(a) Any disciplinary action involving a suspension, a demotion or discharge, shall, at the option of the employee, be subject to the appeal procedure of the Civil Service Commission or shall, at the option of the Union Grievance Committee, be subject to the arbitration procedure provided in Sections 2117.21, “Intent”, through 2117.25, “Failure to Answer or Appeal”. When the Union Grievance Committee has elected to file a grievance pursuant to the procedures set forth in said arbitration procedure and the employee subsequently files an appeal to the Civil Service Commission, then said grievance shall be considered waived, the employee having elected to appeal to the Civil Service Commission under the Civil Service Rules, as provided by the Charter of the City.
(b) Any disciplinary action involving a written or verbal warning shall be subject to the grievance procedure commencing at the operational level. An appeal of the decision may be submitted to the Department of Human Resources whose decision will be final and binding on the parties.