COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE
FOR
Senate Bill No. 684
(By Senator Hunter)
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[Originating in the Committee on the Judiciary;
reported February 27, 2004.]
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A BILL to amend and reenact §18-29-4 of the code of West Virginia,
1931, as amended; and to amend and reenact §29-6A-4 of said
code, all relating to providing for a process in which to
enlist binding arbitration in state employee and employees of
boards of education, governing boards of higher education,
regional educational service agencies and multicounty
vocational centers grievance procedures.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That §18-29-4 of the code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended,
be amended and reenacted; and that §29-6A-4 of said code be amended
and reenacted, all to read as follows:
ARTICLE 29. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE.
§18-29-4. Procedural levels and procedure at each level.
(a) Level one.
(1) Before a grievance is filed and within fifteen days following the occurrence of the event upon which the grievance is
based, or within fifteen days of the date on which the event became
known to the grievant or within fifteen days of the most recent
occurrence of a continuing practice giving rise to a grievance, the
grievant or the designated representative shall schedule a
conference with the immediate supervisor to discuss the nature of
the grievance and the action, redress or other remedy sought.
The conference with the immediate supervisor concerning the
grievance shall be conducted within ten days of the request
therefor, and any discussion shall be by the grievant in the
grievant's own behalf or by both the grievant and the designated
representative.
(2) The immediate supervisor shall respond to the grievance
within ten days of the conference.
(3) Within ten days of receipt of the response from the
immediate supervisor following the informal conference, a written
grievance may be filed with said supervisor, or in the case where
the grievance involves an event under the jurisdiction of a state
institution of higher education, the grievance shall be filed with
said supervisor and the office of personnel, by the grievant or the
designated representative on a form furnished by the employer or
agent.
(4) The immediate supervisor shall state the decision to such
filed grievance within ten days after the grievance is filed.
(b) Level two.
Within five days of receiving the decision of the immediate supervisor, the grievant may appeal the decision to the chief
administrator, and such administrator or his or her designee shall
conduct a hearing in accordance with section six of this article
within five days of receiving the appeal and shall issue a written
decision within five days of such hearing. Such decision may
affirm, modify or reverse the decision appealed from. Level four
hearing examiners or the chief administrator shall have the
authority to subpoena witnesses and documents for level two and
level three hearings in accordance with the provision of section
one, article five, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, and may
issue a subpoena upon the written request of any party to the
grievance.
(c) Level three.
Within five days of receiving the decision of the chief
administrator, the grievant may appeal the decision to the
governing board of the institution or may proceed directly to level
four. An appeal to the governing board shall set forth the reasons
why the grievant is seeking a level three review of the decision of
the chief administrator. Within five days of receiving the appeal,
such governing board may conduct a hearing in accordance with
section six of this article, may review the record submitted by the
chief administrator and render a decision based on such record or
may waive the right granted herein and shall notify the grievant of
such waiver. Any decision by the governing board, including a
decision to waive participation in the grievance, shall be in
writing and shall set forth the reasons for such decision, including the decision to waive participation in the grievance. If
a hearing is held under the provisions of this subsection, the
governing board shall issue a decision affirming, modifying or
reversing the decision of the chief administrator within five days
of such hearing.
(d) Level four.
(1) If the grievant is not satisfied with the action taken by
the chief administrator or, if appealed to level three, the action
taken by the governing board, within five days of the written
decision the grievant may request, in writing, on a form furnished
by the employer, that the grievance be submitted to a hearing
examiner as provided for in section five of this article, such
hearing to be conducted in accordance with section six of this
article within ten days following the request therefor: Provided,
That such hearing may be held within thirty days following the
request or within such time as is mutually agreed upon by the
parties, if the hearing examiner gives reasonable cause, in
writing, as to the necessity for such delay.
(3)Where a grievant selects arbitration as opposed to a level
four hearing before the grievance board, the grievant and the
employer shall request a panel of three arbitrators experienced in
public employment law. The arbitrators shall be selected from
either the West Virginia state bar, the FMCS or AAA. The grievant
and the employer shall each strike one arbitrator from the panel
and the remaining arbitrator shall hear the grievance in accordance
with the provisions of this article. The employer shall bear the costs associated with the arbitration. The arbitration shall be
held at a location agreed upon by the parties: Provided, That
should the grievant object to an arbitration being held at a
location where the employer conducts business, another site shall
be selected for the arbitration. A decision rendered by the
arbitrator is final and binding on the parties and neither party
has a right to appeal. Enforcement of the decision may be
compelled through procedures provided in section seven of this
article.
