Effective Date: 3/1/2018
Article VIII, Section 3B
Procedure 6.1
Policies and Procedures Manual
I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to establish the Grievance Process for members of Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated.
II. POLICY
A person aggrieved by the action of a member of the organization may seek redress by filing a grievance pursuant to the process outlined below.
This National Grievance Process shall be binding on all members, chapters, regions, and officers of the Organization.
1. The term “grievance” shall refer to any complaint for good cause shown by a member who reasonably believes she has suffered an injustice or injury directly resulting from a violation of the National Constitution and Bylaws or any other governing documents of this Organization.
2. Members are required to try to resolve all disputes informally at the chapter level. The grievance process should be considered the option of last resort, with members having exhausted all other remedies to resolve disputes.
3. Should an informal resolution at the chapter level not be possible, the grievance process is initiated by the grievant completing the National Grievance and Code of Ethics Violation Authorization Checklist and Form.
4. A grievance must be “accepted” by the presiding officer before the grievance process can be utilized.
5. Should Jack and Jill of America, Incorporated incur attorneys’ fees and/or costs in having to respond to or defend a grievance, said attorney fees shall be assessed against and borne by the Grievant.
III. PROCEDURE
A. Grievance Against a Chapter Member or Chapter Officer
1. Any grievance must be reported within thirty (30) business days of its occurrence, or within thirty (30) business days of the discovery of its occurrence but not to exceed the past two program years.
2. If a member files a grievance against a Chapter member or officer in her own chapter, the presiding officer is the Chapter President.
3. The process is initiated by the member completing and electronically sending the National Grievance and Code of Ethics Violation Authorization Checklist and Form and required documentation to the presiding officer for resolution.
4. The Form shall include required information. Frivolous or baseless complaints and gratuitous personal attacks will not be accepted as appropriate subject matter and shall not be addressed. Any such allegations will be returned without action.
5. The Chapter President has the authority to accept or reject a grievance within fifteen (15) business days of receipt and reserves the right to reject any complaint that is deemed frivolous or lacks merit. If rejected the process ends.
6. If a grievance is accepted by the Chapter President, she will notify the Respondent within fifteen (15) business days of acceptance and provide her with a copy of the confidential complaint, all supporting
documents and fifteen (15) business days to provide a written response.
7. Within seven (7) business days of the receipt of the Respondent’s written response to the grievance, the Chapter President shall send the grievance, response and all supporting documents to the Chapter Grievance Committee for review and disposition.
8. The Chapter Grievance Committee shall be appointed by the Chapter president at the beginning of the program year. If a member of the Chapter’s Grievance Committee is a party to the grievance being reviewed, in anyway, she shall be recused.
9. The Chapter Grievance Committee shall have thirty (30) business days to convene and render its confidential decision to the involved parties and Chapter President by certified mail. The confidential decision shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
10. If either party is not satisfied with the Chapter Grievance Committee’s decision, the decision may be appealed to the Regional Director within seven (7) business days of receipt of the decision from the Chapter Grievance Committee.
11. If the appeal is accepted by the Regional Director, the Regional Director will notify the Appellant of receipt and within seven (7) business days shall send the appeal and supporting documents to the National Grievance Council for review and disposition.
12. The National Grievance Council shall have thirty (30) business days to convene and render its decision to the Appellant and appropriate parties by certified mail. The decision on behalf of the National Grievance Council shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
13. The decision of the National Grievance Council is final.
B. Grievance Against a Chapter President
1. Any alleged violation must be reported within thirty (30) business days of its occurrence, or within thirty (30) business days of the discovery of its occurrence but not to exceed the past two program years.
2. If a member has a grievance against the Chapter president, the next highest officer at the chapter level shall be the presiding officer. However, in this instance, the alleger reserves the right to bypass the local chapter and file the grievance directly with the Regional Director.
3. The process is initiated by completing and electronically sending the National Grievance Authorization and Code of Ethics Violation Checklist and Form and required documentation to the presiding officer, the Regional Director, for resolution.
4. The Form shall include required information. Frivolous or baseless complaints and gratuitous personal attacks will not be accepted as appropriate subject matter and shall not be addressed. Any such allegations will be returned without action.
5. The Regional Director has the authority to accept or reject a grievance within fifteen (15) business days of receipt and reserves the right to reject any complaint that is deemed frivolous or lacks merit. If rejected the process ends.
