Level I If the grievance is not resolved through informal discussions, the School District designee shall give a written decision on the grievance to the parties involved within ten (10) days after receipt of the written grievance.
Level IV a. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of his/her grievance at Level III, he/she may file the grievance within five (5) days of the Level III response for transmittal to the Board. b. The Board will hear the grievance at its next regularly scheduled meeting or a special meeting which has been called for that purpose. The Board shall transmit its written decision to the grievant within five (5) days of the meeting. The decision of the Board shall be final. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to deny a grievant any appeal rights available under the law.
Level II In the event the grievance is not resolved in Level I, the decision rendered may be appealed to the Superintendent of Schools, provided such an appeal is made in writing within ten (10) days after receipt of the decision in Level I. If a grievance is properly appealed to the Superintendent, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall meet regarding the grievance within fifteen (15) days after receipt of the appeal. Within ten (10) days after the meeting, the Superintendent or his/her designee shall issue a decision, in writing, to the parties involved.
Level Five i. If the grievant is not satisfied with the disposition of the grievance at Level Four, the Association may submit the grievance to advisory arbitration not later than fifteen (15) school days after receipt of the decision by the Board. ii. Within ten (10) school days after such submission for arbitration, the Board and the Association shall attempt to agree upon a mutually acceptable arbitrator. If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator, either shall request the Public Employment Relations Commission to appoint an arbitrator. iii. The arbitrator shall confer with the representative of the Board and of the Association and shall proceed with a hearing and submit a written report in the shortest possible time setting forth his findings of fact, reasoning and conclusions on the issues submitted. The arbitrator shall be without power or authority to make any decision, which requires the commission of an act prohibited by law or which is violative of the terms of the Agreement. The decision of the arbitrator shall be advisory only to the Board and the Association. iv. The costs for the services of the arbitrator, including per diem expenses and actual necessary travel, subsistence expenses and the cost of the hearing room shall be borne equally by the Board and the Association. Any other expenses incurred shall be paid by the party incurring same. v. If time is lost by any teacher due to arbitration proceedings necessitating the retention of a substitute, the Board of Education will pay only the cost of the substitute; the time lost by the teacher must either be without pay or charged to personal time; however, if the arbitrator subpoenas a teacher to attend the arbitration proceedings as a witness, this teacher shall not suffer loss of pay. vi. Notwithstanding the above, the parties agree that in not more than one (1) arbitration per contract year (non-cumulative) may be submitted to an arbitrator, whose decision shall be final and binding upon both parties. The Association shall have the right to designate which arbitration shall be so binding, provided such designation is made and communicated in writing prior to the commencement of the arbitration in question. The Association's choice shall be limited to a grievance which must have reached Level Two of the grievance procedure in any contract year governed by the agreement. vii. Notwithstanding the above, the parties agree that any dispute which involves a disagreement as to whether the health insurance benefits provided employees herein are equal to or better than the health insurance benefits heretofore provided employees through the New Jersey Public and School Employees Health Benefits Plan may be submitted to an arbitrator whose decision shall be final and binding on both parties.
Level One Any member who has a grievance shall discuss it first with his/her principal (or immediate supervisor or department head when applicable) in an attempt to resolve the matter informally at that level which discussion shall be announced beforehand by the member as constituting a Level One grievance discussion. If as a result of the discussion, the matter is not resolved to the satisfaction of the member within five (5) working days of the Level One grievance discussion, he/she shall set forth his/her grievance in writing to his/her principal or immediate supervisor on the grievance forms provided in Appendix “B”. The principal or supervisor shall communicate his/her decision to the member in writing with reasons within five (5) working days of receipt of the written grievance. If the grievance is not resolved to the member’s satisfaction, he/she, no later than five (5) working days after receipt of the principal’s or supervisor’s decision, may request a review and hearing by the Superintendent of Schools. The appeal to the Superintendent must be made in writing with copy to the principal or supervisor setting forth the matter submitted to the principal or supervisor as specified above and the reasons for his/her dissatisfaction with decisions previously rendered. The Superintendent may consider the appeal on the written record submitted to him/her, or he/she may, on his/her own election, conduct a hearing; and he/she may request within six (6) working days of receipt of the grievance appeal the submission of additional written materials. Where additional written materials are requested by the Superintendent, copies thereof shall be served upon the adverse parties who shall have the right to reply thereto. If the Superintendent elects to conduct a hearing, it shall be held within ten (10) working days from the receipt of the grievance appeal by the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall make a determination within ten (10) working days from the receipt of the grievance appeal, or from the receipt of the requested additional materials, or from the date of the hearing, whichever is later, and shall in writing notify all interested parties of his/her determination.
Level Four A. If within ten (10) school days following the formal third step the Association submits a request to the Superintendent to enter into arbitration, the Superintendent and the Association shall attempt to agree upon a mutually acceptable arbitrator and shall obtain a commitment from said arbitrator to serve. If the parties are unable to agree upon an arbitrator or to obtain such a commitment within ten (10) school days, a written request for a list of arbitrators shall be made to the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) by either party. The list shall consist of seven (7) potential arbitrators and the parties shall determine by lot which party shall have the right to remove the first name from the list. The party having the right to remove the first name shall do so within two (2) school days. Then the parties shall have one (1) school day alternately to remove until one (1) name remains. The person whose name remains shall be the arbitrator. B. The arbitrator so selected shall confer with the Superintendent and the Association and hold hearings promptly and shall issue his/her decision not later than fifteen (15) school days from the date of the close of the hearings, or, if oral hearings have been waived, then from the date the final statements and proofs on the issues are submitted to him/her. The arbitrator's decision shall be in writing and shall set forth his/her findings of fact, reasoning, and conclusions of the issues submitted. The arbitrator's decision shall have no power to alter, add to, or detract from the specific provisions of the Agreement. No decision of the arbitrator shall in any way be derogation of the powers, duties, and rights established in the Board by constitutional provisions, statue, ordinance, or special legislative acts. The decision of the arbitrator shall be submitted to the Superintendent and the Association and shall be final and binding on the parties. C. The costs of the services of the arbitrator will be borne equally by the Board and the Association. D. If the grievant files any claim or complaint in any forum other than under the grievance procedure of this Master Contract Agreement, then the school district shall not be required to process the same claim or set of facts through this grievance procedure.