Grievances

The information below should not be construed as legal advice. It is an attempt to explain in easy-to-read language what a grievance is, how to avoid one and how to file one if necessary. You should always talk with your Harwood Union Education Association (HUEA) grievance or building representative if you think you have grounds for a grievance. For details on grievances consult your most current master agreement/contract.

What is the Master Agreement?

Sometimes referred to as our contract, the master agreement is a document negotiated between the HUEA and the Harwood Unified Union School Board. HUEA negotiates two master agreements, one for our paraeducators and one for our teachers. The master agreements give us rights and responsibilities in our workplace. They also guarantee compensation and benefits.

What is a grievance?

A grievance is a claim by an employee, a group of employees, or the Association that there has been a violation, misinterpretation, or misapplication of one or more provisions of the contract.

What are some common grievance sources?

A grievance can arise for many reasons. Some common sources for grievances are:

• supervision

• working conditions

• compensation

• change

• pressure

• incompatibility

• disability discrimination

How can we avoid grievances?

Read your contract/master agreement. You don’t have to do it all in one sitting, but it’s important to know your contract. You can also check out our page Know Your Contract on this website which we will be adding to over time.

In addition, administrators should read the contracts of everyone who works in their building. When everyone is familiar with the contract it helps us to avoid grievances which can arise out of ignorance and confusion.

If you think there has been a violation of the contract or just want to better understand your contract, contact your HUEA building or grievance representative. A brief conversation with your representative can clarify things for you and if there has been a grievance, it can often be resolved without a long drawn out process.

Communication and transparency also help us to avoid grievances. Building and central office administrators, paraeducators and teachers need to engage in open and frequent communication.

Finally, trust, respect and a culture of working together can help us to prevent a grievance before it even happens.

Is there a timeline for grievances?

Yes. There is a general timeline for grievances. It is critical for you to contact your HUEA grievance or building representative as soon as you think there may have been a violation of the master agreement. There are several steps to the grievance process with deadlines for each step. Additionally, there are some things in the contract that have timelines that differ from the general timeline. Communicate with your HUEA grievance or building representative as soon as possible.