Employee Concerns and Grievance Process
At Golden Rule Schools, we encourage employees to address concerns openly and directly. Our goal is always to resolve issues as early and as locally as possible. The steps below outline our process for submitting and addressing employee grievances, as referenced in Policy.
Initial Step: Addressing the Issue Early
Employees are encouraged to bring concerns to their supervisor or campus principal as soon as they become aware of an issue. Whenever possible, matters should be resolved through conversation at the lowest administrative level.
Informal Resolution Window
Employees have 5 calendar days from the date they knew or reasonably should have known about the concern to speak with their supervisor/principal and attempt an informal resolution.
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If the concern is not resolved informally during this period, the employee must submit a formal grievance no later than the 10th day.
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Grievances submitted after the 10-day window will be considered out of time and closed.
Level I: Supervisor/Principal or HR Officer
When submitting a Level I grievance, the employee must describe the actions taken to resolve the concern informally.
If it appears that the employee did not make a genuine effort to resolve the issue informally, the supervisor or assigned Level I hearing officer may return the grievance in writing, instructing the employee to complete the informal process. A new filing deadline will then be set.
Level I Documentation Exhibit List
Level II: Superintendent or Designee Review
If the employee disagrees with the Level I response, they may appeal the decision. A Level II appeal must be submitted to the Superintendent or the Superintendent’s designee within 10 days of receiving the Level I response.
Final Step – Level III: Board of Directors
If the concern remains unresolved after Level II, the employee may appeal to the Board of Trustees. The Level III appeal must be submitted within 10 days of receiving the Level II response.
Level III Form