AIDGwinnett Policy
EFFECTIVE DATE:  October 1996

POLICY:  CLIENT / VOLUNTEER GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE
APPROVED:  AIDGWINNETT Board of Directors, Executive Director
 

13.2.  Complaint and Grievance Procedures for Clients and Volunteers

When a client or a volunteer of the agency has a complaint, the following procedures must be followed:

Step I:  The complaint will be submitted in writing to one of the following:

The Program Coordinator who is responsible for the program area in which the complaint has been identified.
If the complaint is against the Program Coordinator or includes the Coordinator, the written complaint will be submitted to the agency Director.

Step II:  The agency representative receiving the complaint will provide written acknowledgement to the complainant that the complaint has been received within ten (10) working days of receipt.

Step III:  If the complaint is being handled by the area Program Coordinator, he/she will be responsible for contacting the individuals involved and facilitating discussion regarding the nature of the complaint and possible resolution.  The Coordinator may request other staff members to review the complaint for input.  A written resolution of the complaint will be completed and presented to all persons involved within ten (10) working days of meeting of participants.  A copy of the written resolution of the complaint will be kept on file.

If the complaint is handled by the agency Director, the procedures in Step III will be followed by substituting Director for Program Coordinator.

If a complaint cannot be resolved by the above procedure, it will then be considered a grievance and proceed as follows:

Step I:  The grievant will submit the grievance, with all background information, to the agency Director in witting. The agency Director will convene a panel of two (2) Program Coordinators two (2) volunteers and two (2) PWAs selected from a pool of available persons not named in the grievance or involved with the grievant.

Step II:  The panel will provide written acknowledgement to the grievant acknowledging receipt of the grievance and appointment within fourteen (14) working days from the date the panel is convened.

Step III:  The panel will review the written grievance and determine the appropriate manner in resolving the grievance.  A resolution will be validated by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the panel members.  A copy of the written decision will be provided to all persons involved in the grievance and a copy shall be kept on file in the office. In the event of a tie vote or deadlock, the panel will request one board member to review the grievance and the recommendations of the panel.  The board member will then cast a cote to break the tie or deadlock.

Step IV:  In the event the panel is unable to resolve the grievance through the above steps the panel will send the grievance to the Board of Directors for resolution.  The Board of Directors will review the grievance based on all information provided through the above steps.

Step V:  The Board of Directors will provided copies of the written decision to all persons involved in the grievance action and a copy shall be retained in the office.

If after these steps the grievant is not satisfied, the grievant may file a written appear through the Office Manager stating the reasons they do not find the resolution to be equitable and submit the appear to the Board of Directors for review and resolution at the next regularly scheduled board meeting.  The Board will render a decision on the appear and will make the decision binding by a vote of two-thirds (2/3) of the entire board.  The decision will be provided to the grievant within thirty (30) days of the board meeting.