NAPE/AFSCME member Linda Parker prevailed in a grievance after the Department of Health and Human Services improperly imposed discipline.
On September 23, Linda was disciplined, however, the pre-disciplinary meeting r was held on August 21. State agencies have 30 days to impose discipline after a predisciplinary meeting according to the terms of our union contract. DHHS violated our contract by imposing disciplinary action more than thirty days after the conclusion of Linda’s pre-disciplinary meeting.
“I was wondering why it had been so long since I’d heard anything and I knew there was some sort of time frame, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it was,” Linda said. “So, I reached out to my union representative right away and was told that, yes, they had taken too long and didn’t respect the time limits.”
Our union representatives closely monitor grievance timelines to ensure deadlines are met and discipline is properly imposed. Timelines ensure members have a clear due process timeline in disciplinary matters.
“I know there are a lot of people who might not be aware of the deadlines, and I want all of my fellow union members to know that if you’re in a situation like this, management can’t just take forever,” Linda said. “You’re waiting patiently and it’s stressful because you don’t know what’s going on or when things are going to be resolved. That isn’t right, and I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to be a union member and to enforce those timelines.”
As a result of the grievance, the discipline was vacated and removed from Linda’s personnel file. If you face disciplinary action at work, contact us right away. Strict time limits apply to protect your rights.
