Your Representation Department
Getting Help Concerning Your Rights …
Interpretation of contract language, laws, regulations, policies, practices and the process of pursuing your rights can be complicated and, in most cases, tied to specified time limits and procedures to follow.
Should you find that you need an interpretation of any of the above, or you are being investigated or disciplined by management, you should immediately contact a Contract Administration Representative at the SEIU Local 500 Representation Department. Contract Administration Representatives are the experts in handling such matters and should be your first stop for help in finding out your rights and protecting them.
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Contact information: Phone (301) 740-7100, Fax (301) 740-7139
901 Russell Avenue, Suite 300, Gaithersburg, Maryland 20879
What Constitutes a Grievance or Violation of Law?
In order to successfully process a grievance or charge through a government agency, the employee and Union must show that one or a combination of the following took place:
1) A violation of a provision of the labor agreement.
2) A violation of an applicable provision of the law.
3) A violation of a policy, established past practice or regulation.
4) There is a dispute between the parties from different interpretations of the labor agreement.
What Is Considered In Such Matters?Much like law, there is the factual side of the case, exactly what happened and who was involved and then there is the legal side. Did the established facts violate the contract language, law, regulation, policy, past practice?
When you launch a complaint with a Contract Administration Representative, he or she will open an official investigation into the matter. Be prepared to provide the following information to the Contract Administration Representative:
- Your contact information (your name, address, working telephone number, email address).
- Your worksite (name and address) and your supervisor’s name.
- Any written documentation related to your issue. For example: written disciplinary notices issued to
you, any written statement you gave management, statements from witnesses supporting your claim,
insurance papers, leave slips, etc.
What Happens Next?
Contract Administration Representatives are required to conduct a due diligent investigation into your complaint; therefore, your complaint will be pursued as an active investigation. During the investigation the Contract Administration Representative may do one or all of the following:
> Conduct an interview with you (at the union office or over the telephone), take detailed notes, review documents you have and advise you of the process.
> Contact your immediate supervisor or others in management to obtain information concerning your complaint. Why? In order to prepare your case the Contract Administration Representatives will need to know what management might be saying at the hearing or any documents they may produce.
> Examine your personnel file to review your evaluations and any disciplinary action taken against you. Why? At a hearing management can introduce an employee’s poor work record. On the other hand, a good work record may help the employee at a hearing.
> Contact coworkers who have relevant information to your complaint, or who may have given a statement to management. Why contact them? Again, if a grievance is filed such witnesses or statements can be produced at a hearing so the Union will need to know before a hearing what they have said.
> The Contract Administration Representative will then review contract language, regulations, policies and any applicable law to determine if a violation has taken place. At the conclusion of the investigation you will be advised of the results of the investigation and whether there appears to be grounds to file a grievance.
> If a grievance is filed, you will go to a hearing where the Contract Administration Representative will represent you. At this hearing the Union or management may call witnesses, introduce written documents and cross examine witnesses.