Conflict Resolution Protocol
While the Company actively supports a working environment that limits significant problems, misunderstandings, and/or frustrations amongst ourselves and against parties outside of our organization, we understand that these situations may still naturally occur against our ever evolving efforts to combat. When conflicts do arise, the Company is intent on being responsive to its employees and their good-faith concerns. Therefore, an employee who is confronted with a problem may use the following procedures to resolve or clarify their concerns.
Procedures
Step 1 - Discussion with Direct Manager or Supervisor
Employees should bring their initial concerns, complaints, and/or questions to their direct manager or supervisor within five (5) working days of the date the incident(s) occurred.
If appropriate, complaints involving the employee’s manager or supervisor should still attempt to be initially addressed between an employee and their direct manager/supervisor.
If not appropriate (e.g. harassment/discrimination), an employee should skip to Step 2 - Written Complaint and Decision section below.
The direct manager or supervisor (or superior, respective Department Lead, or HR department) should generally respond to the complaint within five (5) working days of meeting with the complainant employee.
Accounts of the situation shall be promptly recorded by the individual responding to the employee, or an appropriate designee, within the Notes tab of the employee’s profile contained in the Company’s Human Resources Information System (HRIS), currently BambooHR.
Step 2 - Written Complaint and Decision
If a discussion with the direct manager or supervisor was not appropriate, did not resolve the problem to the mutual satisfaction of the employee and the manager/supervisor, or if the direct manager or supervisor did not respond to the complaint, the employee may submit a written complaint to the manager or supervisor’s superior, or respective Department Lead.
An employee making a complaint to their direct manager or supervisor’s superior or respective Department Lead should also forward a copy of the complaint to the HR department.
Written complaints should include:
The nature and location of the incident(s);
Date and time when the incident(s) occurred;
Suggestions on desired ways to resolve the problem;
Date and time when the employee met with their direct manager or supervisor (if occurred); and
A copy of the direct manager or supervisor’s written response (if provided), or a summary of their verbal response.
If the direct manager or supervisor provided no response, the employee’s complaint should identify that no response was provided.
Submission of written complaints are due within five (5) working days of a response from the direct manager or supervisor.
Employees may request assistance from the HR department with preparing their written complaints.
Upon receipt of the written complaint, the manager or supervisor‘s superior, or respective Department Lead shall meet with the employee within five (5) working days to discuss the complaint.
Management may request assistance from the HR department on determining an appropriate decision, and subsequent actions and responses.
The employee’s direct manager or supervisor‘s superior, or respective Department Lead shall generally issue a decision regarding the complaint within five (5) working days after meeting with the employee.
Accounts of the situation shall be promptly recorded by the individual responding to the employee, or an appropriate designee, within the Notes tab of the employee’s profile contained in the Company’s Human Resources Information System (HRIS), currently BambooHR.
Step 3 - Final Appeal of Decision
If the employee is dissatisfied with the decision of the manager or supervisor‘s superior, or respective Department Lead the employee may appeal this decision in writing to the HR department within five (5) working days.
The HR department may schedule individual or group meetings with the parties directly involved to facilitate a resolution if it believes that the complaint raises serious questions of fact or interpretation of policy.
Additional Guidance
If an employee fails to appropriately appeal from one step to the next within the time limits set forth, the problem may be considered settled on the basis of the last decision and may not be subject to further consideration.
Because problems are best resolved on an individual basis, the Conflict Resolution Protocol may be initiated only by individual employees and not by groups of employees. All complaints must be made in good-faith. The Company reserves the right to impose appropriate disciplinary action for any conduct it considers to be disruptive or inappropriate. The circumstances of each situation may differ, and the level of disciplinary action may also vary, depending on factors such as:
Nature of the offense;
Whether it is repeated;
Employee’s work record; and
Impact of the conduct to the organization.
No employee shall be subject to retaliation for filing a good-faith complaint.