Grievance Representation The Association may designate a reasonable number of grievance representatives who must be members of the Unit, and shall provide all departments, offices or bureaus with a written list of employees who have been so designated. Management will semi-annually accept changes to the list presented by the Association. A grievance representative, if so requested, may represent a grievant at all levels of the grievance procedure. The grievant and the representative may have a reasonable amount of paid time off for the purpose of presenting grievances. However, said representative will receive paid time off only if a member of the Association; is in the same Unit as the grievant; is employed by the same department, office or bureau as the grievant; and is employed within a reasonable distance from the work location of the grievant. The grievant’s supervisor must concur regarding the necessary time off for presenting the grievance at the appropriate level. The grievant shall notify the representative of the meeting arrangements. If a grievance representative must leave the work location to represent a grievant, permission shall first be obtained from the representative’s supervisor on a form provided for such purpose. Permission to leave will be granted unless such absence would cause an unreasonable interruption of work. If such permission cannot be granted promptly, the grievance representative will be informed when time can be made available. Such time will not be more than 48 hours, excluding scheduled days off and/or legal holidays, after the time of the grievance representative's request unless otherwise mutually agreed to. Denial of permission to leave at the time requested will, upon mutual agreement, constitute an extension of time limits provided in the grievance procedure equal to the amount of the delay. Time spent on grievances outside of regular working hours of the employee or the representative shall not be counted as work time for any purpose. Whenever a grievance is to be presented during the working hours of the grievant and/or the representative, only that amount of time necessary to bring about a prompt disposition of the grievance will be allowed.
