Employee Grievances
The SCEA
School employees should not hesitate to use this procedure, when informal approaches are not successful.
Employee Complaints, Grievances & Appeals
Whenever an employee feels unjustly treated, the employee may be able to file a grievance.
The Administrator may view the grievance process as a personal attack. They may think it is disloyal, demeaning and unprofessional for an employee to file a grievance. This is not true. The School Board created this policy for employees to use and it provides an opportunity to resolve conflict in a professional manner.
- provides a method of resolving employee-employer problems or disputes
- provides an opportunity for decisions to be adjusted at the lowest level
- provides both parties in a "dispute" an opportunity to think through their positions
- provides a method of appeal of administrative decisions without being threatened
- provides a method of takin concerns to the Superintendent or School Board
- provides a method of relieving the frustrations of the grievant (employee)
- provides a method of protecting rights
- provides a means of highlighting problems within the district or a building that may lead to an improved policy
- What is the definition of a grievance (located in the district board policy manual)?
- Who may file or initiate grievances?
- How many days does the employee have to file the grievance?
- Are the timelines in the procedure based on calendar days or workdays?
- What happens if either party misses a deadline?
- What specific information must a written grievance contain?
- Does the grievance have to be submitted on a specific form?
- Who should the employee give the grievance form to?
- Is representation allowed in grievance meetings?
School Board Policies: http://scsba.org/policy-services/policies-online/
Find Your Grievance Procedure
The grievance policy is located in the PERSONNEL section. The districts that appear in black do not provide online access to their policies. The policy is also typically found in the employee handbook, for those districts that provide one to their employees either in paper form or online.
Abbeville County School District
Anderson School District Three
Bamberg County School District
Barnwell County Consolidated School District
Beaufort County School District
Beaufort Jasper Academy for Career Excellence
Berkeley County School District
Charleston County School District
Cherokee County School District
Chester County School District
Chesterfield County School District
Clarendon County Consolidated School District
Colleton County School District
Darlington County School District
Dorchester County Career and Technology Center
Dorchester School District Two
Dorchester School District Four
The School District of Edgefield County
Fairfield County School District
Florence County School District 2
Florence County School District Three
Florence County School District Four
Florence County School District Five
Georgetown County School District
Greenwood County School District 52
Hampton Consolidated School District
Kershaw County School District
Laurens County School District 55
Laurens County School District 56
Lexington County School District Two
Lexington County School District 3
Lexington School District Four
School District Five of Lexington and Richland Counties
McCormick County School District
School District of Newberry County
Richland County School District One
Richland County School District Two
Saluda County School District One
S.C. School for the Deaf and the Blind
Spartanburg School District Two
Spartanburg School District Five
Spartanburg School District Seven
Williamsburg County School District
York 2 (Clover School District)
Types of Grievances
Interpretation of Policy- A personal leave policy grants leave for "personal business which is a basic need" for the employee and can be conducted during the work week. The principal refuses the personal leave request, claiming it was not a basic need.
Inequitable Treatment- An employee takes two days sick leave to attend to her sick sister and is docked pay. Another employee has done the same but received their pay.
Violation of Policy- A district policy states that employees shall only be required to attend one open house each year. The principal issues a bulletin to all employees requiring attendance at a second open house.
Subjective- Occasionally an employee or group of employees are displeased with a supervisor's behavior or judgment. While such behavior may not be a violation or misinterpretation of policy, the Union believes it is necessary to make a statement for the record indicating that disagreement. The purpose of such a grievance is seldom to reach an immediate resolution. More often, the purpose is to disclose the supervisor's behavior to their supervisors.
CAUTION: The information above is for illustration purposes, provided to illustrate the different ways to view a situation in the context of a grievance. If the board policy defines a grievance as a violation of policy, the employee must identify a board policy that applies.
Members should contact The SCEA for assistance at help@thescea.org
Presenting a Grievance
- Follow the district's grievance procedure and present the grievance to the appropriate person.
- Arguments like "someone else did it too" sound good but they rarely work. Don't file a grievance, if that is your only "evidence". Let The SCEA help you build a stronger case.
- Don't carry a chip on your shoulder into the meeting. The employee's attitude and demeanor can win or lose a grievance.
- Be knowledgeable about the information you are presenting. Though presentation is important, rarely does the presentation alone win. It takes FACTS to win.
- State the facts plainly. Avoid opinions or hearsay. Too many grievances are lost because the facts were not known.
- No matter how "right" you believe you are, what you can prove matters more. You haven't won until you have won, so don't go into the room with too much confidence. It will turn off the people who will judge your case. Remember that you, your attitude, your behavior, and your actions are being scrutinized. The person you are filing the complaint against will try to paint a negative picture of you.
- Stick to the grievance at hand. As discussion progresses, the administrator may try to lead you into a discussion of irrelevant issues. INSIST on discussing the grievance only ... nothing else.
- Disagree with dignity and professionalism. Disagree in a calm, firm, and positive manner. Avoid pounding the table, blowing up or making empty threats.
- Do not threaten to involve attorneys or misrepresent The SCEA staff as an attorney.
Contact Us
Email: help@thescea.org
Website: www.thescea.org/contact
Location: 2999 Sunset Blvd, West Columbia, SC, USA
Phone: 803.772.6553
Facebook: facebook.com/thescea