Disciplinary Procedure 20.01 All employees shall have the following rights:
A. An employee shall be entitled to only Union representation at each step of the disciplinary procedure.
B. An employee shall not be coerced, intimidated, or suffer any reprisals either directly or indirectly that may adversely affect his hours, wages, or working conditions as a result of the exercise of his rights under this procedure.
20.02 An employee may resign following the service of a Notice of Discipline. Any such resignation will be processed in accordance with the provisions contained herein and the employee's employment shall be terminated.
20.03 Discipline shall be imposed only for just cause. The specific acts for which discipline is being imposed and the penalty proposed shall be specified in the Notice of Discipline. The Notice served on the employee shall contain a reference to dates, times and places, if possible, and shall also be given to the local union president and xxxxxxx. The Employer shall notify the employee and the Union within seven (7) days after the Employer has knowledge of the incident that the Employer intends to impose discipline that may result in a suspension or discharge. Disciplinary actions resulting in a reprimand shall be imposed within ten (10) days after the Employer has knowledge of the incident. Notice of Disciplinary actions resulting in a suspension or discharge shall be issued within sixty (60) days after the Employer has knowledge of the incident resulting in the proposed disciplinary action.
20.04 Before any discipline is imposed, the employee and his/her union representative shall be entitled to a pre-disciplinary hearing before the employee's department head. If after this hearing the department head decides to impose a penalty that does not involve a suspension, demotion, or removal from service, the department head may impose the penalty, and the employee may grieve it. Where the department head seeks as a penalty the imposition of a suspension without pay, a demotion or removal from service, he shall make such a recommendation to the Mayor and notice of such proposed discipline shall be made in writing and served on the employee personally or by registered or certified mail, return receipt request, with a copy to the local union president and xxxxxxx. If the employee grieves the proposed suspension, demotion, or removal from service, the Mayor or designee shall convene a hearing at Step 3 of the grievance procedure.
20.05 The Union on behalf of all the employees covered by this Agreement and its own behalf hereby waives any and all rights previously possessed by such employees to appeal any form of disciplinary action (e.g. suspensions, demotion or discharge) to any Civil Service Commission.
20.06 Discipline shall not be implemented until either:
1. the matter is settled, or
2. the employee fails to file a grievance within the time frame provided by this procedure, or
3. the penalty is upheld by the arbitrator or a different penalty is determined by the arbitrator, or
4. the penalty may be imposed after the hearing before the Mayor in Section 20.04, subject to the Union's right to appeal it to arbitration.