(2) (3) Within thirty days following the hearing, the hearing
examiner shall render a decision in writing to all parties setting
forth findings and conclusions on the issues submitted. Subject to
the provisions of section seven of this article, the decision of
the hearing examiner shall be final upon the parties and shall be
enforceable in circuit court.
(4) All information and data generated by the board and in its
custody relative to level four decisions and copies of such
decisions shall be provided at reasonable cost to any individual
requesting it.
ARTICLE 6A. GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE FOR STATE EMPLOYEES.
§29-6A-4. Procedural levels and procedure at each level.
(a) Level one.
Within ten days following the occurrence of the event upon
which the grievance is based, or within ten days of the date on
which the event became known to the grievant, or within ten days of the most recent occurrence of a continuing practice giving rise to
a grievance, the grievant or the designated representative, or
both, may file a written grievance with the immediate supervisor of
the grievant. At the request of the grievant or the immediate
supervisor, an informal conference shall be held to discuss the
grievance within three days of the receipt of the written
grievance. The immediate supervisor shall issue a written decision
within six days of the receipt of the written grievance. If a
grievance alleges discrimination or retaliation by the immediate
supervisor of the grievant, the level one filing may be waived by
the grievant and the grievance may be initiated at level two with
the administrator or his or her designee, within the time limits
set forth in this subsection for filing a grievance at level one.
A meeting may be held to discuss the issues in dispute, but the
meeting is not required.
(b) Level two.
Within five days of receiving the decision of the immediate
supervisor, the grievant may file a written appeal to the
administrator of the grievant's work location, facility, area
office, or other appropriate subdivision of the department, board,
commission or agency. The administrator or his or her designee
shall hold a conference within five days of the receipt of the
appeal and issue a written decision upon the appeal within five
days of the conference.
(d) Level three.
(1) If the grievant is not satisfied with the action taken by
the administrator of the grievant's work location, facility, area
office, or other appropriate subdivision of the department, board,
commission or agency, within five days of the written decision the
grievant may request, in writing, on a form furnished by the
employer, that the grievance be submitted to a hearing examiner as
provided for in section five of this article. The hearing shall be
conducted in accordance with section six of this article within
fifteen days following the request for the hearing: Provided, That
the hearing may be held within thirty days following the request,
or within a time that is mutually agreed upon by the parties, if
the hearing examiner gives reasonable cause, in writing, as to the
necessity for the delay. A copy of the appeal shall be served by
the grievant upon the director of the division of personnel. The
director of the division of personnel, or his or her designee, may
appear at the hearing and submit oral or written evidence upon the
matters in the hearing.
(2) Within thirty days following the hearing, the hearing
examiner shall render a decision in writing to all parties setting
forth findings and conclusions on the issues submitted. Subject to
the provisions of section seven of this article, the decision of
the hearing examiner is final upon the parties and is enforceable
in circuit court.
(3) Where a grievant selects arbitration as opposed to a level
four hearing before the grievance board, the grievant and the
employer shall request a panel of three arbitrators experienced in public employment law. The arbitrators shall be selected from
either the West Virginia state bar, the FMCS or AAA. The grievant
and the employer shall each strike one arbitrator from the panel
and the remaining arbitrator shall hear the grievance in accordance
with the provisions of this article. The employer shall bear the
costs associated with the arbitration. The arbitration shall be
held at a location agreed upon by the parties: Provided, That
should the grievant object to an arbitration being held at a
location where the employer conducts business, another site shall
be selected for the arbitration. A decision rendered by the
arbitrator is final and binding on the parties and neither party
has a right to appeal. Enforcement of the decision may be
compelled through procedures provided in section seven of this
article.
(e) Expedited grievance process.
(1) A grievance involving suspension without pay, demotion or
dismissal or loss of wages may be initiated at level two with the
administrator of the grievant's work location, facility, area
office or other appropriate subdivision of the department, board,
commission or agency.
(2) An employee may grieve a final action of the employer
involving a dismissal, demotion or suspension exceeding twenty days
directly to the hearing examiner. The expedited grievance shall be
in writing and shall be filed within ten days of the date of the
final action with the chief administrator and the director of the
division of personnel.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for a process in
which to enlist binding arbitration in state employee and employees
of boards of education grievance procedures.
Strike-throughs indicate language that would be stricken from
the present law, and underscoring indicates new language that would
be added.