(A) Complaint initiation. Persons having complaints against a particular city employee must first contact the employee’s department head and submit a written complaint. The department head has 15 days to respond to the citizen and advise same about what action, if any, the department head has elected to take. The department head has 15 days to implement that decision by mediation, negotiation and/or denial, and do so in writing.
(B) Appeal process. Thereafter, the complainant must file a written appeal with the Chairperson of the Personnel Committee of the City Council within 30 days of the date of written notice given by the department head with which he or she is dissatisfied. The Personnel Committee of the city is required to hold a closed personnel administrative hearing within 30 days and enforce its written decision.
(C) Certiorari appeal. After said 30 days, the complainant may ask in writing for the City Council to consider hearing the appeal. The request must be made within 20 days of the Personnel Committee decision. The City Council is not required to consider an appeal from the Personnel Committee unless at least three members of the Council vote in favor of such consideration. The certiorari review shall be in camera unless the employee elects a public hearing.
(D) Contact between employee and complainant. During the administrative processing of the complaint, the department head shall take steps to reduce contact between the employee and complainant.
(E) Exclusion. This process has no application to elected municipal employees, or to labor management agreements in place during their terms covering such employees.
(Prior Code, § 1-8-6) (Ord. 596, passed 10-21-1997)