6. If the grievance is accepted by the Regional Director, she will notify the Respondent within fifteen (15) business days of acceptance and provide her with a copy of the confidential allegation, all supporting documents and fifteen (15) business days to provide a written response.
7. Within seven (7) business days of the receipt of the Respondent’s written response to the grievance, the Regional Director shall send the complaint, response and all supporting documents to the National Grievance Council for review and disposition.
8. The National Grievance Council shall have thirty (30) business days to convene and render its decision to the Appellant and appropriate parties by certified mail. The decision on behalf of the National Grievance Council shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
9. The decision of the National Grievance Council is final.
C. Grievance Against a Regional Officer
1. Any alleged violation must be reported within thirty (30) business days of its occurrence, or within thirty (30) business days of the discovery of its occurrence but not to exceed the past two program years.
2. In the event that the grievance is against a Regional Officer, arising from her conduct as a Regional Officer (and not her conduct as a local chapter member), the process is initiated by completing and electronically sending the National Grievance and Code of Ethics Violation Authorization Checklist and Form and required documentation to the presiding officer, the National President, for resolution.
3. The Form shall include required information. Frivolous or baseless complaints and gratuitous personal attacks will not be accepted as appropriate subject matter and shall not be addressed. Any such allegations will be returned without action.
4. The National President has the authority to accept or reject a grievance within fifteen (15) business days of receipt and reserves the right to reject any complaint that is deemed frivolous or lacks merit. If rejected the process ends.
5. If the grievance is accepted by the National President, she will notify the Respondent within fifteen (15) business days of acceptance and provide her with a copy of the confidential allegation, all supporting documents and fifteen (15) business days to provide a written response.
6. Within seven (7) business days of the receipt of the Respondent’s written response to the grievance, the National President shall send the complaint, response and all supporting documents to the National Grievance Council for review and disposition.
7. The National Grievance Council shall have thirty (30) business days to convene and render its decision to the Appellant and appropriate parties by certified mail. The decision on behalf of the National Grievance Council shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
8. If either party is not satisfied with the decision of the National Grievance Council, the party may appeal and request a review of the decision by the National Advisory Council, by submitting any additional information they would like considered, in writing to the presiding officer, the National President, within seven (7) business days of receipt the decision of the National Grievance Council.
9. The National President shall have seven (7) business days to accept the appeal.
10. If the appeal is accepted, the National President, shall then have fifteen (15) business days to convene the National Advisory Council to render its final confidential decision to the member, respondent, and Regional Director by certified mail. The decision on behalf of the National Advisory Council shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
11. The decision of the National Advisory Council is final.
D. Grievance Against a National Officer
1. Any alleged violation must be reported within thirty (30) business days of its occurrence, or within thirty (30) business days of the discovery of its occurrence but not to exceed the past two program years.
2. In the event that the grievance is against a National Officer, arising from her conduct as a National Officer (and not her conduct as a local chapter member), the process is initiated by completing and electronically sending the National Grievance and Code of Ethics Violation Authorization Checklist and Form and required documentation to the presiding officer, the National President, for resolution. If the grievance is against the National President, the next highest officer at the national level shall preside over the process.
3. The Form shall include required information. Frivolous or baseless complaints and gratuitous personal attacks will not be accepted as appropriate subject matter and shall not be addressed. Any such allegations will be returned without action.
4. The National President has the authority to accept or reject a grievance within fifteen (15) business days of receipt and reserves the right to reject any complaint that is deemed frivolous or lacks merit. If rejected the process ends.
5. If the grievance is accepted by the National President, she will notify the Respondent within fifteen (15) business days of acceptance and provide her with a copy of the confidential allegation, all supporting documents and fifteen (15) business days to provide a written response.
6. Within seven (7) business days of the receipt of the Respondent’s written response to the grievance, the National President shall send the complaint, response and all supporting documents to the National Advisory Council for review and disposition.
7. The National President shall then have fifteen (15) business days to convene the National Advisory Council to render its final confidential decision by certified mail. The decision on behalf of the National Advisory Council shall outline the details of the violation, the rationale for the decision, timing and any disciplinary action and the consequences of non-performance of the imposed disciplinary actions.
8. The decision of the National Advisory Council is final.
IV. AFFECTED PARTIES
All Members