Staff Complaints and Grievances
Grievance Procedure for Non-represented Employees

File: GBM-R

Review of Administrative Decisions

The purpose of this procedure is to establish an effective process for the fair, expeditious, and orderly adjustment of grievances.

Grievances

Employees of the Lake Washington School District, who are not represented by a recognized bargaining representative as defined by state statutes, may grieve an administrative decision; provided that the grievance is an expressed difference in the interpretation, violation, or application of a written district, department, or building policy, rule or procedure; and provided that the grievance is not in conflict with the Board of Directors' prerogatives which are reserved solely to the discretion of the board and shall not be subject to grievance.

In the case of individual grievances involving in principle the same dispute and subject to the consent of the grievants involved, one grievance shall be selected to represent all grievances. The decision of that grievance shall be binding on the other grievances.

Expressed time limits may be mutually extended by the parties involved.

Every effort shall be made to resolve all potential grievances in an informal manner through a discussion between the grievant and the grievant's immediate administrator or the school administrator involved. This shall be done within 30 school days after the occurrence giving rise to the potential grievance. Potential grievances not submitted within the 30 school days shall be considered invalid.

Grievance Procedure:

  1. The initial grievance should be made informally to the immediate supervisor or administrator involved. At the conclusion of the initial process, the supervisor shall provide copies of these policies and rules with attached forms.
  2. If the complaint is not resolved informally, the employee may then direct to the supervisor a written statement (GBM-E) which explains the grievance, the alleged policy/regulation violated or applied differently to the employee, and the suggested solution. Within ten school days after receiving the grievance, the supervisor shall arrange a conference to which persons who may contribute to a satisfactory solution may be invited by the supervisor and the employee. A written decision of the supervisor shall be mailed to the employee within ten school days following the conference.
  3. If the decision of the supervisor is unsatisfactory to the employee, the grievance may be pursued by submitting a written statement of the grievance (GBM-E) and suggested solution to the superintendent of the Lake Washington School District. Within ten school days after receiving such a grievance, the superintendent or designee shall arrange a conference to which persons who may contribute to a satisfactory solution may be invited by the superintendent or designee and the employee. A written decision of the superintendent or designee shall be mailed to the employee within ten school days following the conference.
  4. If the superintendent/designee’s decision is unsatisfactory to the employee, the employee may request a review of the superintendent’s decision by the Board of Directors by submitting a written statement of the grievance and suggested solution within ten school days to the Board of Directors of the Lake Washington School District. The Board of Directors shall determine the review process. A written decision shall be mailed to the employee within 20 school days following receipt of this request. The decision of the Board of Directors shall be final and binding subject to RCW 28A.645.
  5. A written record of all grievance proceedings shall be on file at the school or department where the written grievance was initiated.

Approved:
09/11/67

Revised:
05/04/68
05/07/90
04/10/07
06/07/10

An elementary school principal and three teachers work together in a classroom