§ 35-4. Departmental procedures.

The head of each department, board, agency, commission or special district of the town shall, subject to the approval of the Grievance Board, establish formal procedures for the submission of grievances by employees and for the prompt and orderly consideration and determination of such grievances by supervisors of the various departments, boards, agencies, commissions and special districts of the town government, or the heads thereof. Whenever practicable, with due consideration to the organization, size and geographical spread of a department, board, agency, commission or special district, the procedure for each such department, board, agency, commission or special district shall provide for no more than two procedural stages, as follows:

A. 

The first stage shall consist of the employee's presentation of his grievance to his immediate supervisor, who shall, to the extent necessary or appropriate, consult with and permit the employee to consult with any of his higher ranking supervisors in direct line below the level of the department, board, agency, commission or special district head, or the designated representative thereof. The discussion and resolution of grievances in the first stage shall be on an oral basis. Group grievances should be presented in the first instance to the lowest ranking supervisor common to all employees in the group.

B. 

The final departmental stage shall be the determination of the grievance by the department, board, agency, commission or special district head or, at the election of such head, by a duly designated representative with full responsibility for the determination of grievances in the final departmental stage. If a grievance is not satisfactorily settled at a lower stage, the employee may request a review and determination thereof by the head of the department, board, agency, commission or special district, or the designated representative thereof. In such case, the specific nature of the grievance or the facts relating thereto shall be reduced to writing, jointly or separately, by the employee and by the appropriate supervisors. The head of the department, board, agency, commission or special district, or the designated representative thereof, shall, at the request of the employee, hold an informal hearing at which the employee and his representative may appear and present oral statements or arguments. There may be designated one or more officers or employees of the department, board, agency, commission or special district to conduct such informal hearing and to submit a report thereon with recommendations. The final determination of such grievances shall be made by the head of the department, board, agency, commission or special district, or the designated representative thereof. Whenever it is not practicable to limit departmental, board, agency, commission or special district procedures to two stages, such additional intermediate stages as may be necessary shall be established, subject to the approval of the Grievance Board.