver of the grievance.

Section 2. The filing or pendency of any grievance under the provisions of this policy shall in no way operate to impede, delay, or interfere with the jurisdiction of the Governing Board or the Principal.

Section 3. Grievances must be processed pursuant to the procedures set forth below. Grievances shall not be taken directly to Board members and a Board member or the Board shall not be copied with a grievance. A staff person who fails to follow this directive and initially submits the grievance directly to the Board or copies the Board with a grievance submitted to the employee’s supervisor, waives their right to grieve the matter and may be disciplined for failing to follow the chain of command. Further, any employee that attempts to process a grievance or a complaint against the school through social media shall be in violation of this policy and subject to discipline. Grievances are established to provide employees with resolution of grievable matters in the most efficient, least disruptive manner. Failure to follow this policy will often disrupt the school, create inefficiencies and make resolution of issues more difficult.