Employee / Labor Relations

Grievances/File a Grievance

The University encourages informal resolution of employee complaints whenever possible.  Employees should present their complaints up through their reporting structure as soon as possible and engage in discussions with their department to attempt to reach a resolution that resolves the complaint in a manner which is satisfactory to the employee and USF.  If the complaint is not resolved through informal resolution, grievance procedures are available consistent with the nature of the complaint and the employee’s position classification. 

The University of South Florida currently provides two types of grievance procedures: Collective Bargaining Agreement Grievances and USF Grievances. Whether or not an employment issue can be grieved through the particular type of grievance procedure is based on the subject of the grievance, and if their position is one represented by a particular Bargaining Unit.

If you have questions regarding which procedure is applicable based on your classification and nature of the complaint, please contact employee-relations@usf.edu. 

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT GRIEVANCES

Based on their job classes, certain employees are covered by collective bargaining agreements that address terms and conditions of employment at the university. Applicable job classes are listed in each agreement. If a covered (i.e., in-unit) employee believes one or more provisions of the agreement have been violated, he/she may file a grievance through the grievance procedure contained in that agreement.

USF Grievances

Administration, Staff and Temporary (within certain limits) employees may be eligible to file grievances through the USF Grievance Procedure. A grievance, for the purpose of this procedure, is the allegation by an employee that:

• A term and/or condition of employment is unjust;
• A university regulation, policy, or procedure has been either wrongfully applied or applied in a manner that violates the regulation, policy, or procedure; and/or
• A disciplinary action is inappropriate.

The USF Grievance Procedure below includes details on actions that are not grievable, conditions of or exceptions to this process, and more. Once the Grievance form and supporting documentation have been finalized, the Grievance may be submitted via the "File a Grievance" button at the bottom of the page. 

For more details, refer to USF Regulation 10.213 Administration, Staff, and Temporary Employee Grievances.

File a Grievance

Please reference the above grievance information, and prepare your grievance for submission. Be sure to reference CBA grievance procedures, should they apply.

For eligible grievances under the USF Grievance Procedure, they must be filed in writing using the designated USF Grievance Form, which must be signed and dated by the grievant in the designated area and submitted to Human Resources (HR) by the close of regular business hours within 30 days after the date he/she becomes aware of the incident, act, or omission that is the basis for the grievance.

The following must be attached to the USF Grievance form:

1. A factual description which includes:
   • The incident, act, or omission the grievant alleges is the basis for the grievance, including date(s) of occurrence
   • The USF regulation, policy, or procedure that has been violated, if any
   • Names and contact information of witnesses or those who have direct knowledge of the alleged incident, act, or omission
   • What resolution the grievant is seeking to resolve the matter or remedy the situation
   • If applicable, justification for the grievant’s request to waive the mandatory informal resolution process
2. Other documents the grievant believes support the grievance If a grievant fails to file the grievance by the deadline, sign and date the grievance form, or include all of the required information, USF will be under no obligation to process the grievance, and the grievant will be notified by HR that the grievance will not be processed.